What should you know about the Berger Picard?
Berger Picards are amazing dogs; smart, challenging and loyal. They are working dogs that have not been over bred in response to popular demand, and they are still very close to their true herding origins. Their instincts tell them to stay away from strangers, fetch whatever is moving too fast, and protect their family even at the cost of their own life. Being a working dog means that they need to have a job to do. If you don’t give them a job, they will create their own… and it may not be what you had in mind.
They have the energy to work long days but also know how to relax and be very quiet in the house, as long as they are also given the opportunity to exercise and let off a bit of steam. Picards have many wonderful and endearing qualities. Their sense of humour and gentleness makes them good therapy dogs. Their well-developed sense of smell makes tracking easy for them, and needless to say, their herding instinct is very strong. Their high energy is evident at agility and lure coursing trials where they perform very well.
Berger Picards require an abundance of socialization as puppies, so the first 12 to 18 months with a Picard is very time consuming. Contact with new people, places and experiences should not end with puppyhood, and is an important component for the entire life of the dog. They are free spirited animals with a sense of initiative so they require skilled leaders they can respect. They are not the type of dog that enjoys repetition without purpose, so they may not be the ideal choice for competing in obedience. They are also very sensitive dogs and require creative management and motivation. Forceful leadership or harsh corrections does not work well with Picards. They may not be a good choice for a novice dog owner with no experience, as they easily detect inconsistencies in training and take full advantage of them. On the other hand, because they are so intelligent, they learn quickly and easily so they can be very fun and rewarding to train. A sense of humour is an essential requirement for life with a Picard!
Their coats require minimal grooming. They need an occasional brushing and infrequent baths. Picards are not heavy shedders, but they will shed a bit in the spring and fall as their coats change for the seasons. They love the snow and cooler temperatures, and dislike extreme heat. Their coat keeps them warm and dries quickly, perfect for the wet and windy weather of northern France where they originate from. They are typically very healthy and are rarely sick.
As with all breeds, the Berger Picard has some health issues. A recent survey done by the Swiss Berger Picard Club placed gastro intestinal problems at the top of the list, followed closely by weak nails. Being a large breed, hip dysplasia is not unknown to the breed and we also find some inherited eye diseases (IED) such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and retinal dysplasia (RD). By selectively breeding, breeders are trying to eliminate these diseases from the Berger Picard gene pool. Because the gene pool of this rare breed is so small, no tests have as yet been developed to isolate the gene responsible for these diseases. Therefore breeders only can rely on selective breeding based on results of health tests done on their breeding stock and their offspring. Such results are valuable beyond words and are made public on the OFA website; www.offa.org. Our neighbours from the Berger Picard Club of America have put together a health survey on the Berger Picard that is managed by the OFA and CHIC organizations to get a global picture of the health of the Berger Picard worldwide. We invite every Picard owner to complete the survey in order to help us compile the most accurate data possible. Keeping our breed healthy is one of our top priorities.
http://www.offa.org/surveys/survey_picard.html
They have the energy to work long days but also know how to relax and be very quiet in the house, as long as they are also given the opportunity to exercise and let off a bit of steam. Picards have many wonderful and endearing qualities. Their sense of humour and gentleness makes them good therapy dogs. Their well-developed sense of smell makes tracking easy for them, and needless to say, their herding instinct is very strong. Their high energy is evident at agility and lure coursing trials where they perform very well.
Berger Picards require an abundance of socialization as puppies, so the first 12 to 18 months with a Picard is very time consuming. Contact with new people, places and experiences should not end with puppyhood, and is an important component for the entire life of the dog. They are free spirited animals with a sense of initiative so they require skilled leaders they can respect. They are not the type of dog that enjoys repetition without purpose, so they may not be the ideal choice for competing in obedience. They are also very sensitive dogs and require creative management and motivation. Forceful leadership or harsh corrections does not work well with Picards. They may not be a good choice for a novice dog owner with no experience, as they easily detect inconsistencies in training and take full advantage of them. On the other hand, because they are so intelligent, they learn quickly and easily so they can be very fun and rewarding to train. A sense of humour is an essential requirement for life with a Picard!
Their coats require minimal grooming. They need an occasional brushing and infrequent baths. Picards are not heavy shedders, but they will shed a bit in the spring and fall as their coats change for the seasons. They love the snow and cooler temperatures, and dislike extreme heat. Their coat keeps them warm and dries quickly, perfect for the wet and windy weather of northern France where they originate from. They are typically very healthy and are rarely sick.
As with all breeds, the Berger Picard has some health issues. A recent survey done by the Swiss Berger Picard Club placed gastro intestinal problems at the top of the list, followed closely by weak nails. Being a large breed, hip dysplasia is not unknown to the breed and we also find some inherited eye diseases (IED) such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and retinal dysplasia (RD). By selectively breeding, breeders are trying to eliminate these diseases from the Berger Picard gene pool. Because the gene pool of this rare breed is so small, no tests have as yet been developed to isolate the gene responsible for these diseases. Therefore breeders only can rely on selective breeding based on results of health tests done on their breeding stock and their offspring. Such results are valuable beyond words and are made public on the OFA website; www.offa.org. Our neighbours from the Berger Picard Club of America have put together a health survey on the Berger Picard that is managed by the OFA and CHIC organizations to get a global picture of the health of the Berger Picard worldwide. We invite every Picard owner to complete the survey in order to help us compile the most accurate data possible. Keeping our breed healthy is one of our top priorities.
http://www.offa.org/surveys/survey_picard.html