French Shepherd Beauceron: description of the breed and character of the shaggy assistant

The French Smooth Shepherd or Beauceron is the largest and oldest of the French shepherd dogs. Some consider her to be a cross between a Doberman and a Rottweiler with a German Shepherd. However, the Beauceron is a purebred breed that has never been crossed with others. Observant and tireless shepherds adapt perfectly to any climatic conditions. But, despite this, the breed has not become widely known outside its historical homeland. It will be even more interesting to learn about this breed.

Brief history of origin

There are two versions of the origin of the French Beaucerons. According to one of them, they descended from an extinct peat dog. According to the second version, the shepherd is a direct descendant of the wolf. What is known for certain is that the breed developed in France.

The shepherd is a faithful assistant to shepherds: she guarded and herded livestock. The breed has been formed for centuries through natural selection without human intervention. According to historical documents, such individuals lived already in the 16th century.

In 1863, the breed was first presented at an exhibition in Paris. However, it was only 33 years later that zoologist Jean Pierre Mengin and a group of his colleagues created an authoritative commission and developed an official standard.

The dogs were divided into two groups: the short-haired shepherd dogs were called Beaucerons (in honor of the French region of Beauce), and the long-haired ones were called Briards. Another 15 years later, Jean Pierre created a club of Beauceron lovers, whose members began to breed the breed.

Reviews from long-haired German Shepherd owners

Andrey, Novosibirsk:

I only keep German Shepherds. Two years ago I bought a long-haired, black one. Today my Bertha is a serious dog with a spectacular charcoal color. An excellent watchman, protection, security, smart - that's all about her. Lives outside, tolerates the cold well, but after rain the wool takes a long time to dry.

Polina, Omsk:

She named her shaggy German Mamai. At our first meeting he behaved so actively that he attracted my attention. Now he is six months old, I train him every day, sometimes he is stubborn, but he remembers everything quickly, he is already a decent guard.

Interesting Facts

Curious information about the breed:

In the 19th century, shepherd dogs were often called "red stockings" because of the fawn markings on their legs that resemble stockings.
Beaucerons have an innate habit of biting people or animals on the legs. This is how they used to manage their flocks of sheep. Now this is not a manifestation of aggression, but the dog’s sincere care and desire to “guide a person on the right path.”
According to official data, about 7 thousand Beaucerons are registered in the world - this is a very rare breed of dog.
During World War II, shepherds worked as sappers, mail carriers, and scouts.

Breed characteristics

Short description
Origin:	North America
Conditions of detention:	In an enclosure, in a house with a spacious enclosed yard
Purpose:	Shepherd, service dog
Color:	Four types - sable and white, black and white, tricolor of black, white and red, black and red tan
Wool length:	Average
Adult dog size:	Height of females – 46–56 cm, males – 48–58 cm, weight of females 18–23 kg, males – 20–27 kg
Average life expectancy:	12 – 15 years
Walk:	Daily, lasting more than an hour, with active physical activity
Physical activity needs:	High demands for long-term physical activity, more than 3 hours per day
Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FIC) classification:	Group 1: herding and cattle dogs, Section 1: shepherd dogs
Puppy price:	Puppies with a pedigree from 25,000 to 30,000 rubles.

Breed description, standards and appearance

The French Shepherd Beauceron is a harmoniously built, strong and resilient dog without a hint of heaviness. This is a fairly large pet, the height of males is 65–70 cm, females – 61–68 cm. The weight of representatives of this breed ranges from 30 to 45 kg. According to the monthly weight table, by the age of one year the animal’s weight reaches 30 kg.

