[2024] Berger Picard Dog Breed (Complete Guide)

Berger Picard Dog Overview

The Berger Picard is a lanky herding dog with a solid physique and strong bones.

Picards have spent decades as self-sufficient problem-solvers, thus early socialization and positive training are required to overcome their obstinacy.

Berger Picards have prominent ears that stand 4 to 5 inches tall, a wavy fawn or brindle coat, and a powerful tail that tapers to a characteristic J-hook that can be seen from a mile away.

Males can reach a height of 26 inches, but females can only reach a height of 21 inches.

The eyes are dark and gleaming, and the rectangular head is adorned with shaggy eyebrows, a beard, and a mustache, giving him the appearance of a wise and worldly Frenchman.

The Berger Picard is an excellent athletic companion. Their tough build, agility, and inexhaustible energy make them willing participants in a variety of sports, games, and outdoor activities.

Exercising these sensitive, super-smart canines is essential; prolonged inactivity and neglect will almost certainly lead to destructive behavior.

Berger Picard Highlights

The Berger Picard’s double coat consists of a soft, dense undercoat for insulation covered by a shaggy, wiry, waterproof topcoat. During shedding season, brushing every day or two with a rake and a slicker brush will remove the dead hair before it ends up on the floor and furniture.

Some Berger Picards can be barky, something to consider if you’ve got nearby neighbors.

Bred to work in the fields, the Berger Picard is active and athletic, with plenty of stamina and drive. This high-energy breed needs lots of daily exercise and mental stimulation.

They endear themselves with their humanlike gaze and goofy grins and stand out as resilient playmates for kids. Thanks to their intelligence, they respond well to training, although they can occasionally be stubborn.

They usually get along fine with cats and other small pets in the household if they were raised with them.

Berger Picard Breed Features & Ratings:

Rated base on a 5 Star Scale
ENERGY LEVEL: 4 Star
EXERCISE REQUIREMENTS: 4 Star
PLAYFULNESS: 5 Star
AFFECTION LEVEL: 5 Star
FRIENDLINESS TO DOGS: 5 Star
FRIENDLINESS TO OTHER PETS: 5 Star
FRIENDLINESS TO STRANGERS: 5 Star
WATCHFULNESS: 5 Star
EASE OF TRAINING: 5 Star
GROOMING REQUIREMENTS: 5 Star
HEAT SENSITIVITY: 5 Star
VOCALITY 5 Star

Berger Picard Characteristics:

Dog Breed Group: Herding Dogs
Height: Male: 24-26 inches (61–66 cm) Female: 22–24 inches (56–61 cm)
Weight: 51–71 lb (23–32 kg)
Life Span: 12-15 years
Type: Purebred
AREA OF ORIGIN: France
DATE OF ORIGIN: Ancient times
OTHER NAMES: Berger de Picardie, Picardy Shepherd, Picardy Sheepdog
Temperament: Assertive, Energetic, Intelligent, Lively, Mellow, Stubborn
Activities: Agility, obedience, rally, herding, tracking, conformation
Color: Brindle or fawn
Litter Size: 2-10 puppies, average 6
Puppy Prices: $2000 – $2500 USD on average

Berger Picard Health:

The National Breed Club recommends the following health tests:

Hip Evaluation
Ophthalmologist Evaluation

Berger Picard Grooming:

The weatherproof, medium-length coat feels harsh and stiff to the touch.

Light fawn, dark fawn, gray, gray with black accents, blue gray, gray red, and brindle are among the fawn and gray shades available.

Grooming requirements are low; they simply require a monthly combing and brushing, as well as a wipe-down when something gets on their coats. They shed seldom and do not have a canine odor.

Berger Picard Exercise:

The Berger Picard was bred to work in the fields and is vigorous and athletic, with lots of stamina and drive.

This high-energy breed requires a lot of daily exercise and mental stimulation.

