Berger Picard: Overview

With a name like this--pronounced bare ZHAY pee CARR--you've got to be good. The oldest of the French sheepdogs, the Berger Picard is believed to have arrived in France with the Celts sometime around 800 A.D. The breed has been depicted for centuries in tapestries, engravings, and woodcuts, but these days he's a movie star, appearing in such flicks as "Because of Winn Dixie," "Daniel and the Superdogs," and "Are We Done Yet?"

This medium-size dog with the prick ears and thick eyebrows has a lively, intelligent personality. 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're sensitive to your tone of voice, so even if you get impatient, try to give commands cheerfully--it generally works best.

They usually get along fine with cats and other small pets in the household if they were raised with them. Some Berger Picards can be barky, something to consider if you've got nearby neighbors. Like other dogs bred to do a physically demanding job--in this case, herding sheep and cattle--Berger Picards need daily exercise, and can grow bored or destructive without it.

The population of Berger Picards was devestated by World Wars I and II, and they remain rare. Today there are only about 3500 Berger Picards in France.

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