Ava Williams
Shoulder height: 55 – 65 cm
Weight: 25 – 35 kg
Age: 10 – 12 years
Color: grey, grey-black, grey-blue, grey-red, fawn
Use: working dog, companion dog
The Berger Picard is a very rare French herding dog breed. A Picard is independent, self-confident, and not very willing to subordinate, so he also needs an experienced hand.
Origin and history
The Berger Picard comes from the northern French lowland region of Picardy, where it was used to herd sheep. It is believed that he came to this region with the Celts in the 9th century.
The two world wars led to a severe decimation of the stock. Between the years 1940 and 1949, the breed was practically wiped out by the events of the war. A small group of breeders and Picard enthusiasts decided to revive the Berger Picard. Since there were hardly any Picard dogs left after World War II, the dog breed also has a high inbreeding coefficient. Even today, the Picard is a very rare breed of dog.
Appearance
The Berger Picard is, so to speak, the Struwwelpeter among the herding dogs and, with its rustic appearance, looks like a mixed-breed dog at first glance. It is about 65 cm tall and weighs 32 kg. Its body is muscular and strong but elegant in its forms.
Its fur is semi-long, straight, goat-like brittle, weatherproof, and dense. The ears stand up and are medium-sized. The Berger Picard is most common in the colors fawn, gray, or fawn.
Nature
The temperamental Picard is considered to be a very stubborn and not exactly submissive dog. Although he is capable of learning, he is not always willing to learn. The charming roughneck poses a challenge even for a passionate and experienced dog owner. The self-confident Picard, therefore, needs an experienced hand and consistent and sensitive training from an early age. It is best suited to people with a natural authority that it recognizes as the leader of the pack.
The born Guardian is also vigilant and ready to defend at first. It only reluctantly tolerates strange dogs in its territory, it is disinterested in suspicious strangers.
The robust Berger Picard needs sufficient exercise and a lot of activity. It is the ideal companion for sporty and nature-loving people. It is not at all suitable for city people or couch potatoes.
It loves dog sports activities, such as agility or track work, even if it sometimes lacks the necessary willingness to be submissive to achieve great success in tournament sports. The hard-working Berger Picard also does a good job as a rescue dog or protection dog.