should not be fine boned, they should have some substance without being heavy, and should not be oversize in height. Th e US Standard calls for males to be 23 ½ to 25 ½ and females 21 ½ to 23 ½ at the high- est point of the withers with an allow- able deviation of 1 inch above and below standard as a fault. Anything above or below that is a disqualification. If there is question about height, a wicket should be used and the judge should take care to make wicketing the dog as non-intrusive as possible. Th e head of the Berger Picard should be strong and rectangular with the snout and topskull being parallel planes and a slightly sloping stop. Th e eye should be oval in shape and dark with yellow being a disqualification. Th e muzzle should have a moustache and there should be fringes above the eyes which are defining charac- teristics of the breed. As is a black, large nose. Th e scissor bite is preferred in the breed with undershot and overshot bites where there is a loss of contact between the upper and lower incisors is a disqualifica- tion. Th e dog should have a full bite with three or more missing molars or premolars being a serious fault. Th e Berger Picard is a rustic breed that should be shown in a natural state without over flu ffi ng or grooming. Judges will see varying coat lengths in the breed and as long as the coat is 2 to 3 inches and no more than 4 inches is acceptable. More than 4 inches is penalized and the longer the coat, the more of a penalty. Th e coat should not be soft or wooly but rather wiry and crisp to the touch. Th e Berger Picard comes in two colors Fawn (which can be a true Fawn with no black or a Fawn Charbonne which is Fawn with a charcoal under-layment) and Brindle. All acceptable colors should be judged evenly and deci- sion should never be made due to a pref- erence for one color over another. A small white patch is acceptable on the chest or toes but not preferred and a white patch anywhere else on the body is to be faulted. Disqualifications include solid black or white, harlequin, an entirely white foot or white bib on the chest. Margo Brady sums the appearance of the dog the best. “ Th e overall appearance is of a ‘scru ff y mutt’ and not a finely- groomed ‘show dog.’ Th e Berger Picard is a working herding dog and should look the part.” Th e proportion of the Berger Picard should be more rectangular with them being slightly longer than tall. Th e body
be examined. Instead, we would move on to judging the gait and then try to go over the dog after that. Aloofness in the breed is normal and accepted in France.” When approaching the dog for the exam, please approach from the front. I have had experiences with judges approach- ing from both the side and rear which can make a Berger Picard uneasy. Place your hand out so the dog has the ability to sni ff and then start the exam by bringing your hand under the dog’s chin versus over the head. Continue the exam thoroughly and
with soft hands. Sometimes, you might have a dog that squirms or leans away from you, be patient and make it as positive an experience as possible. With a new breed to AKC, there are often many new exhibitors that might not be as versed with the show ring but willing to learn. Helping them and providing a positive experience will give them the ability to continue to learn and exhibit their dog to its best. When going over the Berger Picard, keep in mind it is a medium-sized breed that is moderate in all ways. Th e dogs
222 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , J UNE 2015
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