Th e Bergamasco is a perfect family dog and loves children. As a herding dog, he protects his family and defends his ter- ritory. Certainly important is the kennel. Th ere, the first building blocks for future work are laid. For me it is clear, once Ber- gamasco, always Bergamascos. Okay, I’m a Bergamasco freak and I love them from my deep heart. I am pleased with my boys every day to be together, to take a walk or to work with them. Th ey are my best friends!
ity to gaze those big beautiful eyes into yours and tell you everything there is to know about love. From the time they are puppies, Ber- gamascos are intelligent and strangely mature. Th ose little flu ff balls soon blos- som into a rustic sheepdog that is comfort- able in the ancient Alps or a modern home. Th ey have remained mostly unchanged and have adapted well to comfy sofas, cool kitchen floors and snuggly beds all over the world. Still, they are a sheepdog at heart and retain their protective and sometimes cautious nature. Bergamascos are always guarding their flock. Th e flock can be sheep, you, your cats or your children and their friends. Th ey prefer for their flock to
be close at all times and on good behav- ior. Th at said, a Bergamasco may bark at a flock of unruly and loud children. With their flock, they are responsible. Th ey will alert you to the plastic bag flying in the wind or the new chair on your lawn that wasn’t there before. Th ey know their peo- ple and their surroundings and are always assessing the situation. With children they are playmates and nannies. To our 10 year old, they are the warmest of blankets on a winter night. Th ey are companions and runway models (we have two young daughters ) and all the while they are toler- ant and happy. With strangers, some are reserved or aloof but never aggressive. Th ey are excellent assessors of character and will make their own decisions about who is worthy of their love. Th e Bergamasco trains himself in a way that suits him. Not all treats are good enough for the demands we require, especially if they have no obvious purpose at the moment. Th e Bergamasco can be choosy about what they want to learn and when. After all, they are above all that. Often cuddles are the greatest reward and they will oblige and do almost anything for those. What resonates the most is the same feed- back I get year after year, puppy after puppy. Families always come back and say, “I never thought I could love a dog so much” or “I have never known a soul so beautiful”. Th ese are the ways that Bergamascos have changed our lives. Th ey fill the most primitive neces- sity of unconditional love between human and canine.
By Jeanine Dell OrFano, BSCA Vice President
Bergamascos have come a long way in the last 20 years. Since they were first publicly introduced in the mid 1990s, they have gained a steady and enthusi- astic following by those who love their rustic charm and minimally modified genetics. Why is the Bergamasco so cher- ished and protected by the people who live with them? To describe the character of a Bergamasco, imagine the wisdom of a respected elder of an ancient tribe combined with the soul of the kindest caretaker and most loyal friend. Besides having sheepdog critical thinking skills, they bond deeply with those who love them back. I like to think of them as perfectly independent and dependent simultaneously. Th ey march to the beat of their own drum and their quirky nature keeps families both amused and amazed. Th eir ability to love is deep and profound. Th e nature of the Bergamasco is palpable through their wonderful abil-
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