Beauceron

Breed Profile

The Beauceron is a French shepherd dog dating back to the 1500’s. They were extensively used on farms in France as livestock herding and guard dogs, mostly with sheep but also with cattle. The military also used them in both world wars to run messages, detect mines, support commando action, find the wounded, and carry food and ammunition.

He is a large solid dog with a powerful and muscular build. His coat is short and thick and comes in either black and tan or harlequin (grey, black and tan). The standard for the breed allows for either cropped or uncropped ears. The tail is long and not cropped. One unique characteristic required by breed standards is the double dewclaws on the inside of the hind legs.

He is renowned for his excellent memory and instinct to guard all persons, property and animals in his home. He is always willing to work, fearless, obedient, calm, courageous, vigilant, and patient. He is sociable with other dogs that he knows but his territorial instincts may cause intolerance for strange dogs.

Today, the Beauceron is still widely used for herding and livestock protection. He is also used in competitive sports, such as Schutzhund and the French Ring Sport, which involves obedience, protection, searching, tracking and agility. The Beauceron is also being used by police forces throughout the world for apprehension of criminals, personal protection, narcotics detection, riot control, search and rescue, body recovery, and prison security. He is truly a very athletic and versatile breed.
 

Health Issues

Some of the health problems found in the Beauceron breed include:

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
• Hip Dysplasia
• Bloat — As with many large dogs, the occurrence of Bloat or Gastric Torsion is a real possibility in the Beauceron. If you are not familiar with this condition, it is absolutely necessary to learn about it and know the symptoms — This is a real emergency and a life threatening condition that requires immediate Veterinary attention. See Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV) – Bloat in the Health and Nutrition section of Canada’s Guide to Dogs for more information and First Aid for Bloat for an article describing some of the things you can do if you are faced with this situation.

If you are considering the adoption of a Beauceron puppy, or any breed, it is very important to be selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Ensure that the prospective puppy’s parents have all health clearances. Breeding of any dog should not be done until after they have been proven to be free of evidence of significant hereditary diseases. (For more information on selecting a breeder, see the articles on the General Information page.)

Recommended Health Screening:

For the Beauceron, the CHIC^{Note 1} database includes health screenings for the following:

• Hip Dysplasia;
• Congenital Cardiac examination;
• Eye Examination by a board Ophthalmologist yearly starting at two years and continuing until age eight.
• Optional screenings include: Elbow Dysplasia; VonWillebrand’s Disease; and Autoimmune Thyroiditis.

Additional Health Resources:

• Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) — Providing a source of health information for owners, breeders, and scientists that will assist in breeding healthy dogs. CHIC is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
• Health and Nutrition — Growing section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website which includes information on several health and nutrition related issues.
• AKC Canine Health Foundation — Working towards developing scientific advances in canine health.
• OFA – Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER)
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
• Ontario Veterinary College (OVC)
• University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHip)
• HealthGene — HealthGene Corporation is the leading provider of veterinary DNA diagnostic services in Canada.
• Labgenvet — Laboratory of Veterinary Genetics is a Canadian diagnostic laboratory that offers a comprehensive service of DNA tests for veterinary genetic diseases.

Breed Standards

• CKC Breed Standard
• AKC Breed Standard
• UKC Breed Standard
• FCI-Standard No. 44 – Beauce Sheep Dog (“Beauceron”, “Red-stocking”) (Berger de Beauce)

Grooming Information

• Grooming — This section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website includes tips, articles and information covering all aspects of dog grooming along with a listing of Groomers from across Canada.

Training Resources

• Training — For training information, see this growing section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website for tips, articles, as well as listings of training centres across Canada.

Additional Information

• The Beauceron Pedigree Database
• Is a Dog from the Herding Group Right for you?
• Herding Dogs — The Herding Dogs section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website includes training and general information about Herding/Stock Dogs; listing of Stock Dog Clubs and Associations; listing of upcoming shows and events; and more.
• Clubs, Sports & Activities — For information on the many sports and activities you can get involved in with your dog.
• Working Dogs — The Working Dogs section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website provides information and listings of organizations that are involved in various dog jobs, such as Guide Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Police Dogs, Protection Dogs, and much more.

*NOTE 1: CHIC – The Canine Health Information Center “is a database of consolidated health screening results from multiple sources. Co-sponsored by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Health Foundation, CHIC works with parent clubs to identify health screening protocols appropriate for individual breeds. Dogs tested in accordance with the parent club established requirements, that have their results registered and made available in the public domain are issued CHIC numbers.” To learn more, visit: www.caninehealthinfo.org

*NOTE 2: The Fédération Cynologique International (FCI) is the World Canine Organization, which includes 91 members and contract partners (one member per country) that each issue their own pedigrees and train their own judges. The FCI recognizes 344 breeds, with each being the “property” of a specific country. The “owner” countries write the standards of these breeds in co-operation with the Standards and Scientific Commissions of the FCI, and the translation and updating are carried out by the FCI. The FCI is not a breed registry nor does it issue pedigrees.