Official description of the Beauceron (FCI breed standard No. 44):

The head is elongated, with clear features. Its length is approximately 2/5 of the height at the withers.
The muzzle is not very sharp and not too narrow. Its length is equal to the length of the skull.
The lobe corresponds to the size of the muzzle and is always painted black.
The jaws are strong and set in a scissor bite.
Shepherds' eyes are round and set straight. The pigmentation of the iris is dark brown. Light eyes are unacceptable for any coat color. In dogs of the Harlequin color, heterochromia is not considered a reason for disqualification.
The ears are erect, cropped, look straight and tilt slightly forward. Uncropped ones hang down slightly. Located high on the head.
The neck is quite long, blending harmoniously into the shoulder blades.
The body is slightly stretched. The withers are clearly visible, the back is level, the loin is short and strong. The croup is slightly sloping. The chest is voluminous, dropped below the elbows.
The tail remains in its natural form (not docked). It sits quite low and has a J-curve.
Limbs straight and parallel. A distinctive feature of the breed is the forked dewclaws. Unlike other dogs, Beaucerons do not have them removed.

The description of the breed includes characteristics of movement: the French Shepherd runs elastically and freely. The Beauceron rearranges its limbs at the same level, maintaining maximum productivity. The typical gait is a sweeping trot.

Color

The Beauceron dog is covered with thick hair 3–4 cm long. The fur on the head is shorter, and characteristic feathering and dewlap form on the hips and lower part of the tail. The undercoat is dense and soft to the touch, invisible through the guard hairs. Its grayish tint is welcome.

Allowed colors:

Black and tan - on a black background, red marks are scattered in strictly defined places: in the area of the eyebrows, on the sides of the muzzle, on the chest, neck, around the genitals, on the lower third of the limbs (on the inside the tan can be located a little higher).
Harlequin is a rare and valuable color: bluish-motley with tan. Black and gray colors are evenly distributed throughout the body. The predominance of black color is possible. The tan is located in the same places as in black and fawn dogs.

A small white spot on the chest is not considered a defect.

Important. Shaggy or shaggy coat, lack of tan marks, a pronounced spot on the chest are disqualifying faults.

Description of the shaggy German Shepherd

Longhaired Germans differ from ordinary short-haired Germans in quality and appearance. Many breeders have noticed that the “long dogs” have a calmer and more balanced disposition, although there are quite a few typical choleric people among them. Otherwise, the characteristics of the breed are the same - courage, devotion, excellent trainability, and excellent guarding qualities.

Breed standards

According to the accepted standard, adult long-haired German Shepherds have the following characteristics:

Height 55-60 cm, weight 35-45 kg (females), males - 60-65 cm and 40-50 kg.
The body is powerful, stretched, with a voluminous chest and highly developed muscles, the stomach is tucked, the withers are clearly expressed.
The head is wedge-shaped, short, the neck is developed, without dewlap.
The eyes are dark, non-protruding, almond-shaped.
The nose is black and large.
The ears are erect and pointed.
Scissor bite, teeth white and straight.
The tail is saber-shaped, of medium length, with a slight bend; the hair is long in the lower part.
The paws are powerful, even, parallel, the hind legs are set back, the pads are dark.
The coat is thick, soft, long, fibrous with feathering on the tail, ears and paws.
Color – saddleback, black, zoned, black and tan (muzzle with a dark mask, black back, red paws).
The claws are strong and gray in color.

Character of an adult dog

German Shepherds are examples of high performance and strength. At the same time, their psyche is stable, balanced, and their intuition is excellent. As a guard, the dog has no equal; it is always ready not only to report danger, but also to protect if necessary. The breed learns easily and quickly; it needs constant and close contact with a person whom it recognizes as its owner. She is friendly towards other family members, but only follows his orders immediately. She is wary of the behavior of strangers; after she is convinced that there is no threat, she loses interest and becomes indifferent to strangers.

Character and behavior

The French Shepherd is calm and balanced. She is confident in her abilities and does not show unmotivated aggression. The Beauceron is distrustful of strangers, but this trait can be corrected with competent upbringing if the pet is not planned to be used for protection. Despite their self-sufficient nature, Beauceron dogs are in dire need of human love and attention.

The breed tends to be dominant. This is how the innate shepherd instinct manifests itself. The Beauceron considers all family members to be a herd that needs to be led. If you establish the correct hierarchy in time, the dog will turn into a reliable protector.

The breed is good with children, but will not tolerate pranks for long.

The French Shepherd calmly gets along in the same territory with other representatives of the animal world and does not enter into conflicts with its relatives.

Expert opinion

Leonid Rodin

Experienced dog breeder

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The French Shepherd from the province of Beauce is interesting for two features. When working with a flock, she is prohibited from barking and biting, so as not to frighten the animals under her care. The maximum that a Beauceron is allowed to do is indicate a bite, but under no circumstances clench his teeth. The French, without the slightest regret, reject from breeding any shepherd dogs with signs of aggression or cowardice. Although the Beauceron, due to objective reasons, is losing its importance as a herd guard, competitions on the ability to lead a flock in the homeland of these dogs are held regularly. And four-legged champions immediately become the breed's elite. When keeping in apartments, it is important to take into account that an indifferent Beauceron is a deviation from breed standards. The pet will always hover under the owner’s feet and is unlikely to refuse to accompany him of his own free will. It can be very tiring when a large dog shows such intrusive care, but owners have to put up with round-the-clock supervision.

Training and education

To achieve maximum effectiveness from training, you need to do it correctly. The French Shepherd is a stubborn animal, which makes the learning process a little more difficult. It is prohibited to perform the following actions towards a dog:

kick, push, pinch, beat;
scream, wave your arms.

Four-legged friends perceive aggression from humans as an attack on them by another animal. Affection, kindness and patience are the best companions for a successful workout. The more the owner takes care of the dog and walks with it, the higher the level of his authority. The pet will learn commands quickly if it respects the owner.

Training should begin by establishing contact between the owner and the dog. The following tricks will help you do this:

do not give several commands at the same time, it is better to work on each one separately;
use the method of encouragement in the form of verbal praise, affection, goodies;
exercise 2-3 hours before the dog’s meal, or after, so that the Beauceron does not become lazy;
do not train the animal to the point of exhaustion, since a tired dog will not want to learn commands.

If you follow these rules, you will be able to get maximum results from your training. If you have little or no experience in raising and training dogs, you can contact a dog trainer.

Advice! Strictness is the key to obedience. Beaucerons build respect through the absence of physical violence against them, but through an attitude of authority.

There is an inextricable bond between the owner and the dog, since the pet chooses one owner for life. A shepherd dog will always be with a person, relentlessly following him. Sometimes animals even stop eating when the owner leaves.

It is necessary to be responsible when buying a Beauceron, because when parting with the owner, they slowly die.

How to choose the right puppy?

In Russia, French Beaucerons are rare, so it is impossible to buy a purebred puppy at the poultry market. You should contact a nursery that specializes in breeding this breed.

Most likely, the Beauceron will have to be booked in advance. While waiting, you can meet the breeder and producers, visit exhibitions and chat with current owners to learn about all the nuances of the breed.

Healthy French Shepherd puppies are curious, playful, and cheerful. They do not hide when they see a stranger, but boldly come out to get acquainted.

Babies should have:

clean eyes and ears;
shiny coat without an unpleasant odor;
lively look.

If all the little Beaucerons are equally good, you can choose the most active and friendly pet.

Puppies

For the first 5–6 weeks, French Shepherd puppies are in the care of their mother. But if there is not enough milk, you should purchase special milk formulas from a veterinary pharmacy and use them according to the instructions. At about 1.5 months, Beaucerons begin to be additionally fed with twisted meat and vegetable purees.

At 2–2.5 months, the puppy usually moves to new owners. They continue to give him the same products that the breeder used - Beaucerons tolerate sudden changes in diet very poorly. The menu must include fermented milk products, since the dog’s skeleton is actively developing.

At 3 months, the puppy is given meat porridge. The meat is no longer rolled, but cut into small pieces. From 4 months, the French Shepherd is allowed to give offal (lungs, heart, liver) and sea fish. After changing teeth, the amount of dairy products is reduced, replacing them with meat. At six months the diet is as close as possible to that of an adult, but more food is given as the dog is still growing.

Frequency of feeding of a French Shepherd depending on age:

1–3 months – 5–6 times a day;
3–6 months – 4 times a day;
6–9 months – 3 times a day.

From ten months, the Beauceron is fed like an adult dog twice a day.

You can monitor the development of your French Shepherd using a table that shows the dynamics of height and weight by month.

Age (month)	Height (cm)	Weight, kg)
1	20–22	3.8
2	34–38	8.7
3	40–45	14
4	46–50	18.6
5	50–56	22
6	51–61	24.5
7	52–62	26.5
8	53–63	27.5
9	55–64	28.5
10	57–66	29
11	58–67	29.5
12	59–68	30

What will a Beauceron eat?

Basically, French Shepherds eat dry food or natural products. The advantage of ready-made feed is that it contains the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Check out the ratings of premium and super-premium dry dog food, as well as the features of dog food brands: Farmina, Purina ProPlan, Berkley, Hills, Flatazor, Barking Heads, Almo nature, Probalance, 1st CHOICE, Pronature, Wolfsblut, Grandorf, Pedigree.

If you prepare food from natural products, it is recommended to give:

meat products in the form of chicken or beef (except pork), which should make up no more than 30% of the pet’s total diet;
buckwheat, pearl barley, rice porridge;
fresh washed vegetables and, quite rarely, fruits;
dairy products, especially cottage cheese.

Important! Never give your pet milk in its pure form. He can only consume milk-based products. The pet must eat twice a day, and there must be constant access to drinking water

The best treat for your dog is the one sold in a pet store. Avoid cookies, chocolate and other sweets

The pet should eat twice a day, and have access to drinking water at all times. The best treat for your dog is the one sold in a pet store. You should avoid cookies, chocolate and other sweets.

Care and maintenance

The Beauceron breed is quite unpretentious. It is characterized by increased activity, so it is problematic to keep it in a city apartment. A private home with its own area is perfect for a French Shepherd, where the dog will always have the opportunity to frolic.

The right diet

The Beauceron French Shepherd can eat ready-made food or natural food. In the first case, you should purchase high-quality premium or super-premium products. It most fully meets the needs of the dog’s body and eliminates the need to include vitamin supplements in the diet.

When feeding naturally, French Shepherds are given:

lean meat (beef, rabbit, chicken, turkey) and offal;
porridge (rice, buckwheat);
fermented milk products (low-fat cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, yogurt without dyes);
fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs (pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, apple, pear, dill, parsley).

Once a week they make porridge not with meat, but with sea fish. To improve the structure of the coat, vegetable oil is periodically added to the food of Beaucerons.

Walking and physical activity

Herding dogs need movement. You need to walk your French Beauceron twice a day for at least 40 minutes.

The dog must not only relieve himself, but also have plenty of frolic in the field or forest.

Important. A dog that does not have the opportunity to throw out the energy seething in it goes to extremes: the shepherd becomes overly aggressive, or, on the contrary, apathetic.

Training and education

The Beauceron begins to be raised immediately after appearing in the house. The puppy is taught to respond to its name, follow the rules of living together, and go to the bed on command. When the quarantine ends after vaccinations, the French Shepherd is taken outside and introduced to the outside world, new smells and sounds.

At 3 months you can start training - while it is in a playful form, but it already teaches the Beauceron basic skills.

The breed is highly intelligent, so it is quite easy to train. However, the lessons should be varied and interesting - monotonous performance of the same actions will quickly tire the dog.

Important. The peculiarity of the breed is late maturation. The psychological formation of Beaucerons is completed only by the age of three.

