The origins of the Beauce shepherd dog breed can be found in the province of Beauce, from which it derives its name. This is an area south of Paris and the first specimens seem to have appeared in the area between the 17th and 19th centuries. Remains found in some areas of the French Jura suggest that it is a descendant of a very ancient breed: the peat bog dog; it is also thought that its ancestors include the Great Dane.
Lovers of this breed of dog also call it “bas rouge”, i.e. red socks, referring to the typical colour of its paws.
It was selected as a guard dog for flocks of sheep, but when flocks became less and less numerous, the need for sheepdogs was always decreasing, nevertheless this dog was reinvented as a guard, protection and assistance dog. In France it is also popular as a police dog. Like all shepherd dogs, it needs a lot of exercise and also a purpose, namely work. Sporting activity also strengthens its character and balance.
It is one of the best-known and most popular breeds in France, whereas it is not so well known in the rest of the world.
Character of the Beauce shepherd dog breed
The Beauce Shepherd Dog is a perfect guardian that is attached to and defends its owner. It does not have an aggressive character, but is not afraid of anything and is very attentive to its surroundings. It attaches itself to the whole family but tends to bond indissolubly with only one family member.
It is a courageous and well-balanced dog with great responsibility and initiative. It does not bark much, only when necessary. It has a strong territorial instinct, which is why it is wary of strangers, while within its pack of humans it is friendly, cheerful and even playful.
It is not a dog suited to flat life; it needs to run in open spaces, so its ideal is a house with a garden where it can spend several hours a day. He also lives well with other animals if he is used to them from an early age, in fact he considers them part of his pack and, if small, to be defended.
It is not very easy to train a dog of this breed, because it has a very strong temperament which requires a person of character as a guide, a person with a firm pulse and consistency. In fact, its trust must be won, but once a good understanding has been established with its human leader, it always obeys him without reserve. It is not suitable for elderly or sedentary people, as it needs to move several times a day.
It is not afraid of the cold, as its thick coat protects it, and it is not afraid of heat either, but it needs plenty of water and shade to rest in very hot weather.
Appearance of the Beuce Sheepdog breed of dog
The Beuce Shepherd Dog is a large dog, the male reaching 70 centimetres at the withers and weighing around 50 kilograms, the female usually weighing slightly less. It is a solid, robust dog, well built and muscular without being heavy. It has a refined appearance, although rustic, it is also very agile and has excellent reflexes.
The hind legs have a double crampon, distinctive of the breed, the chest is wide and the back is straight. The tail is long and attached low to form a sort of hook.
The head is long but in proportion to the body. The skull is flat or slightly rounded, with a slightly accentuated median groove. Stop slightly raised. The ears are short and the eyes are round and dark in colour.
The coat can be found in two ways: either black with fiery red markings on the limbs and fiery red spots above the eyes on the lower sides of the muzzle, on the chest, throat and under the tail. Or the variety called harlequin, which has the characteristic of having a three-colour coat: black, grey and fire. The coat is short with a very fine, dense and fluffy undercoat.
Care and health of the Beuce Shepherd dog breed
The Beuce Shepherd Dog is a robust, strong and healthy dog. But common to many species of large dogs it may have hip or elbow dysplasia, dilation and torsion syndrome of the stomatum and also progressive retinal atrophy. It is not very long-lived, with a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years.
As far as the care of its coat is concerned, its hair simply needs some brushing, especially during the moulting period. As far as feeding is concerned, the Beuce shepherd dog must eat twice a day and the meals must be complete and balanced as it is a very lively dog and consumes a great deal of energy throughout the day.
