Swedish Vallhund vs Berger Picard - Breed Comparison

Swedish Vallhund vs Berger Picard - Breed ComparisonBerger Picard is originated from France but Swedish Vallhund is originated from Sweden. Berger Picard may grow 31 cm / 13 inches higher than Swedish Vallhund. Berger Picard may weigh 18 kg / 40 pounds more than Swedish Vallhund. Both Berger Picard and Swedish Vallhund has almost same life span. Both Berger Picard and Swedish Vallhund has same litter size. Berger Picard requires Low Maintenance. But Swedish Vallhund requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Herding dogs
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France
Sweden
Height Male:
55 - 65 cm
21 - 26 inches
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
Height Female:
53 - 64 cm
20 - 26 inches
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
Weight Male:
23 - 32 kg
50 - 71 pounds
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
Weight Female:
21 - 31 kg
46 - 69 pounds
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
Life Span:
13 - 14 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 10
4 - 10
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Picardy Shepherd • Berger de Picard • Bacardi Shepherd • Berger de Picardie Picard
Västgötaspets, Swedish cow dog
Colors Available:
grey, grey-black, blue-grey, red-grey, and light or darker fawn brindle
Cream, grey, brown
Coat:
harsh, waterproof, tough, tusseled
Medium length, thick
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Stubborn
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

berger picardIn 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

swedish vallhundKnown also as the Västgötaspets or Swedish cow dog, the Valhund hails from Sweden. It’s a herding dog, and was always a farm dog in that country.

It was in 1943 that the dog was first recognized as a breed by the Swedish Kennel Club. Only later, in 1996, did the American Kennel Club start registering the breed.

Description

berger picard puppy - descriptionThe 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.

swedish vallhund puppy - descriptionLooking much like a cross between a Corgi and the German Shepherd, the Swedish Valhund is a medium sized dog that stands between 30 and 34cm in height and weighs between 9 and 14kg.

His medium length weather-resistant coat is available in wolf like shades – cream, grey, brown etc. The tail can be long or bobbed and the medium sized ears are held erect.

Temperament:

Intelligent, confident, independent, alert, playful and active, your Swedish Valhund promises to make a good family pet.

You'll need to be an active, outdoor type of family though, as he isn’t a couch potato type of dog, snoozing in front of the TV.

He wants to be up and about going on long walks or playing ball games that give him a good run. If he gets his fair share of exercise he can adapt to life in the city or the countryside.

He is intelligent too and will respond well to training and socialization.

He just loves his human family and wants to be constantly with them. He won’t do well if you just keep him locked outside away from everyone. He is social, alert innovative and entertaining as well as being a good guard dog.

Characteristics

berger picard dog - characteristicsThe 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.

swedish vallhund dog - characteristicsYour Swedish Valhund is such a confident, independent dog and he promises to be a loving, faithful pet. He's also alert and will let you know if strangers are approaching his property.

He is a calm, easy going pet and is capable of adapting to quiet or noisy homes. He may be quite a strange looking dog, but he's got a whole lot of loving to give.

Health Problems

berger picard puppies - health problemsThe 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)

swedish vallhund puppies - health problemsCapable of living a long, healthy life, the Swedish Valhund isn’t likely to fall victim to some of the many dog illnesses there are, and yet it is wise to be alert to some of them that he could get.

One of these is an hereditary eye disease known as retinopathy. Its where there is degeneration of the retinal photoreceptor cells. This eye disease can lead to blindness.  

You need to be careful with this pet of yours, because with his long back and short legs he can so easily hurt his back if he leaps off a bed or high chair.

Whenever you pick this dog up, always support his legs and back. Don’t pick them up without supporting both the front legs and the rear end.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

berger picard dogs - caringThis 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.

swedish vallhund dogs - caringTry and feed your Swedish Valhund two meals a day instead of just one, so that he doesn’t gobble down his food too quickly.

Your dog can be prone to obesity, so you have to be careful with the way you feed him. Overfeeding a dog packs on extra weight and this puts strain on the joints.

Apart from the dry kibble that you feed him, try to include some tasty, nutritious homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach.

This can all be chopped up and added to his dry kibble. Some raw meat added to the diet can only be to his benefit. Remember to always ensure a bowl of fresh, cool water is available.

General Care:

Give his thick coat a brush twice a week to remove dead hair. Brushing also stimulates the sebaceous glands that produces oil which gives the coat is sheen.

Open his mouth and check for rotting teeth which can be painful for him.

Trim his nails because left long, they can hook onto things and rip the skin open.

Check inside the ears too for redness which could mean an ear infection.You get dog wipes that you can wipe the ear out with. There are always professional dog groomers who can do these chores for you if you don't want to.

See that his vaccines are up to date and that if he shows signs of illness, you get him to the vet.

Comparison with other breeds

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  5. Swedish Vallhund vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
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  26. Berger Picard vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  28. Berger Picard vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Berger Picard vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Berger Picard vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Berger Picard vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Berger Picard vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Berger Picard vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Berger Picard vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Berger Picard vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Berger Picard vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Berger Picard vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Berger Picard vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Berger Picard vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Berger Picard vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Berger Picard vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Berger Picard vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Berger Picard vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Berger Picard vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Berger Picard vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Berger Picard vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Berger Picard vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Berger Picard vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Berger Picard vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Berger Picard vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison