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BERGER PICARD (PICARDY
SHEPHERD)
Official U.K.C. Breed Standard
History
The Berger Picard, named for the Picardie
region in northeast France, is one of the
oldest French breeds of sheep
herding dogs. Some scholars believe the
breed was introduced by the Celts, while
others claim it is descended from dogs of
Asian tribes who invaded Europe in the
Middle Ages. Some experts insist that this
breed is related to the more well-known
Briard and Beauceron, while others
suppose it shares a common origin with
Dutch And Belgian Shepherds. Although
the Berger Picard made an appearance at
the first French dog show in 1863, the
breed's rustic appearance did not lead to
popularity as a show dog. The two World
Wars nearly caused the extinction of the
Berger Picard and it is still rare, even in
France.
The Berger Picard was recognized by the
United Kennel Club on January 1, 1994.
General Appearance
The Berger Picard is a medium-sized,
well-muscled dog, slightly longer than tall,
with a distinctive rough coat, erect ears,
and a natural tail that normally reaches to
the hock and is carried with a slight
J-curve at the tip. The Berger Picard
should be evaluated as a working
sheep-herding dog, and exaggerations or
faults should be penalized in proportion to
how much they interfere with the dog's
ability to work.
Characteristics
Britain has fewer predators and its sheep
are less tame than in France. While British
sheep traditionally lived outdoors in
enclosed pastures, French sheep were
usually grazed in an open pasture each day
and returned each evening to a stable or
enclosure. These differences resulted in
significant variations in the temperament
and herding style of British and French
dogs.
The Berger Picard shares many
characteristics with the Briard, the
Beauceron, and the other continental
herding breeds. Because of the French
practice of grazing in unenclosed areas,
often adjoining land planted with crops, the
Berger Picard developed a herding style
referred to as "boundary" or "tending."
This contrasts with the "fetching" style of
the British herding dogs.
Because of the increased threat of
predators, French shepherds preferred a
herding dog with a strong protective
instinct that has led many of the more
well-known continental herding breeds into
police work.
The Berger Picard is a lively, energetic,
affectionate dog that is still primarily used
in France for herding. Their intelligence
and protective instincts make them suitable
as guard dogs as well. They are excellent
family companions and very good with
children.
Head
The head is free of wrinkles and
proportional to the size of the dog. The
skull and muzzle are of equal length,
parallel to one another, and joined at a very
slight stop. There is a slight median furrow
between the bony arches over the eyes.
SKULL -- The skull is broad and slightly
domed. It is covered with harsh-textured
hair about 1½ inches in length which
causes the skull to appear nearly flat when
viewed from the front. The cheeks are just
slightly rounded. The hair above the eyes
falls forward, forming rough eyebrows
that are not trimmed nor are they so thick
or long as to obscure the eyes.
Faults: Eyebrows absent or too full. Skull
too flat or too domed. Forehead too flat or
too steep.
MUZZLE -- Viewed from above, the
muzzle tapers slightly from the stop to the
nose, but is powerful and never snipey. In
profile, the bridge of the muzzle is straight.
Lips are thin and tight with dark pigment.
The hair on the muzzle forms a distinct
moustache and beard.
Faults: Absence of moustache or beard.
Pendulous lips. Absence of pigment in lips.
TEETH -- The Berger Picard has a
complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth
meeting in a scissors bite.
Faults: Missing up to two premolars. Level
mouth.
Serious faults: Missing up to four
premolars.
Disqualifications: More than four missing
teeth. Overshot or undershot.
NOSE -- The nose is large and always
black.
Disqualification: Nose any color other than
black.
EYES -- The eyes are of medium size,
oval, and set on a horizontal axis. Eye color
is brown, with the darkness of the color
varying with the color of the coat, but
never lighter than hazel. The eye rims are
tight-fitting and black. The expression is
intelligent and confident.
Serious faults: Eyes set obliquely. Eyes too
light.
Disqualifications: Wall eyes. Non-matching
eyes.
EARS -- Ears are of moderate size (about 3
inches tall), set rather high, and always
carried naturally erect. They are broad at
the base and slightly rounded at the tips.
From the front, the outer edge of the ear
points straight up, although it may point
slightly outward and still be acceptable.
Faults: Ears taller than 4¾ inches. Ears set
too low or too close together. Outer edge
of ear that points inward toward the tip.
Disqualification: Ears not fully erect.
