Beauceron

The Beauceron is an old French herding dog used on the plains south of Paris to guard and drive large flocks of sheep. It also served as a military dog in both World Wars.

It has double dewclaws on its hind legs, a feature required by its standard.

Calm, confident and very attached to its family, the Beauceron is a natural protector, reserved with strangers. It matures slowly and stays an energetic youngster for a long time.

Intelligent and sometimes dominant, it needs a consistent owner and early socialisation.

This is a fairly robust breed. Hip dysplasia and bloat should be watched for, as in other large, deep-chested dogs.

Regular veterinary follow-up and screened breeding dogs are recommended.

Good-quality food for large, active dogs suits it. Puppies should grow slowly.

Two meals a day, with rest after eating.

It needs one to two hours of daily activity: long walks, running, obedience, tracking or herding work.

It enjoys having a mission.

Its short coat helps in the heat, but its black colour absorbs the sun: in summer, walk it during the cool hours and provide shade and water. It needs a house with a large, well-fenced garden and is poorly suited to apartment life.

Its short, dense coat needs brushing once a week, more often during the moult.

Remember to trim the hind dewclaws if they do not wear down.