Picardy shepherd dogs: description of the breed and conditions of dogs

Picardy Shepherd Dog belongs to the group of French herding dogs. It is a friendly and devoted animal, loving children and experiencing a strong attachment to a person recognized as the owner. Representatives of the breed are great watchmen and companions. But this pet is not suitable for every owner, so you should explore its features.

In France, the species was bred when crossing French shepherd breeds of briards and beaucerona, but, according to other sources, Picardians were bred by breeding Belgian shepherds with Dutch. At the moment in the world the number of these animals is 4300 individuals. They live mainly in France, but are also found in Canada and the United States.

Characteristic features of the appearance of the animal:

• average body size;
• muscular, slightly elongated body, but not without elegance;
• male growth 60–65 cm, females can be both lower and higher than males: 56–67 cm;
• the weight of an adult dog varies from 22 to 33 kg;
• the animal has a rather large head with a wide skull, medium cheekbones, a forehead, along which an almost imperceptible band runs, which makes it appear flat;
• the dog has a straight nose, a moderate length of the beard and mustache, dry compressed lips and a scissors bite;
• eyes are usually dark, of medium size;
• the ears are not very large, set high, with rounded tips, 10 cm in length and usually in an elevated state;
• the neck is strong and muscular, the chest is wider than the height at the withers;
• the limbs are rather long, muscular, and the paws are short, rounded in shape with dark strong claws and rigid pads.

The length of the hair is 4 cm in the muzzle area, on the body it is 6 cm, including the tail hanging or curving at the end. The standard provides the following colors:

• Gray;
• gray with rust;
• gray with black;
• gray blue;
• pale yellow.

Spots on fingers and chest are acceptable. White blotches of large sizes reduce the value of individuals. Because of the shaggy wool, the dog loses in decorativeness, but this does not prevent it from remaining in its own graceful, energetic and sporting creation, which is preferred by many lovers of these animals.

Sheep-dog possesses inborn skills of the guard, well knows its territory and is ready to defend it fearlessly. Despite the share of stubbornness and a certain degree of independence, her behavior is characterized by balance, lack of aggression, sociability, therefore a long separation from the master can lead to depression and depression. Picardian shepherd dogs have no confidence in strangers, but they adore family members, especially children.

French herding dogs have strong immunity, which allows them to avoid many diseases caused by bacteria and viruses. However, they have identified a number of genetic pathologies and hereditary predispositions that, with improper care, can provoke such illnesses as:

• impaired visual function: cataract, residual embryonic membrane of the eyes, degenerative changes in the retina, retinal dysfunction due to multiple lesions (multifocal retinopathy);
• diseases of the endocrine system, in particular, a functional decrease in thyroid secretion, inflammation of an organ of autoimmune etiology;
• congenital dislocation of the hip joint, which increases the risk of dislocation of the femoral head;
• sometimes there are cardiovascular diseases.

Often, females suffer from changes in hormonal levels, as a result of which there are problems with the fertility function. Distiichiasis can be attributed to harmless congenital defects - an additional second row of eyelashes that does not harm health.

Young individuals up to a year should preferably be protected from hypothermia and drafts that can cause illness. But the older the animal, the less likely it is that it will become seriously ill. In good conditions, representatives of the Picardian breed can live from 13 to 15 years.

Despite the fact that, historically, a dog is adapted to a free village life, Picardian shepherds easily adapt to urban living conditions if the owner organizes their active leisure and walks. You should think about this before bringing the puppy into the house: an animal is very energetic, and if its needs for movement are not satisfied, then it can spoil things and furniture. Adult individuals behave more calmly and can spend hours peacefully waiting for the host.

But walks and physical activity are not the whole list of requirements for the content: the dog needs psycho-emotional communication. Also, Picardians love to swim, run around with a person, play for a long time, or perform interesting tasks for them, and this should also be taken into account. There are other important points in the care of animals.

• Daily combing. Dog wool is subject to tangling and the formation of mats. With seasonal molting, the amount of hair falling out increases moderately. In this case, the pet does not have to cut
• Sheepdog need to regularly cut their claws, especially if it doesn’t move much enough and doesn’t grind them off.
• As necessary, the animal's ears are cleaned. Eyes wipe with special compounds to avoid inflammation caused by the ingress of particles of dust, dirt or microbes.
• Brush your teeth and remove tartar Picardian shepherd can be alone or by visiting the veterinarian's office. For use at home there are special cleaning products on sale: sprays and pastes, for example, Tropiclin based on natural plants.

Sheepdogs are bathed quite rarely only if the hair is highly polluted: about once every 3 months. More often you can use dry shampoo. We must pay tribute to the breed: the dog's coat does not emit a strong peculiar smell, since the skin and hair rods of the animal contain a minimal amount of natural fat.

Unfortunately, even the most spacious apartment will not be able to replace the dog with a place in the open air in the aviary, which is better for both the shepherd dog and the owner. However, animals feel great in the city, provided that the owner constantly pays attention to them.

The eating habits are due to the fact that an obedient and unpretentious dog may be selective with regard to food. It is best to pick her daily menu, in consultation with the veterinarian. Rules to follow:

• feeding involves the same hours, puppies up to 3 months are given food 4 times a day, up to 7 months - 3 times, adults are fed twice a day;
• most of the diet is boiled meat, sea fish;
• as well as the animal should be given rice and oatmeal, cooked in broth;
• vegetables (carrots, cabbage, beets and greens) are ground and added fresh (at least 120 g daily).

Food supplements such as fish oil, calcium, yeast, liquid vitamins are also needed. Puppies give calcined cottage cheese. You can give the shepherd dog and ready-made high-quality food from well-known manufacturers, which already contain all the important ingredients for the animal. When a dog becomes accustomed to its diet and certain menu, feeding problems usually do not arise in the future. Therefore, this aspect should be paid attention while the pet is at puppy age.

On the features of this breed of dogs, see below.