Neck
The neck is long but strong and muscular,
blending smoothly into well-laid-back
shoulders. The head is carried proudly
erect.
Faults: Neck too thin and weak. Neck too
short and thick. Ewe neck. Dewlap.
Forequarters
The shoulder blades are long, smoothly
muscled, and moderately laid back. The
forelegs are straight and strong, with
slightly sloping pasterns. The elbows are
neither close to the body nor out, but are
set on a plane parallel to the body.
Faults: Pastern too steep or down in
pastern.
Body
The body is just slightly longer (measured
from prosternum to point of buttocks) than
tall (measured from the withers to the
ground). The ribs are well sprung out from
the spine, forming a strong back, then
curving down and inward. The chest
reaches no deeper than the elbows and
extends in a gently rounded oval in front of
the forelegs. The line of the back is
straight. The loin is well-muscled and
broad. The croup is slightly sloping and
blends into the hindquarters in a gentle
curve. The belly is slightly tucked up.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters are long and well
muscled. The angulation of the stifle is in
balance with the angulation of the
forequarters. The hock joint is moderately
angulated. Rear pasterns are strong, lean,
and of moderate length. Viewed from any
angle, they are parallel to one another and
perpendicular to the ground. When
standing naturally, rear legs are spaced
moderately apart and are set neither too far
out behind the dog nor under.
Feet
Feet are compact, well-knit, and round in
shape. Toes are well-arched. Pads are firm
and supple. Nails are strong and dark in
color. Dewclaws are removed.
Disqualification: Double dewclaws.
Tail
The tail is a natural extension of the topline.
The tail is uncut, thick at the base, and
tapers to the tip. When the dog is in
repose, the tail just reaches to the hock,
with the bottom of the tail forming a hook
shaped like the letter "J" when viewed from
the dog's right side. When the dog is in
action, the tail is carried higher but never
above the level of the back. The tail is
covered with hair of the same length as the
body coat.
Faults: Absence of coat on tail or plush
coat on tail. Tail too short. Kink in tail.
Disqualifications: Tail continuously carried
over the back. Tail absent or bobbed.
Coat
The Berger Picard's shaggy, rough, double
coat is a distinctive characteristic of the
breed. The length of the coat is about 2 to
2½ inches all over the body except for the
head, where it is slightly shorter. The
texture of the outer coat is harsh and crisp
to the touch. The undercoat is soft and
dense.
Serious faults: Body coat shorter than 2
inches.
Disqualifications: Body coat shorter than
1½ inches. Soft or woolly coat. Curly
coat. Flat coat.
Color
Color may be gray, gray-black, gray with
black highlights, gray-blue, gray-red, light
or dark fawn, or a mixture of these shades.
A slight white marking is allowed on the
chest and on the tips of the toes.
Faults: White patch on the chest forming a
"shirtfront." White all over the toes.
Disqualifications: Pure black or white.
Harlequin or pied. All white chest or feet.
White on the coat anywhere other than
chest or feet. Albinism.
Height and Weight
Desirable height at maturity for males is
between 23½ and 25½ inches and, for
females, between 21½ and 23½ inches.
Fault: Up to three-quarters of an inch
above the maximum.
Disqualifications: Mature dog below the
minimum height. Over three-quarters of an
inch above the maximum height.
Gait
The Berger Picard moves freely, with long,
easy steps. His structure permits the abrupt
turns, springing starts and sudden stops
required of a herding dog.
Disqualifications
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid.
Viciousness or extreme shyness. More
than four missing teeth. Overshot or
undershot. Nose any color other than
black. Wall eyes. Non-matching eyes. Ear
not fully erect. Double dewclaws. Tail
continuously carried over the back. Tail
absent or bobbed. Body coat shorter than
1½ inches. Soft or woolly coat. Curly
coat. Flat coat. Pure black or white.
Harlequin or pied. All white chest or feet.
White on the coat anywhere other than
chest or feet. Albinism. Mature dog below
the minimum height. Over three-quarters
of an inch above the maximum height.
SHEPHERD)
Official U.K.C. Breed Standard
History
The Berger Picard, named for the Picardie
region in northeast France, is one of the
oldest French breeds of sheep
herding dogs. Some scholars believe the
breed was introduced by the Celts, while
others claim it is descended from dogs of
Asian tribes who invaded Europe in the
Middle Ages. Some experts insist that this
breed is related to the more well-known
Briard and Beauceron, while others
suppose it shares a common origin with
Dutch And Belgian Shepherds. Although
the Berger Picard made an appearance at
the first French dog show in 1863, the
breed's rustic appearance did not lead to
popularity as a show dog. The two World
Wars nearly caused the extinction of the
Berger Picard and it is still rare, even in
France.
