Berger Picard Rescue Dogs for Adoption

With its rough, medium-length coat and alert eyes, this French herding dog instantly turns heads. But beneath the charming shaggy look is a true working dog with a mind of its own. If you want to adopt a Berger Picard, you are giving a loyal, good-natured and extremely family-friendly companion a second chance. We at the HonestDog editorial team will show you what matters when taking on a rescue dog and how the two of you can grow into an unbeatable team.

The Berger Picard is a fairly rare breed in Germany. If a Berger Picard in a shelter or with a specialist rescue for French herding dogs does turn up, it is almost never down to malice on the dog’s part, but to changed circumstances or underestimated breed traits. While its coat needs relatively little care, its temperament demands all the more commitment:

• Underestimated drive to work: Originally bred to herd flocks of sheep independently in Picardy, this dog has a high energy level. If it does not get enough physical and mental exercise, it will find its own jobs to do in everyday life.
• Independent character: A ‘Picard’ is intelligent, but questions commands whose point it does not see. Training one takes patience, humour and confident leadership without harshness.
• Guarding and herding instincts: Its attentive nature sometimes leads it to want to protect or control its family or the property excessively if it lacked clear boundaries early on.

If you decide on an adult male (60 to 65 cm at the shoulder and weighing 25 to 35 kg) or a female from a rescue, you get a surprise package with great potential. Because the Berger Picard is extremely people-oriented and loyal, it often suffers badly in a shelter from the loss of the people it was bonded to. At first, expect a dog that watches you closely and needs to build trust before it fully shows how good it is with children and families.

Health aspects of a second-hand Picard

With a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, the Berger Picard is generally considered a robust dog, but it does have some breed-typical issues affecting the hips and eyes. Known risks include hip dysplasia (HD) and eye diseases such as hereditary progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and retinal dysplasia. Epilepsy, primary hypothyroidism, congenital heart defects, dental malformations and, in males, cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) also occur in the breed.

Health-conscious breeders, for example in the Club für Französische Hirtenhunde e.V., have the parent animals’ hips X-rayed and their teeth and eyes clinically examined to reduce the risk for the offspring. With a shelter dog (or an animal that originally came from irresponsible breeders who carried out no pre-breeding health tests), you usually do not know the parents’ results. So ask to see all of the shelter’s veterinary records. After adoption, plan regular eye checks with a veterinary specialist, and be consistent about keeping your dog at a healthy weight and giving joint-friendly exercise.

A puppy from a reputable breeder costs between 1,500 and 2,500 euros. If you adopt a Berger Picard from a shelter, you pay an adoption fee that is usually considerably lower. Vaccinations, a microchip and an initial examination are usually already covered by it; ask the shelter to show you the exact documentation. In addition, set aside a fixed budget for good-quality starter equipment (an orthopaedic dog bed, a well-fitting harness), as well as a financial cushion for any X-rays or eye examinations.

• Calm before action: Do not overwhelm your new companion straight away with hours-long hikes. In the first few days, give it time to get to know the house, garden and your daily routines in peace.
• Clear house rules from day one: However loving the Picard is, it needs structure. Give it a fixed resting place from which it cannot monitor the front door, so that you do not fire up its herding instinct indoors in the first place.
• Cooperation instead of drill: Build the bond through shared nose work, search games and calm walks. With this proud character, force only leads to stubbornness.