Picardy Sheepdog
The Berger Picard, or Picardy Sheepdog, herded and drove sheep and cattle in the Picardy region of northern France, and it very nearly ceased to exist when the trench warfare of…
About the Picardy Sheepdog
The Berger Picard, or Picardy Sheepdog, herded and drove sheep and cattle in the Picardy region of northern France, and it very nearly ceased to exist when the trench warfare of the First World War tore through exactly the countryside it came from. Numbers recovered slowly and the breed remains uncommon everywhere.
Dogs stand 60 to 65 cm, with high-set ears carried naturally erect, a shaggy eyebrow and beard, and a crisp, harsh, tousled coat around 6 cm long that needs very little grooming. Colours are fawn and brindled grey in various shades. The breed is playful, stubborn and sensitive to a raised voice, and a stud should be forward and curious, because shyness has been a problem in some lines.
Progressive retinal atrophy is the health issue the breed's clubs have worked hardest on, so ask for a current eye certificate and about any DNA testing the stud has had for it. Hip scores under the BVA/KC scheme should accompany that. Because the breed came through such a narrow bottleneck, ask about the coefficient of inbreeding for the proposed mating and where the imported stock behind the stud originated.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Picardy Sheepdog
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Best Practice — further tests it recommends
Completing these as well as the Good Practice tests is what the Royal Kennel Club calls Best Practice.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hip score (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Total of both hips, 0–106. Lower is better. |
| Elbow grading (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Grade 0–3. The dog is graded on the worse of the two elbows. |
| Eye testing (BVA/KC/ISDS) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC/ISDS | Result printed on the eye certificate. |
Breed hip median
Breed median 11 (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years, 9 dogs scored — indicative only, from a small sample). Lower is better. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Picardy Sheepdog stud dogs
No Picardy Sheepdog studs are listed right now
When a Picardy Sheepdog on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Picardy Sheepdog litters
No Picardy Sheepdog litters are listed right now
Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
