Berger Picard

The Berger Picard, also called the Picardy Shepherd, is a medium-sized herding dog from northern France. It has a shaggy, weatherproof coat, upright ears, and a look that many owners describe as alert and a bit mischievous. The breed worked for generations on farms in the Picardy region, moving and guarding flocks of sheep, a background that translates well to New Zealand's farming country.

As a companion, the Berger Picard is good-natured and devoted. It bonds closely with its people and stays attentive to what is going on around it. The breed is energetic and needs regular activity, but it also settles indoors once its exercise needs are met. Its loyalty and intelligence make it responsive to people it trusts, though it can be reserved with strangers.

This is a working breed at heart. A Berger Picard given a job, daily exercise, and steady company is usually calm and easy to live with. Without enough activity or mental work, it can become bored and restless.

Who it suits

The Berger Picard suits active owners who can give it a structured routine and daily exercise. It does well with families who spend time at home and want a dog that stays part of household life. People who enjoy training, dog sports, tramping, or long walks tend to match the breed well. It is less suited to households away for long hours or wanting a low-energy lap dog.

The Berger Picard comes from Picardy in northern France, near the border with the Pas-de-Calais. For generations it worked as a herding and droving dog, moving flocks of sheep and cattle and guarding farm property. Its rough coat and hardy build suited the cold, wet climate of the region.

The breed was shown in France in the late nineteenth century, appearing at agricultural and dog exhibitions alongside other French shepherds. For much of its early history it remained a working farm dog rather than a widely standardised show breed, and records of its earliest development are limited.

The two World Wars caused heavy losses to the population, because much of the fighting on the Western Front took place across the farmland where the breed lived. Numbers fell so low that the Berger Picard came close to disappearing. After the Second World War, French breeders worked to recover the remaining dogs and rebuild the breed from a small base.

The Berger Picard remains uncommon outside France and is rarely seen in New Zealand. It gained wider international attention in later decades and is recognised by major kennel bodies, including the New Zealand Kennel Club, but it stays a relatively rare breed kept by enthusiasts of French herding dogs.

The Berger Picard is a lean, well-muscled dog of medium size, built for endurance rather than bulk. It has a rectangular outline that is slightly longer than it is tall. The naturally erect, broad-based ears and the shaggy eyebrows give it an alert, attentive expression. The tail reaches roughly to the hock and carries a slight curve at the tip.

Coat and colours

The outer coat is harsh and crisp to the touch, about 5 to 6 cm long, with a softer undercoat beneath. The texture sheds water and dirt, which suits it well for muddy paddocks and wet bush walks, and gives the breed its tousled, rustic look. Accepted colours are fawn and brindle, ranging from light grey-fawn to darker shades, sometimes with small white markings on the chest or toes. The coat is not meant to be sculpted or heavily trimmed, and its natural, slightly unkempt appearance is part of the breed type.

The Berger Picard is good-natured and devoted to its family. It forms strong bonds with the people it lives with and likes to stay near them and take part in daily activities. The breed is intelligent and alert, noticing changes around the home, which makes it a capable watchdog without being a heavy barker.

With strangers the Berger Picard is often reserved at first. It is not usually aggressive, but it takes time to warm to new people and benefits from early, ongoing socialisation. With children it is generally patient and playful, and it tends to do best with older children who understand how to interact with an active dog.

With other pets, a well-socialised Berger Picard can live peacefully, though its herding background may show as chasing or nudging behaviour, worth watching around poultry or stock on a lifestyle block. Early exposure to other animals helps. The breed has a sensitive, sometimes stubborn streak and responds far better to calm, consistent handling than to harsh correction.

The Berger Picard is a relatively low-maintenance breed in terms of coat, but it has real exercise and companionship needs. Its harsh coat resists dirt and does not require frequent bathing, but it does need regular care to stay in good condition.

