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 an expression many owners describe as alert and slightly mischievous. The breed worked for generations on farms in the Picardy region, moving and guarding flocks of sheep.

As a companion, the Berger Picard is good-natured and devoted. It bonds closely with its people and stays attentive to what is happening 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 engagement, it can become bored and restless. In Singapore's heat and humidity, its dense coat means walks are best kept to the early morning or after dark.

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 involved in household life. People who enjoy training, dog sports, or long walks tend to match the breed well. It is a demanding fit for HDB living: it is medium-sized, needs a lot of exercise, and its coat suits cool climates, so prospective owners should confirm the breed is on the approved list and plan carefully for the tropics.

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, far removed from the equatorial tropics.

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 very rare in Singapore. It is recognised by major kennel bodies, and local buyers would work with the Singapore Kennel Club and almost always import, since the breed is kept mainly 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 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 look is part of the breed type. In Singapore's humidity, regular brushing and thorough drying after any bath are essential to keep the undercoat from matting and to prevent skin infection.

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, a plus in close HDB or condo settings.

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, useful along shared corridors and lift lobbies. 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. 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 in the humid climate.

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 genuinely dirty, and dry the coat fully to prevent skin problems in the humidity.
• 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.
• Walk in the early morning or evening to avoid the midday heat, and always carry water.
• Add mental work such as training games, scent games, or herding-style tasks indoors when it is too hot outside.
• Offer dog sports like agility or obedience, and avoid leaving the dog under-exercised, as boredom leads to chewing or restlessness.

Environment

The Berger Picard does best where it can be near its family and get regular exercise. It can live in an HDB flat or condo only if its considerable exercise needs are met and the breed is approved for the housing type. Its dense coat is built for cool weather, so air-conditioning or good ventilation, shade, and constant fresh water are important. Long hours alone in a small flat do not suit it.

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, clean water should always be available, and more so in the heat.

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. In Singapore's climate, heat management and tick control are added priorities.

Preventive care

• Keep up with routine vaccinations and parasite control, including ticks and heartworm.
• 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, keeping the whelping area cool and clean in the tropical climate. 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. Given how rare the breed is here, buyers should expect to work with breeders linked to the Singapore Kennel Club or to import.

Registering a Berger Picard in Singapore

The Animal & Veterinary Service requires every dog here to be licensed and microchipped by three months of age, so for a Berger Picard the chip is settled law. What stays on you is the record behind it. A free United Pet Club profile holds your contact details against the dog for as long as he is yours, and it keeps working even outside Singapore. Registering your dog takes minutes and never costs a cent.

Your Berger Picard's chip went in before his third month, as the rules require; whether the number leads anywhere is a separate question. Give it a live answer with United Pet Club: registration free for life, every brand accepted, every update free. Microchip registration plus a free account, and the whole thing is squared away.