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Berger Picard

The Berger Picard is a French herding breed from Picardy, rustic in appearance with a harsh tousled coat, upright ears and a distinctly untidy look.

It nearly died out after both world wars, which were fought across its home region, and remains uncommon.

It stands 55 to 65 centimetres, weighs 23 to 32 kilograms and lives twelve to thirteen years. It is a working herding dog: lively, intelligent, sensitive and possessed of a stubborn streak that its enthusiasts consider part of the charm. It is generally healthy, with a small but functional gene pool, and it needs both exercise and occupation.

Origin
Picardy, France
Size
55–65 cm; 23–32 kg
Lifespan
12–13 years
Coat
Harsh and tousled; low-maintenance, sheds little
Temperament
Lively, sensitive and stubborn; a working herder
Health
Progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia

2 berger picard photos, newest first

Berger Picard feed
  • Yarrow IV, a berger picard

    Yarrow IV

    Yarrow IV was promoted to botanist studying an absurdly large houseplant; unfortunately, a domino line stops one piece before the finish.

    FrostyOtter · 1 week ago

  • Yarrow IV, a berger picard

    Yarrow IV

    Yarrow IV does this every morning and I have stopped questioning it.

    SunnyHeron · 2 weeks ago

Living with a berger picard

The coat is one of the easiest of any long-coated breed — a brush every couple of weeks and no trimming. It should look rough; tidying it up is a mistake.

They are sensitive and stubborn together, which means training needs to be interesting and fair. They shut down under pressure and switch off under repetition.

They need real daily exercise and a job — herding, agility, scent work.

Ask for the PRA DNA test and hip scores. The breed is generally sound but the gene pool is small, so ask what a breeder does about diversity.

They are reserved with strangers and need early socialisation to keep that from becoming shyness.

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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