The Berger Picard was recognized by the
United Kennel Club on January 1, 1994.
General Appearance
The Berger Picard is a medium-sized,
well-muscled dog, slightly longer than tall,
with a distinctive rough coat, erect ears,
and a natural tail that normally reaches to
the hock and is carried with a slight
J-curve at the tip. The Berger Picard
should be evaluated as a working
sheep-herding dog, and exaggerations or
faults should be penalized in proportion to
how much they interfere with the dog's
ability to work.
Characteristics
Britain has fewer predators and its sheep
are less tame than in France. While British
sheep traditionally lived outdoors in
enclosed pastures, French sheep were
usually grazed in an open pasture each day
and returned each evening to a stable or
enclosure. These differences resulted in
significant variations in the temperament
and herding style of British and French
dogs.
The Berger Picard shares many
characteristics with the Briard, the
Beauceron, and the other continental
herding breeds. Because of the French
practice of grazing in unenclosed areas,
often adjoining land planted with crops, the
Berger Picard developed a herding style
referred to as "boundary" or "tending."
This contrasts with the "fetching" style of
the British herding dogs.
Because of the increased threat of
predators, French shepherds preferred a
herding dog with a strong protective
instinct that has led many of the more
well-known continental herding breeds into
police work.
The Berger Picard is a lively, energetic,
affectionate dog that is still primarily used
in France for herding. Their intelligence
and protective instincts make them suitable
as guard dogs as well. They are excellent
family companions and very good with
children.
Head
The head is free of wrinkles and
proportional to the size of the dog. The
skull and muzzle are of equal length,
parallel to one another, and joined at a very
slight stop. There is a slight median furrow
between the bony arches over the eyes.
SKULL -- The skull is broad and slightly
domed. It is covered with harsh-textured
hair about 1½ inches in length which
causes the skull to appear nearly flat when
viewed from the front. The cheeks are just
slightly rounded. The hair above the eyes
falls forward, forming rough eyebrows
that are not trimmed nor are they so thick
or long as to obscure the eyes.
Faults: Eyebrows absent or too full. Skull
too flat or too domed. Forehead too flat or
too steep.
MUZZLE -- Viewed from above, the
muzzle tapers slightly from the stop to the
nose, but is powerful and never snipey. In
profile, the bridge of the muzzle is straight.
Lips are thin and tight with dark pigment.
The hair on the muzzle forms a distinct
moustache and beard.
Faults: Absence of moustache or beard.
Pendulous lips. Absence of pigment in lips.
TEETH -- The Berger Picard has a
complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth
meeting in a scissors bite.
Faults: Missing up to two premolars. Level
mouth.
Serious faults: Missing up to four
premolars.
Disqualifications: More than four missing
teeth. Overshot or undershot.
NOSE -- The nose is large and always
black.
Disqualification: Nose any color other than
black.
EYES -- The eyes are of medium size,
oval, and set on a horizontal axis. Eye color
is brown, with the darkness of the color
varying with the color of the coat, but
never lighter than hazel. The eye rims are
tight-fitting and black. The expression is
intelligent and confident.
Serious faults: Eyes set obliquely. Eyes too
light.
Disqualifications: Wall eyes. Non-matching
eyes.
EARS -- Ears are of moderate size (about 3
inches tall), set rather high, and always
carried naturally erect. They are broad at
the base and slightly rounded at the tips.
From the front, the outer edge of the ear
points straight up, although it may point
slightly outward and still be acceptable.
Faults: Ears taller than 4¾ inches. Ears set
too low or too close together. Outer edge
of ear that points inward toward the tip.
Disqualification: Ears not fully erect.
Neck
The neck is long but strong and muscular,
blending smoothly into well-laid-back
shoulders. The head is carried proudly
erect.
Faults: Neck too thin and weak. Neck too
short and thick. Ewe neck. Dewlap.
Forequarters
The shoulder blades are long, smoothly
muscled, and moderately laid back. The
forelegs are straight and strong, with
slightly sloping pasterns. The elbows are
neither close to the body nor out, but are
set on a plane parallel to the body.
