Pachon Navarro vs Berger Picard - Breed Comparison

In the Picardie region of northeastern France saw visiting Celts/Franks enter the region along with a shepherd dog. They arrived in the Pas de Calais in 800 AD and might be the oldest shepherd dog of France. Named for Pacardy, the Berger Picard is certainly one of the most ancient of today’s French breeds. Some believe this shepherd comes from the lines of Dutch and Belgian Shepherds, while other insist he is related to the Beauceron and Briard.

Never popular as a show dog due to its shaggy appearance, even though it was entered in Frances first dog show in 1863, the breed was almost extinct following the second World War. Currently there are a little under 5000 left in the world with most of them, 3000, in France. The Picard is a good herding dog and loved by the shepherds of the Picardy region. The United Kennel Club recognized the rare breed in 1994, but the AKC did not recognize it until 2016.

The Berger Picard is a loyal, people-oriented dog, good with children and families if socialized as a puppy. In 2006 the Berger Picard Club of America was formed as more and more dogs are being imported from France. There was a genetic study done this year that proposes that 7 breeds of shepherd all descended from a European herding dog that was all over Europe before 1859. This dog was the father of the Berger Picard, the German Shepherd, The Bergamaso Shepherd, the Lupino de Gigante, the Cane Paratore, the Cane da pasore della Lessinia e del Lagorai , and the Pastore d”oropa. After recognition, the Picard was shown for the first time at Krufts in March 2016. They followed that with a best of breed win by Gabby, Guess V.D. Benedicks

Known also as the Navarra Pointer, this is a Spanish hunting dog native to Navarre, Spain and descended from the extinct Old Spanish Pointer.

Major kennel clubs don’t recognize this dog as a standardized breed, but the Spanish Kennel Club has accepted the Pachón Navarro as a breed.

It is believed that this dog has also descended from other hounds as well as the Talbot hounds. It isn’t a new breed as it is thought that the dog originated in the 12th century already. There were times when the dog almost became extinct but efforts to preserve it have been made and to also establish it as a standardized breed.

The Berger Picard is a muscular, medium sized, faithful companion. He is especially great with an owner who is athletic and energetic. They have a rugged constitution, slightly longer back, and full tail. The coat is thick, strong and harsh. They are never overweight or bulky. This gives the Berger Picard the look of a mixed breed dog. They have erect ears and thick eyebrows. This lanky looking dog is alert and lively. Movement is efficient, free and tireless. They have strong bones with a sturdy build and a take charge personality.

They have a strong rectangular head that is not massive. His eyes are oval and medium sized, never round or protruding. Eye color should be dark and never yellow. Cheek muscles are strong, and muzzle is smooth, ending abruptly at the nose. Scissors bite, deep chest and round feet. There should not be any dewclaws on the back legs.

This dog is large sized, standing at between 48 and 57cm in height and weighing between 27 and 33kg. A most unusual feature and characteristic unseen in dogs in general is his split or double nose. The nose of the dog serves the same purpose however, as with any other dog.

The head is fairly large with a broad forehead. The broad head of the dog is generally solid colored. The coat of the coat of the dog is short and of a hard texture. Colors of the coat are white and brown or white and black or white and an orangey color with ticking.

The eyes are large and brown, the ears are long and broad with a rounded tip and the tail is long too. These dogs have a strong, sturdy body with strong legs.

Temperament:

The Pachon Navarro is a friendly, social, intelligent, loving and loyal dog. He is also gentle and docile with an amicable nature, making him a splendid choice for those with children in the home as well as pets.

He is athletic and energetic and is going to need a good dose of daily exercise. Apart from their strong hunting instincts, they make excellent family pets and companions and is most certainly not a dog to be put outdoors day after day without the contact of his human family.

He is intelligent and a quick learner and will benefit from training and socialization as this makes him obedient and it also bring about positive changes with any bad behavior from this excellent pet.

He requires a kind, firm, patient and consistent owner. This particular dog won’t be suited to living in a tiny property in the city, as they require a lot of space to run and exercise.