Grooming

• Brush the coat once or twice a week to remove dead hair and prevent matting.
• Hand-strip or tidy the coat occasionally rather than clipping it, to keep the correct harsh texture.
• Bathe only when the dog is genuinely dirty, since the coat sheds debris on its own.
• Check and clean the erect ears regularly and trim nails as needed.
• Brush teeth several times a week to support dental health.

Exercise

• Provide at least one to two hours of activity daily, including walks and free running.
• Add mental work such as training games, scent games, or herding-style tasks.
• Offer dog sports like agility, obedience, or tracking, or take the dog tramping on suitable tracks.
• Avoid leaving the dog under-exercised, as boredom can lead to digging, chewing, or restlessness.

Environment

The Berger Picard does best in a home with access to a securely fenced section and an owner who is present for much of the day. It suits a lifestyle block or a home with a decent yard, and can adapt to smaller spaces if its exercise needs are met, but it is not suited to being left alone for long periods. It tolerates cool, wet weather well thanks to its weatherproof coat.

The Berger Picard is an active medium-sized dog and needs a complete, balanced diet that supports its energy level and lean muscle. A good-quality food formulated for the dog's life stage and activity is usually the simplest base. Portions should be adjusted to keep the dog at a healthy weight, with ribs easy to feel but not see. Fresh water should always be available.

Treats and supplements

Treats are useful for training but should stay under about ten percent of daily calories. A healthy adult on a complete commercial diet usually needs no extra supplements. Joint support or other supplements should be given only on a vet's advice. Introduce any diet change gradually over several days to avoid digestive upset.

The Berger Picard is generally a robust, healthy breed, helped by its working background and a relatively varied gene pool within its small population. Most dogs live about 12 to 13 years. As with any breed, a few inherited and age-related conditions appear, and responsible breeders screen their dogs to reduce the risk.

Preventive care

• Keep up with routine vaccinations and parasite control.
• Schedule annual veterinary check-ups, more often for senior dogs.
• Choose puppies from breeders who screen for hip and eye conditions.
• Maintain a healthy weight to protect joints.
• Provide regular dental care and keep nails trimmed.

The Berger Picard is intelligent and learns quickly, but it has an independent and sometimes stubborn streak typical of herding breeds. It works best with an owner it respects and trusts. The breed is sensitive to tone and handling, so calm, consistent, reward-based methods produce far better results than force. Short, varied sessions hold its attention, while repetitive drilling can make it lose interest. Early socialisation is important, given its natural reserve with strangers.

Basics

1. Start socialisation early, exposing the puppy to people, places, and other animals.
2. Teach core cues such as sit, stay, come, and lead manners from a young age.
3. Keep sessions short and varied to maintain focus and motivation.
4. Reward correct behaviour promptly with food, play, or praise.
5. Build toward more advanced work such as agility, herding, or tracking.

Berger Picards generally reach physical maturity around 18 to 24 months, and responsible breeders wait until a dog is fully mature and health-tested before breeding. Because the breed has a small population, careful mate selection matters for maintaining genetic diversity and avoiding the spread of inherited conditions. Breeding stock should be screened for hip and eye problems.

The female's pregnancy lasts about 63 days. Litters typically range from a few puppies to around seven or eight. The mother usually handles whelping and early care well, but breeders should monitor the birth and the first weeks closely. Puppies are weaned at around six to eight weeks, and early handling and socialisation during this period help shape the calm, confident temperament the breed is known for. Reputable breeders registered with the New Zealand Kennel Club place puppies in suitable active homes and remain available for guidance afterward.

Berger Picard registration and microchip registration in New Zealand

The National Dog Database has required chipping of newly registered dogs since 2006, and council registration sits alongside that rather than replacing a proper contact record. Holding one with United Pet Club is free for your Berger Picard's whole life. Registering your dog takes a few minutes, with nothing to renew afterwards.

A scanned chip is only ever as useful as its record. Pop your Berger Picard's fifteen digit number into a free United Pet Club account and the record does the rest: free updates after every move, every brand accepted, searchable day and night. Microchip registration first, account alongside.