Picard needs a healthy outlet for all of his energy or he will become destructive and miserable. Every day, owners should anticipate going for at least one long stroll.

Picards are also great companions for treks and bike excursions, and they adore swimming and playing fetch.

Many Picards compete in agility, tracking, obedience, Schutzhund (protection), flyball, French ring sport, rally, and herding.

Berger Picard Training:

As with other breeds, early socialization and puppy training sessions are essential. Training should begin as soon as possible to avoid harmful habits from developing.

Picards have a stubborn streak, but they are very bright and eager to please, so training is usually pretty simple.

They are more likely to respond to praise and affection than to food, and they are unlikely to respond to harsh teaching methods.

Berger Picard Food and Nutrition:

Feed your Berger Picard measured meals by weighing the food in a cup or scale. Berger Picards are extremely energetic and athletic creatures.

Those who receive a lot of daily exercise or compete in high-intensity sports may require a higher-calorie diet than less-active Picards.

Inquire with your breeder or veterinarian about the finest food to feed your Berger Picard.

Berger Picard Temperament and Personality:

Berger Picards are self-assured, even-tempered, protective, and affectionate with their family.

This herding breed is incredibly athletic and requires a lot of exercise, making them ideal companions for active, outdoor adventurers.

In attempting to burn off excess energy and relieve boredom, the Berger Picard may turn destructive if not educated with proper exercise and mental stimulation.

The Berger Picard gets along well with children and can typically coexist quietly with most other dogs, although cats and other tiny, hairy things are not permitted owing to the breed’s strong predatory drive (instinct to chase).

Berger Picard Care/Upkeep:

The Berger Picard has a double coat composed of an outer coat of medium-length, rough, wiry hairs and an undercoat that is soft, short, and thick.

The coat is low-maintenance, as it does not need to be trimmed or shaved.

Brushing or combing Berger Picard’s coat a few times a month, as well as the odd bath, retain it in good condition.

Despite its shaggy appearance, the Berger Picard sheds extremely little and has a non-matting coat if maintained clean and combed out.

The coat naturally repels dirt and has a mild canine odor. Trim the nails and inspect the ears once a week, cleaning them with a pet-safe ear cleaner if necessary.

As a puppy, Berger Picard needs a lot of socialization to develop into a confident dog.

If the Berger Picard is not properly socialized from a young age, he or she may become aloof and even nervous about new people and situations.

Begin introducing your Berger Picard puppy to as many people, places, animals, and things as possible within the first 100 days in your home.

Maintain good contact by using lots of treats and pausing if your Berger Picard puppy appears overwhelmed.

Begin teaching your Berger Picard puppy as soon as possible to help it grow into a well-behaved adult. It’s difficult to resist Berger Picard’s lovely, imploring brown eyes, but don’t allow your puppy to get away with misbehaving.

Maintain consistency in the house rules and practice the fundamentals on a daily basis.

Because the Berger Picard is a stubborn breed that does not respond well to force or excessive repetition, keep your training sessions upbeat and diverse in order to stimulate the dog.

Berger Picard Relationship with Children and Other Pets

The children will be absolutely safe around the Berger Picard as it is very sweet-tempered with children.

He has a well-developed sense of humor which makes him an ideal companion for your kids.

The Berger Picard is a lively and playful dog that enjoys playing and fetching with your kids. You can be assured that your kids will have a good time playing with each other.

Berger Picard Names

Rank	Boy Names	Girl Names
01	Buddy	Bella
02	Max	Daisy
03	Toby	Chloe
04	Jack	Luna
05	Cody	Ginger
06	Duke	Nala
07	Riley	Chloe
08	Gus	Lady
09	Murphy	Zoey
10	Sam	Penny

All About Berger Picard

The Berger Picard is one of the medium-sized, well-muscled dog breeds that is slightly taller than it is long, with a unique rough coat, upright ears, and a natural tail that generally reaches the hock alongside is carried with a slight J-curve at the tip.