The Berger Picard needs to be a part of a pack with an owner who is clearly the pack leader. This is an intelligent, friendly, and sensitive to harsh voice scolding. They are not easy to train, and you need to be calm and patient when working with him. The Picard has a tendency to be stubborn with an owner who appears to be weak. If raised with or socialized to children and other animals, they will live fine with them. They are best in a rural environment rather than a close neighborhood. They are very quiet dogs, but they need a job and they excel at work.

The Pachón Navarro is an active, friendly, playful, affectionate dog and he makes a great family pet. He will however want lots of outdoor exercise, making him a suitable companion for active owners. Inactive city dwellers should think of keeping a more docile kind of indoor pet.

Your Pachón Navarro just loves the company of his human family and will be dejected if made to spend all his time outside and away from his owner.

He also takes his role as guardian and protector seriously. Give him what he requires and make him part of the family and he will be a most remarkable friend and companion.

The Berger Picard is not a heavy or extra-large dog, but they still can have hip dysplasia, though it is not nearly as prevalent as it is in larger breeds. Eye infections can present in puppies more than adults and hereditary eye issues such as PRA and RD are all too common. (Progressive Retina Atrophy and Retinal Dysplasia)

Pachon Navarros are generally healthy dogs and you’re not likely to spend much time at the vets with these dogs. They can reach up to 15 years of age if looked after well, but with the long ears they are prone to ear infections.

Moisture, wax and dirt can all build up inside the dog's ears and this can cause a painful ear infection with the dog scratching and pawing at his ear.

Bloat is another illness to look out for and you'll notice your dog is lethargic and has a swollen, hard stomach with gas being trapped inside. The condition is life threatening and will require a trip to the vet.

Feeding

This is an athletic and active breed with a lot of energy. They need a high-quality food that is full of nutrients and not empty calories. Don’t overfeed him as some will have a tendency to become obese. They should be fed twice a day in equal proportions. Treats are good when training but don’t overdo it.

Health issues

Since the Berger Picard has not been overbred, there are not a lot of genetic disorders in the breed. They do have some

1. Hip Dysplasia
2. Eye Infections
3. Progressive Retinal Atrophy
4. Retinal Dysplasia

You should have your puppy certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and then the Canine Eye Research Foundation that they do not have these issues and if they do, resolve them. The results of these tests should be published in the OFA registry. This breed is also a participant in the Canine Health Information Center. This means their eyes and hips have been checked and the results published. Their blood is being stored for DNA purposes and one of the following have been evaluated: heart, elbows or thyroid. There is an OFA Berger Picard health survey whose results are available to anyone who asks. This does not track individual dogs but the breed as a whole.

Exercise and games

This is a breed that needs a lot of exercise. She likes to swim, take long walks, take runs with you on your bike. They love to jog with you as well. Agility, obedience and any other type of competition will appeal to your Picard. However, don’t expect them to excel at competition because they are not consistent performers. But if they don’t get enough exercise and fun they will become very destructive. Barn hunt and non-competitive herding activities are perfect for the Picard.

Your Pachon Navarros is a low maintenance dog and you will just be required to give him a good brush. He is a moderate shedder and this brushing down will keep the skin and coat healthy.

Because of his long, floppy ears, you will need to check inside them because moisture, dirt and wax can build up and encourage an ear infection. Don’t try to clean inside your pet’s ears if you’re not sure how, rather find out about cleaning the ears from the vet.

The nails will also need to be clipped as well as checking regularly on the eyes and teeth.

Diet:

Your Pachon Navarro is a hardworking dog and you want to ensure tasty, palatable food that is properly digested and eliminated without problems. If you feed your dog a commercially manufactured dog food, choose the best quality and check out the labels.

Make sure that the food doesn’t contain lots of preservatives, colorants and fillers. Some of the best kibble has the right balance of vitamins and minerals in them. With these kind of hunting dogs, it is best to feed your dog hours before vigorous exercise such as a hunt.

Try and vary the regular kibble by adding in simple, but tasty home-made food occasionally. Dogs appreciate simple food without spices and exotic ingredients as its keeps their stomachs free from pain, gas and bloat.

Some chopped up boiled chicken, some brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach is super healthy for your pet as well as adding in a little bit of raw meat from time to time.

Remember clean, fresh water must be constantly available.