Bergamasco sheepdog
The Bergamasco is an Italian herding breed from the Alpine valleys near Bergamo, and its coat is unlike any other dog's.
Three different hair types grow together and naturally felt into flat mats called flocks, which cover the dog like heavy woollen plates and protect it from cold and from predators.
It stands 54 to 62 centimetres, weighs 26 to 38 kilograms and lives thirteen to fifteen years. The flocks take several years to form fully and are then essentially maintenance-free — but the process cannot be brushed, and understanding that is the whole of Bergamasco grooming. Temperament is calm, independent and watchful, in the way of flock guardians rather than driving herders.
- Origin
- Alpine valleys near Bergamo, Italy
- Size
- 54–62 cm; 26–38 kg
- Lifespan
- 13–15 years
- Coat
- Naturally felted flocks of three hair types; forms over years
- Temperament
- Calm, independent, watchful
- Health
- Generally robust; hip dysplasia
Related: Belgian sheepdog · Croatian sheepdog · Icelandic sheepdog
3 bergamasco sheepdog photos, newest first
Living with a bergamasco sheepdog
Do not brush the coat. This is the opposite of every other long-coated breed: the flocks are supposed to form, and brushing them out defeats the purpose. At around a year the coat begins to mat and the owner separates the forming flocks by hand — tearing them apart into the right sizes — and then largely leaves them alone.
Bathing is infrequent and drying takes a very long time; a wet Bergamasco can take a day or more to dry properly.
They are independent thinkers, as guardians are, and train through cooperation rather than drilling.
The breed is generally healthy with a broad working gene pool. Ask for hip scores.
Exercise needs are moderate rather than extreme — a real walk and something to watch over.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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