Exaggerations or defects in the Berger Picard should be reprimanded in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog’s ability to work.

The Berger Picard has a bright, intellectual attitude as well as a sensitive and forceful demeanor that responds rapidly to obedience training.

Picards, on the whole, are laid-back and pleasant, yet they are noted for possessing a stubborn side and being reticent among strangers.

During the two years of their life, they require a great deal of socialization. Picards are lively and hardworking, vigilant, and do not bark excessively.

Some Picards are famously fussy eaters, making it difficult to come up with a diet that both you and the dog agree on.

The breed also has a developed sense of humor, which makes them a charming companion, and they are still employed very efficiently as both sheep and cattle herders in their own region and overseas.

Picards, like many herding breeds, require a lot of human connection.

Formal obedience and constant training and plenty of positive socialization are required because they can be demonstrative to their owners and enthusiastic buddies to other animals.

Athletic, loyal, and eager to work a long day, the breed succeeds in any “career” where enthusiasm and appreciation are required.

Berger Picard History:

The Berger Picard is an old breed that has existed since the Middle Ages in the Picardy region of northern France. Some consider the Berger Picard to be the earliest of the French sheepdogs.

The Berger Picard may be connected to the Briard and the Beauceron, two other French herding breeds.

The Berger Picard was on the verge of extinction in the aftermath of World Wars I and II, but a small group of committed breeders set out to resuscitate the breed.

In the 1960s, Berger Picard was legally acknowledged in France. Until a Berger Picard was cast in the 2005 film Because of Winn-Dixie, the breed was largely unknown in the United States.

The Berger Picard Club of America, the breed’s national parent club in the United States, was founded in 2006.

The Berger Picard was granted full recognition by the American Kennel Club in 2015, and it was assigned to the Herding Group.

Where to Adopt Berger Picard:

Because the Berger Picard is so uncommon, it may be difficult to locate a breeder who has Berger Picard puppies for sale.

The Berger Picard Club of America in North America keeps a list of active breeders on its website. If you attempt to have a puppy, be prepared to join a waiting list.

Berger Picards are occasionally called to rescue, typically because people are unprepared for how much exercise, training, and human interaction they require.

The Berger Picard Club of America has a rehoming team, which is also noted on the group’s website, for Picards in need of rehoming.

More Dog Breeds and Further Research:

When selecting a dog breed, make sure to conduct your research.

Speak with other Bergamasco Sheepdog owners, trustworthy breeders, and rescue organizations to learn more about this breed and its care.

There are many dog breeds to opt out from, and with a little research, you can be confident that you’ll select the perfect dog to bring home.

Consider the following related breeds if you want to learn more about other dogs:

Berger Picard Fun Facts:

Berger is the French word for shepherd, and Picardy is the region in France where the breed originated.
One of the Picard’s distinctive characteristics is his J-shaped tail, reminiscent of a shepherd’s crook.
Picard puppies typically go to their new homes at 12 weeks of age, but breeders may place them earlier depending on the individual puppy and family situation.
The Berger Picard’s coat may be fawn or brindle.

Freqeuntly Asked Questions (FAQs):

What size do Berger Picard dogs grow to be?

A Berger Picard may be identified from a distance by his prominent ears that stand 4 to 5 inches tall, his wavy fawn or brindle coat, and his muscular tail that tapers to a unique J-hook. Males Berger can reach a height of 26 inches, while females can reach 21 inches.

Are Berger Picard dogs shedding?

The Picard enjoys trekking even when the weather is terrible, thanks to its weatherproof covering. These canines are low-maintenance when it comes to grooming. While they do not shed much, their coats require brushing at least once a month to prevent matting, as well as baths on occasion.

Are Berger Picards uncommon?

World Wars I and II decimated the Berger Picard population, and they are now extremely rare. There are just about 3500 Berger Picards left in France today.