It is advisable that one person conduct training with the dog - then he can become a real leader for the shepherd.

Remember. Beaucerons do not tolerate violence.

As punishment you can:

scold the dog in a stern tone;
deprive of treats;
select your favorite toy;
completely ignore the pet.

To develop unconditional obedience at 8–9 months, it is recommended to send a dog of this breed to OKD. After this, the shepherd can undergo a special training course.

Care and hygiene

The dog is brushed a couple of times a week, and daily during shedding. There is no need to bathe your pet frequently; water treatments are only required if the shepherd is very dirty. Without harming the fur, bath days for the French Beauceron can be given no more than once a month.

Otherwise, care for representatives of the breed is standard:

cleaning ears and eyes – once a week;
nail trimming - monthly;
brushing your teeth several times a week.

Shepherd care includes treatment for worms and blood-sucking parasites. It is carried out every 3 months.

History of the Long Haired German Shepherd Breed

The shaggy type of shepherd dog has been known for a long time; their ancestors can be seen in engravings by artists of the 15th century. This type even had its own name - Old Germanic. In the 18th century, veterinarian Max Stefanitz began breeding a new breed, which was supposed to have excellent protective qualities and be perfectly amenable to training and education. Its founder was a dog named Hector, bought by a breeder at an exhibition. After some time, typical Germans began to have long-haired puppies in their litter. They were mercilessly rejected. The cause of the birth of such individuals was a recessive gene that appeared as a result of mutation. Until the beginning of the 21st century, the International Canine Association did not recognize long-haired shepherd dogs as representatives of the breed, but in 2010 the request of German dog handlers was granted, and fluffy dogs were identified as a separate type. Since then, the popularity of the shaggy look has only grown.

Vaccinations and susceptibility to disease

Beauceron puppies are vaccinated according to a standard schedule.

At 8–9 weeks, a vaccine is administered against the most common diseases:

carnivore plague;
parvovirus enteritis;
parainfluenza;
leptospirosis;
viral hepatitis.

After 3-4 weeks, vaccination is repeated to strengthen immunity with the addition of a rabies vaccine. If the Beauceron does not come into contact with potential carriers of this disease, then this vaccination can be done later - at 6–9 months. Adult dogs are revaccinated annually.

The French Beauceron is distinguished by good health. Representatives of the breed rarely get sick, and even in old age remain active and playful. The average lifespan of shepherd dogs is 10–13 years.

In rare cases, French Shepherds have:

hip dysplasia;
gastric volvulus;
progressive retinal atrophy;
diseases of the cardiovascular system.

If hygiene is not observed, Beaucerons with undocked ears may develop an ear infection.

Appearance of a White Swiss Shepherd

The appearance of the powerful and muscular White Swiss Shepherd is similar to that of an ordinary German Shepherd. They are almost identical in height, but the “Swiss” is built a little denser. Among the representatives of the breed there are long-haired individuals and those with medium-length hair. The former are distributed mainly in Germany, Austria, France, and the latter in Holland and the North American continent.

Frame

White Swiss Shepherd admiring his native Alps

The dog has an elongated croup, slightly inclined towards the base of the tail, and a strong, straight back. The chest is powerful, of medium width, oval in shape, deep, reaching down to the elbows, its front part is expressive. The abdomen is moderately tucked. The sides and lower back are strong. The withers are clearly expressed.

Neck

Muscular, slightly elongated, no dewlap. The line of the neck, gently transitioning from the rather high-set head to the withers, is nobly curved.

Head

The head of the Swiss Shepherd is proportional to the body, has straight, clean lines, and is wedge-shaped when viewed from above and from behind. The line of transition from the forehead to the muzzle is smooth, but the very place where they connect is clearly distinguishable. The powerful muzzle is elongated, slightly tapering towards the nose. The nose itself is medium in size, the preferred color of the earlobe is black, but a simply dark color is also acceptable.