Faults: Pastern too steep or down in
pastern.
Body
The body is just slightly longer (measured
from prosternum to point of buttocks) than
tall (measured from the withers to the
ground). The ribs are well sprung out from
the spine, forming a strong back, then
curving down and inward. The chest
reaches no deeper than the elbows and
extends in a gently rounded oval in front of
the forelegs. The line of the back is
straight. The loin is well-muscled and
broad. The croup is slightly sloping and
blends into the hindquarters in a gentle
curve. The belly is slightly tucked up.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters are long and well
muscled. The angulation of the stifle is in
balance with the angulation of the
forequarters. The hock joint is moderately
angulated. Rear pasterns are strong, lean,
and of moderate length. Viewed from any
angle, they are parallel to one another and
perpendicular to the ground. When
standing naturally, rear legs are spaced
moderately apart and are set neither too far
out behind the dog nor under.
Feet
Feet are compact, well-knit, and round in
shape. Toes are well-arched. Pads are firm
and supple. Nails are strong and dark in
color. Dewclaws are removed.
Disqualification: Double dewclaws.
Tail
The tail is a natural extension of the topline.
The tail is uncut, thick at the base, and
tapers to the tip. When the dog is in
repose, the tail just reaches to the hock,
with the bottom of the tail forming a hook
shaped like the letter "J" when viewed from
the dog's right side. When the dog is in
action, the tail is carried higher but never
above the level of the back. The tail is
covered with hair of the same length as the
body coat.
Faults: Absence of coat on tail or plush
coat on tail. Tail too short. Kink in tail.
Disqualifications: Tail continuously carried
over the back. Tail absent or bobbed.
Coat
The Berger Picard's shaggy, rough, double
coat is a distinctive characteristic of the
breed. The length of the coat is about 2 to
2½ inches all over the body except for the
head, where it is slightly shorter. The
texture of the outer coat is harsh and crisp
to the touch. The undercoat is soft and
dense.
Serious faults: Body coat shorter than 2
inches.
Disqualifications: Body coat shorter than
1½ inches. Soft or woolly coat. Curly
coat. Flat coat.
Color
Color may be gray, gray-black, gray with
black highlights, gray-blue, gray-red, light
or dark fawn, or a mixture of these shades.
A slight white marking is allowed on the
chest and on the tips of the toes.
Faults: White patch on the chest forming a
"shirtfront." White all over the toes.
Disqualifications: Pure black or white.
Harlequin or pied. All white chest or feet.
White on the coat anywhere other than
chest or feet. Albinism.
Height and Weight
Desirable height at maturity for males is
between 23½ and 25½ inches and, for
females, between 21½ and 23½ inches.
Fault: Up to three-quarters of an inch
above the maximum.
Disqualifications: Mature dog below the
minimum height. Over three-quarters of an
inch above the maximum height.
Gait
The Berger Picard moves freely, with long,
easy steps. His structure permits the abrupt
turns, springing starts and sudden stops
required of a herding dog.
Disqualifications
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid.
Viciousness or extreme shyness. More
than four missing teeth. Overshot or
undershot. Nose any color other than
black. Wall eyes. Non-matching eyes. Ear
not fully erect. Double dewclaws. Tail
continuously carried over the back. Tail
absent or bobbed. Body coat shorter than
1½ inches. Soft or woolly coat. Curly
coat. Flat coat. Pure black or white.
Harlequin or pied. All white chest or feet.
White on the coat anywhere other than
chest or feet. Albinism. Mature dog below
the minimum height. Over three-quarters
of an inch above the maximum height.
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| Amber of Silver Glen Ranch But we just call her Lulu! She was born on May 22, 2005 in Winfield, Kansas at the Silver Glen Ranch to her breeder, Chris Rogers. Her Mom is Ultra Chouette des Mazellieres Her Dad is Ravaillac de Stephieci Her Veterinarian is Dr.Paul Yehle Her Hereditary Health Tests Results were: PENN Hip: 10/27/06 Results: Left hip 0.30 Right hip 0.42 CERF Results: 3/21/07 E1 Punctuate CataractSignificance unknown Her Show Results: UKC Champion,UKC Premier Show Kalamazoo, Michigan, June 2007 First Place Herding Group Kay-9 Petiquette Elgin, Illinois, April 2007 Three Time Reserve Champion Northern Illinois Bouvier des Flandres Club July 2007 |