provides them with a lot of leadership,
interaction and activity. Puzzle solving
games such as hiding treats, teaching them
tricks, providing tons of chew toys/bones
and other activities that will keep them
mentally stimulated will make for a happy
dog. Being athletic, they also need plenty
of exercise so frequent walks, hiking and
playing fetch are great activities to enrich
their active nature.
Berger Picards love their people. Their
whimsical, loving personality adds to their
charm and you’ll find yourself amused by
their antics both as puppies and adults.
Their mischievous side can get them
in trouble, but a flash of their smile
seems to make their owners soon forget
what they were upset about. They have a
great sense of humor which adds to their
endearing smile.
Care should be taken when introduc-
ing a Berger Picard to other animals due to
their strong, natural instinct to herd. They
will chase anything that moves. Berger
Picards can live in harmony with children
if raised together and the kids are part
of the the dog’s training regiment. Kids
should be taught to minimize quick move-
ments around the dog, as this can elicit the
Berger Picard’s strong herding instinct.
While the Berger Picard requires
more dedication with training and
keeping it mentally stimulated, it is a rath-
er low-maintenance breed when it comes
to grooming. A brushing or two a month
to remove dead undercoat to prevent mat-
ting is pretty much all this dog needs in
terms of coat care. They seldom need bath-
ing and don’t have a distinctive doggy odor
like most dogs. I will usually trim the fur
around their paw pads to keep them from
slipping on floors and collecting snowballs
in the winter. To keep their teeth clean
and satisfy their need to be busy, I provide
large bones and elk antlers which they’ll
usually chew for hours. Health-wise, the
Berger Picard is a relatively healthy breed
due to the fact they have not been over-
bred. Common health testing includes hip
and elbow x-rays (OFA or PennHIP), eye
certification, cardiac and thyroid.
“
whIlE thE
BERGER PICARD
REquIRES moRE
DEDICAtIon
wIth tRAInInG
AnD kEEPInG
It mEntAlly
StImulAtED,
it is a rather low-
maintenance breed
when it comes to
grooming.”
Owning a Berger Picard is a gratifying
experience. Their sense of humor accen-
tuated by their tousled look gives them a
unique charm rivaled by no other breed.
They had me at, ‘Hello!’
BIO
Donna Beadle has shown and bred dogs
under the Eclipse name for the past 13
years. Her original breed was the German
Shepherd Dog which she still owns and
exhibits. She stumbled across the Berger
Picard standard in 2003 while searching
the web and was intrigued by the breed.
In 2009, when her GSD line was more
established, she jumped into the wonderful
world of Berger Picards. Donna has held
several different positions in different local
clubs and is a UKC licensed judge.
Photo by Hunter's Run Action Photography
S
how
S
ight
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agazine
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ecember
2012 • 117