General parameters of the appearance and character of the dog, assumptions about the origin, the participation of the Picardian Shepherd Dogs in the cinema and going out to the world level. The Picardian Shepherd Dog or Berger Picard is a medium-sized animal with a well-muscled body that is slightly longer than its height at the withers. Their unusual, elegantly ruffled appearance makes a lasting impression on people. Berger Picard ears are naturally erect, tall and have a fairly wide base. The superciliary arches of the dogs are thick, but do not cover their frankly dark eyes. These shepherd dogs are famous for their smiling face. The natural tail of the animal usually reaches the hocks, and the last third of its length ends with a small J-curve at the tip. The weather-resistant "coat" of such dogs is rough and smooth to the touch, not very long with minimal undercoat. The hairline is colored only in two colors (fawn and brindle), but it has many shades and their variations.
Berger Picard's behavioral attributes include a lively, intelligent nature. Representatives of the breed are sensitive and persistent. They tend to respond quickly to obedience training. By and large, Picardy Sheepdogs are extremely pliant and gentle animals, but they are known for having a stubborn streak in some cases and very alienated from outsiders. Dogs need a lot of socializing during the first two years of their life.
These shepherd dogs are energetic, hardworking and alert, but they are not overly barking creatures either. Some "Picards" are known to be picky eaters and it can be difficult for breeders to decide without their dog's consent what diet to end up with. This type of canine also has a well-developed sense of humor, sometimes they behave very comically. This feature makes them attractive companions. But, such pets are still very effectively used for grazing, driving and protecting sheep, as cattle breeders in their homeland and in other parts of the world.
Like many herding breeds, Picardy Shepherds need close and constant communication with people. Since they can be demonstrative to their owners and enthusiastic family friends, as well as in relation to other animals, formal obedience training and lots of positive socialization exercises are a must in the life of such a pet. These athletic shepherd dogs are extremely loyal and filled with the desire to work for a long time. The breed excels in any job, as long as enthusiasm and praise are part of the challenge.
Territory of origin picardian shepherd
The species is one of the oldest breeds in virtually all European breeding species and is almost certainly the oldest in France. Since this Picardian Sheepdog was bred hundreds of years before the first records of dog breeding were made, there is of course very little to be said about its origins.
Nevertheless, historians and breed enthusiasts have been able to collect most of the information about the historical data of this breed. What is clear is that this breed developed primarily in France, mainly in the northern coastal region of Picardy, and that it has long served French farmers in pastures to guard and drive their sheep.
The Picardy Shepherd Dog occupies a record place in terms of images in the Middle Ages on fiction, historical works. There are tapestries, wood carvings and numerous paintings from the Picardy area of shepherd dogs that are, in fact, very similar to the modern type of these shepherd dogs.
Assumptions about the emergence of the Picardian Shepherd
At this time, there are many claims and disputes as to how the breed first appeared in the Picardy. Some experts argue that the breed was first brought to this region by the Gauls, the peoples of the Celtic tribes who lived in France even before the conquest of these lands by the Roman Empire. If so, then these canines are probably many thousands of years old.
Although unlikely, it is possible to suggest that the variety was created by the Romans, who were considered some of the most experienced dog breeders of the ancient world. If the breed was bred by the Celts, or the Romans, then it is probably the most closely related to collie dogs. However, there is essentially no evidence of such an ancient origin, and in any case, this canine species is very close to other herding breeds and strongly resembles them in appearance.
Most often, experts make statements that the sources can find information that the dog was first brought to the region by the Franks. The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes that originally lived along the Roman border on the opposite bank of the Rhine. Claims that the Picardy Sheepdogs arrived with the Franks in the 9th century is simply impossible, because the Franks first entered the Roman Empire in large numbers in the 4th and 5th centuries.
The Franks quickly became the most powerful and largest ethnic group living in the territory that now includes Belgium and Northern France, as well as the Picardy region. If the Berger Picard was brought to Picardy by the Franks, it was most likely during that time period. Ultimately, the Germanic Franks merged with the Romans and Celts of Gaul to create a new ethnicity, the nation of the French, and the state of France.
There is considerable debate among French canine experts as to whether the Picardian Cattle Dog is more closely related to other French herding breeds such as the Briard and Beauceron or the Belgian and Dutch Shepherd Dogs. Though this mystery probably won't be solved until new evidence emerges. According to many, the Berger Picard is almost certainly the most closely related to Belgian and Dutch dogs.
In terms of appearance and size, the variety closely resembles these breeds. The color and abundant coat of the variety is especially similar to that of the wire-coated Belgian and Dutch shepherd dogs. Historical evidence also supports the hypothesis of such a relationship. Many of the Frankish tribes that settled in Picardy originally came from the lands that are now part of the Netherlands. They created one of the earliest fortresses in the territory that now includes Belgium and Picardy, which makes the version the most likely, and confirms the connection of dogs from these regions with each other.
The purpose of the Picardian Shepherd
However, when these dogs were first bred, they became a highly valued companion for farmers and herders in Northern France. The Picardy Shepherd Dog was needed by the villagers to graze herds of sheep, guard and drive them from place to place. These pets were also responsible for protecting their charges from wolves and other dangerous predators.
The breed has become highly sought after and ubiquitous in its region of origin, which is why its images have regularly appeared on the covers of various publications from the Picardian region. Pedigree representatives are constantly found in paintings, tapestries, wood carvings. They adorn the works of the Middle Ages, right up to the modern era.