Jaws, teeth, lips

Beach party

The jaws are powerful, the teeth are located strictly perpendicular to them. Scissor bite. The lips are an intense black color and should be dry and pressed tightly together.

Eyes

Small, slightly slanting, almond-shaped, color - from brown to dark brown, a black rim is welcome.

Muzzle of a white Swiss Shepherd

Limbs

Kiyayaya

The forelimbs of the Swiss Shepherd are strong, lean, and their bones are not too heavy. When viewed from the front, they appear to be set quite wide apart. The shoulder and forearms are elongated, with powerful muscles. The pasterns are strong and set slightly obliquely.

The hind limbs are muscular. From behind they look straight and parallel. The thighs are of medium length and well-developed muscles. The shins, with solid bones, are also muscular. The hocks are of medium length, straight, lean.

The dog's paws are oval in shape, with the hind legs slightly longer than the front ones. The fingers are clenched tightly and almost curled into a ball. The pads are elastic, black. The same color is preferred for claws.

Movement

The White Swiss Shepherd moves powerfully, measuredly, consistently rearranging its limbs. The dog's lynx creeps, as if sneaking.

Tail

Running Swiss Shepherd

Richly covered with hair, has a saber shape. Set on quite high and reaching at least to the hock joint, tapering towards the end. When the dog is in a calm state, the tail hangs towards the floor, sometimes curving slightly in the lower third. In an animated animal, the tail rises vigorously, but does not exceed the top line.

Wool

The animal's coat is thick, tightly covering the body. Both dogs with medium-length hair and long-haired dogs have an abundant undercoat. The outer hair is straight and somewhat coarse. On the ears, muzzle, and forelimbs the hair is noticeably shorter than in the neck area and the back of the hind limbs. The neck of long-haired Swiss Shepherds is decorated with a spectacular mane, and their hind limbs are dressed in woolen “pants”. A slightly wavy coat is acceptable.

Breed defects

Light yellow or fawn tint of color (fawn) in the back area, at the base of the tail, at the tips of the ears.
Fragmented lack of pigmentation on the nose, lips, and rims of the eyes.
Shortened, square-shaped body.
Drooping or semi-erect ears.
A curled or looped tail, a hook-shaped tail, positioned above the line of the back.
Lack of undercoat. Too soft, velvety coat, as well as curly coat.
Bulging eyes. One or both eyes are blue.
Excessive aggressiveness or, on the contrary, timidity, timidity.

Pros and cons of the breed

Advantages	Flaws
Developed intelligence	Tendency to dominate
Devotion	Need for long walks
Good health	High price
Equilibrium
Friendliness
Lack of specific care
Good security qualities

The French Beauceron is an excellent watchman, brave protector and companion. A dog of this breed is perfect for an active person who can devote a lot of time to it: the shepherd dog will be happy to accompany its owner on hikes and travels.

The main thing: if you treat your Beauceron with respect, he will definitely repay you with boundless love and devotion.

General information

Scientists believe that shepherd dogs first appeared in Asia, among nomadic tribes. There they performed particularly dangerous work: protecting livestock from bears and predatory cats. Together with the Roman conquerors, these brave dogs walked along the Eurasian continent and ended up in Europe.

Here, farmers decided that size is not the most important thing for a shepherd: the dog should stand out among predators with its bright color. Selection began: combining local breeds with imported Asian giants. Now the FCI has registered more than 20 breeds of shepherd dogs with different origins. They vary in size, color, and type of cover.

In different countries, shepherd dogs were created and raised differently, but the quality criteria remained the same:

Endurance, efficiency, ability to serve around the clock without sleep or rest;
Thick two-layer wool that protects from cold, heat, moisture and snow;
Minimally developed hunting instinct so that the dog is not distracted during service;
Developed protective reflexes, territorial instinct;
Fearlessness, strength (to defeat the enemy);
High intelligence for remembering commands, raising a herd.