Picardy Shepherd Dogs: breed description and conditions for keeping dogs

The Picardy Shepherd belongs to the group of French shepherd dogs. This is a friendly and faithful animal, loving children and experiencing a strong attachment to a person recognized by the owner. Representatives of the breed are wonderful watchmen and companions. But such a pet is not suitable for every owner, so you should study its features.

In France, the species was bred when crossing French shepherd dogs of the Briard and Beauceron breed, but, according to other sources, the Picardians were bred by breeding Belgian shepherds with Dutch. Currently 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 animal:

• average body size;
• muscular, slightly elongated body, but not without elegance;
• male growth 60–65 cm, females can be either lower or 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 strip runs, which makes it seem flat;
• the dog has a straight nose, a moderate length of beard and mustache, dry, compressed lips and a scissor bite;
• eyes are usually dark, of medium size;
• the ears are not very large, set high, with rounded tips, reach a length of 10 cm and are usually in high condition;
• the neck is strong, muscular, the chest is wider than the height at the withers;
• the limbs are quite long, muscular, and the legs are short, rounded with dark strong claws and hard pads.

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

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

Acceptable spots on the fingers and chest. Large white blotches reduce the value of the individual. Due to the shaggy coat, the dog loses its decorative appearance, but this does not prevent it from remaining in its own way a graceful, energetic and athletic creature, which many lovers of these animals prefer.

The shepherd dog has innate watchman skills, knows its territory well and is ready to fearlessly protect it. Despite a degree of obstinacy and a certain degree of independence, her behavior is characterized by poise, lack of aggression, sociability, therefore long separation from the owner can lead to depression and longing. Picardian shepherds are distrustful of strangers, but they adore family members, especially children.

French shepherd 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, with improper care that can provoke such ailments as:

• visual disturbances: cataract, residual fetal membrane of the eyes, retinal dystrophic changes, retinal dysfunction due to multiple injuries (multifocal retinopathy);
• diseases of the endocrine system, in particular, a functional decrease in thyroid secretion, inflammation of the organ of autoimmune etiology;
• congenital dislocation of the hip joint, increasing the risk of dislocation of the femoral head;
• cardiovascular diseases are sometimes found.

Often, females suffer from changes in the hormonal background, as a result of which problems with reproductive function occur. Harmless birth defects include dystychiasis - an additional second row of eyelashes, which does not harm health.

It is advisable to protect young individuals up to a year from hypothermia and drafts, which can cause the disease. But the older the animal, the less likely it is to become seriously ill. In good conditions, representatives of the Picardian breed can live from 13 to 15 years.

Despite the fact that historically the dog has been adapted to a free village life, the Picardian shepherds can easily adapt to urban living conditions if the owner organizes their outdoor activities and walks. You should think about this before bringing the puppy to the house: the 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 owner.

But walking and physical activity are not the whole list of requirements for keeping: the dog needs psycho-emotional communication. And also Picardians like to swim, run next to a person, play for a long time or perform tasks interesting for them, and this also needs to be taken into account. There are other important points when caring for animals.

• Daily combing. Dog hair is prone to tangling and tangle formation. With seasonal molting, the amount of hair falling out increases moderately. In this case, it is not necessary to cut the pet.
• Shepherd will need to regularly cut its claws, especially if she does not move enough and does not grind them on her own.
• The ears are cleaned as necessary. The eyes are wiped with special compounds to avoid inflammation caused by particles of dust, dirt or germs.
• Brush your teeth and remove tartar Picardy Sheepdog can be on their own or by visiting the office of the veterinarian. For home use, there are special cleaning products on sale: sprays and pastes, for example, Tropicline based on natural plants.

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

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

Features of nutrition are related to the fact that an obedient and unpretentious dog can be selective in relation to food. It is best to pick her a daily menu by consulting with a veterinarian. Rules to be followed:

• feeding involves the same hours, puppies 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;
• and the animal should be given rice and oatmeal porridge, cooked on a broth;
• vegetables (carrots, cabbage, beets and greens) are chopped and added fresh (at least 120 g daily).

Nutritional supplements such as fish oil, calcium, yeast, and liquid vitamins are also needed. Puppies are given calcified cottage cheese. You can give the shepherd and ready-made quality feed from well-known manufacturers that already contain all the ingredients important for the animal. When a dog gets used to his diet and a certain menu, problems with feeding in the future usually do not arise. Therefore, you need to pay attention to this aspect while the pet is in puppyhood.

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