Such canines have historically been kept by people of agricultural labor - farmers who cared little for their appearance or purebred bloodlines. It was important for them that the dogs flawlessly perform the duties assigned to them, and not how they look. Despite this, the Picardy Sheepdogs appeared at the very first French show in 1863, they were exhibited together with the Brieres and Beauceron in the same ring. The "rustic" look of the breed meant that it was never particularly popular in the French show ring, although the variety was regularly presented at such competitions.
The impact of world events on the decline in the number of the Picardian Shepherd
However, it was not until 1925 that the Berger Picard was recognized as a unique breed. The First World War proved to be very destructive for the species. Some of the bloodiest battles in history took place in Picardy and negatively affected the population of the species, including the infamous massive operation at the Somme River. Its result was deplorable - the conflict devastated the entire region. The breeding of the Picardian Shepherd Dogs has almost completely ceased, and many dogs have died in the fighting or when they were abandoned by their owners who could no longer support them. A number of breed individuals served in the French Armed Forces, although the breed did not achieve such fame in this field of activity as the Briard, Bouvier de Flandre and Pyrenean Sheepdog did.
Until the outbreak of World War II, the breed began to slowly recover. Picardy found itself overwhelmed by Hitler's blitzkrieg and occupied by Nazi forces. The Second World War led to another drop in the main population, and by the time the territory of France was liberated by the Allied forces, the Picardy Shepherd Dogs were again threatened with extinction.
Fortunately for the variety, it actually came out of the World Wars in much better shape than many of the larger European breeds. The dogs that were used on the farms performed certain tasks. This provided that during the fighting, the dogs always had something to do to help the farmers, as well as they served in the army. Berger Picard enjoyed an advantageous position due to its content mainly in rural areas. That is, working functions, and hence the Picardy shepherd dogs, have been in demand at all times. Therefore, their breeding has never completely stopped.
The history of the restoration of the breed population of Picardian Shepherd Dogs
After the end of World War II, breeders and Picard lovers began working together to increase the breed's population. Their efforts were aided by the species' charming appearance and pleasant temperament. The Berger Picard remains a very rare dog, but certainly is no longer in such a perilous position of imminent extinction. Most estimates state that approximately 3,500 breed representatives live in France and another five hundred in Germany. The species continues to confidently gain a strong reputation in its homeland, and its popularity continues to grow steadily there.
Over the past few decades, a small number of Picardy Shepherd Dogs have been introduced to the United States of America and Canada. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of enthusiasts, this breed is now being developed in North America, although it remains very rare. Current estimates of the Berger Picard population in North America range from 250 to 300 animals. In 1994, the United Kennel Club (UKC) became the first major English kennel club to receive full breed recognition as a member of the Herding group.
The participation of the Picardian Shepherd Dogs in the cinema
In 2005, the creators of the American family comedy-drama film Thanks to Winn-Dixie, based on the book of the same name by writer Keith Di Camillo, used the Berger Picard to play the role of a stray dog.
The film tells the story of a ten-year-old, lonely girl named India Opal Boulogne, who recently moved to the small town of Naomi, Florida, with her father, who was a preacher. At that time, in the supermarket, the girl meets a battered dog destroying the store. Opal claims that the dog belongs to her, but in reality it is not, and takes him home. The girl names the new pet by the name of the supermarket where it was found. Mischievous Winn-Dixie will make friends with a lonely young girl and help her make new friends, as well as improve relationships with her father.
Although the hero named "Winn-Dixie" was supposed to be a mixed breed, that is, a mongrel, the film needed several dogs, the appearance of which would have the same parameters, so the professionals turned to a purebred variety. In this role, two such shepherd dogs were involved.
The Picardian Cattle Dogs were chosen because their conformation closely resembled many dogs that arose from the mixing of different types of canines. But, the choice fell on them not only because of external data. Being very quick-witted animals, representatives of the breed very professionally and successfully coped with their role.
Since the film did not mention the breed that was used to play the main character, Berger Picard did not experience the massive increase in popularity that often accompanies one or another species, due to its appearance in the popular children's film.
Going out of the Picardy Shepherd dog to the world level
In 2006, the Picardy Shepherd Club of America (BPCA) was formed to promote and protect the breed in the United States. One of the main goals of the club was the goal of achieving full recognition of the breed in the American Kennel Club (AKC). In 2007, the BPCA received its initial laurels when the Berger Picard was added to the AKC Registry Fund (AKC-FSS), the first step a breed must take before it reaches full recognition.
In 2009, the American Picardy Shepherd Club began work to promote and protect the breed in the United States, Canada and Latin America. The BPCA was named an Official Breed Club by the AKC in October 2011. At the February meeting of the AKC Board of Directors in February 2012, it was determined that the breed had sufficiently met the regulatory criteria that would allow the breed to be included in another AKC class, and Berger Picard would officially join this group on January 1, 2013.
The position of the Picardian Shepherd breed in the modern world
A significant number of Picardian Sheepdogs are still primarily used as working herding dogs. However, pedigree specimens are more and more often acquired by people mainly for communication and as show dogs. Nowadays, in the United States of America, almost all of these dogs are companion animals or canines for presentation in the show ring.
In recent years, some Berger Picards have also been introduced to other canine competitions such as competitive obedience and agility tests. In such competitions, they occupied and continue to win mainly prizes and a successful reputation.
Although this canine species remains quite rare, its future looks much brighter as the population steadily multiplies and spreads around the world. Provided the BPCA continues to meet all of the AKC benchmarks for the Berger Picard, it is highly likely that the breed will gain full recognition in the near future.
More about the breed in the following video:
