Picardy Sheepdog

FCI:

Picardy Sheepdog - Group I. - Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs, Section 1 - Sheepdogs with working trial. Recognized in 1964.

General Appearance:

Picardy Sheepdog is extremely hardworking and totally reliable, intelligent and docile, but also very independent, although very compatible with the entire family of the owner, fully respecting usually only one of its member, it is usually called-one-man dog.

Training/Behaviour:

With proper training and adequate approach of experienced owner it can be a pleasant companion dog. The owner, however, must be in all circumstances and without any physical violence remain as the leader of the "pack". Owner must be consistent, deliberate and resolute. It means that Picardy Sheepdog this dog is not suitable for beginners. The harsh treatment in education and training it should not encourage the positive stimulation.

It should not be permanently housed in an outdoor kennel, because it needs the most frequent and longest contact with people. It is essential to its systematic early socialization. It is the perfect defender and very strict guard against unknown persons is extremely distrustful.

It requires plenty of exercise. Breed is suitable for military or police training and for training sports.

Body:

This is a medium-sized, properly muscled dog shortly rectangular body frame. Height at withers, male is from 60 to 65 cm and for female is from 55 to 60 cm. The head corresponds to the size of the overall body size. The skull should be broad and slightly arched. The frontal slope should be very gradual, cheeks are slightly rounded. Coarse hair falls over its eyes. It forwards eyebrows, which is so thick and long that shade the eyes.

Muzzle tapers slightly from the stop towards the nose. The muzzle is level. Hair on the muzzle forms a distinctive moustache and beard. The nose should be large, must always be black. Lips are thin and tight, dark pigmentation. Teeth should be complete, scissors, teeth are straight, white.

Eyes are medium sized, flat, oval shape. The iris is the coloured brown, may be different hue and corresponding to coat colour, but they must never be lighter than hazel. The rims are black colour.

The earlobes are a reasonable size, about 7.5 cm long. They should be rather high, always carried naturally upright. At the base they are wide at the tops slightly rounded.

The neck is long, but strong and muscular, merges smoothly into the shoulders, the back is strong and straight. Loins should be muscular and broad, the croup should be slightly sloping and passes neatly into the back of the thighs.

The tail forms a natural extension the topline of the body. It is not reduced. The root is strong, towards the tip tapers. If the dog is calm, it is carried down, it achieves just the hock and the end is bent in the shape of a large printing of the letter "J". If the dog is in action, the tail is carried higher, but must never be above the top line of the body. Hair on it is as long as on the hull.

The chest is just the elbows and extends forward in the chest, which is slightly oval in shape. Ribs are lots spine properly sprung, and then fall down and slightly turn to the sternum. The abdomen is slightly tucked. The forelegs are straight, strong, long, muscled appropriately and adequately sloping. Pasterns are slightly slanted and elbows should be pointing straight backwards parallel.

The hindquarters should be long and well muscled. The hocks are strong, dry and moderately long, parallel and perpendicular to the substrate. Wear pads must be flexible and strong nails strong and dark in colour. Dewclaws should be removed.

Coat consists of coarse and shaggy outer coat and undercoat, length of hair of top coat is about 5 - 6.5 cm over the entire body except the head, which is slightly shorter. The texture of the outer coat is harsh by touch and brittle too.

Colouring can be grey, grey-black, grey with black highlights, grey-blue, grey-red, light fawn or dark, or a mixture of these colours. Rather small white markings on the front chest and fingertips are permissible. Coat requires regular care.

All faults from the requirements of the standard to be considered as defects and evaluate accurately the degree of seriousness with regard to health and well-being. As a defect it is evaluated a missing or too powerful eyebrows, moustache and beard absence, lack of two premolars, ears longer than 12 cm, short or twisted tail, a white shirt and white feet wide above. Disqualify the absence of four or more premolars, imperfect upright ears, constantly awake, curled over the back or short tail, or the colour of deep black, white, blue merle and spotted.