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The Berger de Picard is believed by most to be the oldest of the French shepherd dogs. They are also known as the Berger Picard, the Bacardi Shepherd, the Picardy Shepherd, and the Berger de Picardie. The two World Wars came very close to leading to the complete extinction of the breed and even today, there are only about three thousand of them left in France and three hundred fifty in Germany.

It has only been since 1994 that the UKC has even recognized the breed. The Picardy Shepherd is, however, also recognized by the CKC, FCI, NKC, APRI, ACR, and DRA. Although having a registered dog may not mean that much to the average pet owner who is only looking for a loving companion, it does increase the value of the dog for those who want to breed the animal or compete with him or her.

According to breed standards, the Picardy Shepherd should stand between twenty-one and a half and twenty-six inches tall at the withers. The dog should weigh between fifty and seventy pounds, with males often being larger than females. There are several colors for this breed that are acceptable, these being grey, bluish grey, grey-black, and fawn, either light or dark. This breed's coat is coarse, rather than being soft to the touch. The fur is between two to two and a half inches long. Grooming should be done at least once per week to ensure that there is no matting and nothing stuck in the beautiful coat. The ears stand erect on the head and they have a set of bushy eyebrows over the eyes. The body should be well-muscled.

Training the Picardy Shepherd can be a challenge for some owners who tend to be more passive, as the breed needs clear rules and pack order, with the human owner being at the top of the pack. Training that is approached with calm, firm consistency is the most successful. The breed is intelligent and has a wonderful understanding and responsiveness to tone of voice, thus a harsh hand is not needed, nor is it very effective. One of the more predominant negative behaviors that owners will want to address with authority early on is their predisposition to barking excessively. This can be a real problem for those living close to neighbors if it is not resolved early on.

The Picardy Shepherd is a very social breed and will need quite a bit of interaction with its family if he or she is to truly thrive. The breed does exceptionally well with other animals and people, when socialized early on. They are loyal and sweet in temperament, in addition to be intelligent and alert. These qualities make them good watchdogs, but because of their friendliness, they should not be expected to excel as guarddogs. They are energetic and will need an adequate amount of exercise and activity in order to prevent boredom. They prefer to spend most of their time with their owner and will happily spend time just laying beside you and watching you throughout your day. The Picardy Shepherd has an expected lifespan of twelve to thirteen years, so you will have a great deal of time to love and be loved by this sweet, energetic companion.

Learn more about this author, Victoria Tiegert.
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