mountainous regions so they need a solid and compact build. In order to be most e ffi - cient in their environment, which requires work on steep hills, Bergamasco are best built with a di ff erence of 5-6% between the two measurements (body length and height at the withers) without making the dogs any less compact. From a side view, the rib cage is deep but with an almost absent tuck up, and the line of the back inclines very slightly downward from prominent withers to a strong, broad back. Th e croup is slightly TMPQJOH BCPVUUPEFHSFFTEPXOXBSE from the horizontal. Th e shoulders are massive and strong; the blades are wide and long with a steep 60 degree angulations from horizontal. A characteristic of the breed is the short humerus. Th e deltoid muscle and the great dorsal muscle which flex the humerus on the shoulder blade acts with greater power on a short axis. Th e combination of strong shoulder muscles and short humerus are the best instrument to guarantee resistance and potency for a dog which moves up and downhill where extra e ff ort is required. Th e similarly shorter length of the radius avoids the lift of the foot further than nec- essary, to preserve energy and to keep grav- ity level low. Th e metacarpus must be short and angled at 80 degrees from the vertical, sometimes giving the impression the dog is slightly bracing when stacked. Th e abundant hair over the legs and paws can accentuate that impression. At the rear, a broad and well-developed QFMWJTXJUIUPEFHSFFBOHVMBUJPOTGSPN horizontal is essential to support enough muscle mass for an e ffi cient trotter suited for uphill powerful movement. Th e tibia and femur are roughly the same length (due to axis of the pelvis) and better suited for locomotion over hilly territories. Due to the steeper inclination of the pel- vis, the rear extension is lesser than other breeds, as too much angulation would be sign of a shorter pelvis and longer limbs (bet- ter suited for flat terrain where speed and stride width are more important than pow- er); the metatarsus is relatively short as well (25% of height). Rear toes pointing outward are not uncommon as they add e ffi ciency in rear
traction in uphill movement and are often seen in mountain working breeds. Th e tail is natural and uncut, thick at the base, and tapering to the tip. When the dog is in repose, the tail just reaches the hock, with the bottom third of the tail forming a hook. In action the tail is often spread out fanwise, and flagging, carried above the back line and in the shape of an arc. It is worthwhile to add a few comments on tail carriage; if the croup is the right length with a correct croup inclination, so that the tail insertion is also on the right spot, a high tail carriage can also be considered a sign of exuberant character. On the other hand, if the croup is too short and the tail is incorrectly inserted, bad tail carriage is a result of a faulty insertion as a result of poor built. A Coat Unlike Any Other Th e Bergamasco coat is made up of three types of hair: an undercoat, a “goat hair,” and a woolly outer coat. t ɨFVOEFSDPBUJTTIPSU EFOTF BOEPGmOF texture. It is oily to the touch and forms a waterproof layer against the skin. t ɨF iHPBU IBJSw JT MPOH TUSBJHIU BOE rough in texture. t ɨF PVUFS DPBU JT XPPMMZ BOE TPNFXIBU finer in texture than the “goat hair.” Th e “goat hair” and outer coat are not distributed evenly over the dog and it is this pattern of distribution that is responsible for the formation of the characteristic flocks (the strands of hair woven together creating flat layers of felted hair). Each flock of hair ranges in width anywhere from one inch to three inches wide on the body. Th e coat, from the withers down to the midpoint of the body, is mostly “goat hair” which often forms a smooth saddle in that region. On the back of the body and the legs, the woolly outer coat is abundant and mingles with the reduced quantity of “goat hair” in that region to form wider flocks. Th e flocks are larger at the base than at the end; they are flat, irregular in shape, and may sometimes open in a fan-shape. Th e hair on the legs also hangs in flocks rather than feathering. Th e flocks are never combed out. Th e hair on the head is mostly “goat hair” but is somewhat less rough in texture and hangs over the eyes. For those who have allergies, it is impor- tant to note that the Bergamasco’s coat is
made up of hair, not fur and is considered to be non-shedding. To make it clear, the Bergamasco hair does not cord, (cording is the twisting of curly hair together to create a spiral strand). Th e Bergamasco coat is very di ff erent than that of corded breeds, in that the strands of straight hair weave together creating the flocks. In the Eastern European breeds, such as the Komondor and Puli, the coat consists mainly of curly wooly hair with relatively little goat hair. Th e opposite is true for the Western European breeds: Briards and Cata- lonian Sheepdogs, for example, have coats mainly of goat hair. Th e Bergamasco, from the Alpine region geographically between them, would seem to form a bridge between these two groups with a coat in which both type of hair are presents in almost equal quantities, although straighter and di ff er- ently distributed. It is hard to say whether this geo- graphic concomitance is a coincidence or whether it has a deeper significance involving climatic and selective factors. Th e fact remains that the Bergamasco is the only one of these breeds with this distinguished characteristic, which makes the breed particularly interesting from and historical and evolutionary aspect. While the Bergamasco coat is extremely complex, the uniquely typical characteristics to remember are: t ɨF EJTUSJCVUJPO PG UIF WBSJPVT UZQF PG hair over the body is not homogeneous. Th e withers have more goat hair while and often absent of flocks, while the rear section of the dogs has a vast amount of wooly hair. t $POUSBSZ UP UIF 1VMJ BOE ,PNPOEPS coat (twisted soft wooly and corded), the Bergamasco “flocks” are large, often flat, irregular and sometimes opening fanwise. t #FDBVTF UIF HPBU IBJS JT TUJĊFS JO UFY - ture, it forms wide thick meshes so that the woolly hair weaves through it instead of around itself, creating a woven felted texture. t ɨFUPQPGUIFIFBEJTPGUFOinPDLwGSFF with smooth goat hair. Small flocks under the chin and on each side of the muzzle are present. It is important that the head proportion (with the hair) be well bal- anced and proportional to the body. 4 )08 4 *()5 . "(";*/& % &$&.#&3 t
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