Is It A Mutt or Is It a Rare Breed?

How many of you have heard of the Berger Picard? Honestly, barely me! I kinda knew what one looked like when I received the opportunity to photograph one, but I definitely had to Google to confirm.

This shaggy, adorable herding dog originated in the Picardie region of France and is considered one of the oldest French herding breeds. Its exact origins are a little murky. Some believe the Berger Picard is related to the Briard and Beauceron, while others believe its ancestors are more closely connected to Dutch and Belgian Shepherds.

Whatever its exact beginnings, this breed has certainly had a fascinating history. The Berger Picard population was devastated during both World Wars, particularly because much of the breed’s homeland became a battlefield. The breed survived, but remains quite rare today.

You may have actually encountered a Berger Picard without realizing it. The breed made its Hollywood debut as Winn-Dixie in the movie Because of Winn-Dixie. The scruffy, slightly mischievous appearance of the Berger Picard made it the perfect choice for a dog who was supposed to look like an adorable mixed breed. And because the production needed multiple dogs capable of performing the same role, using a recognizable purebred made finding suitable canine actors a whole lot easier.

But there is much more to the Berger Picard than its adorable scruffy face.

This athletic breed is known for its intelligence, independence, and sense of humor. They can be reserved with strangers, but with their people they tend to be affectionate, loyal, and incredibly engaging. They are also working dogs at heart, which means that beneath that charmingly disheveled exterior is a dog that was bred to think, problem-solve, and work alongside its person.

Every breed has its own personality, quirks, expressions, and way of interacting with their people. A Berger Picard may have the wonderfully scruffy appearance that initially catches your eye, but spend a little time with one and you’ll quickly discover there is a whole lot of personality hiding underneath that shaggy coat.

This session was such a fun reminder of why I love what I do. I get to meet dogs I might otherwise never have the opportunity to know, learn a little about their breed and history, and then capture the individual personality that makes that particular dog special.

Because while breed characteristics can tell us a lot about a dog, the photographs I love most are the ones that tell me who that dog is.

Have you ever met a Berger Picard? If you have one of these rare French beauties in your life, I’d love to hear about them!