Beauceron
History
The Beauceron originated as a cattle dog in France with good herding and guarding qualities. The breed is a body herder, meaning it uses its body to drive and balance the flock in close proximity to the shepherd. At the end of the 19th century, the chien de beauce, beauceron and bas-rouge denoted the old French plains sheepdogs of the same type with a smooth face, hard and short coat and cropped ears. The body had tan markings on all of the legs, which gave the dogs the name "bas-rouge" (= red stocking).
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Area of use
Today, the beauceron is a popular herding and working dog in its homeland, where it is also used in the military and the police. It is well suited for use (including protection) and herding, but also for dog sports such as agility and obedience. It is not a dog that you raise by harsh means, but with fair determination, consistency and intuition. In Sweden, the breed is primarily an active working dog and a companion dog.
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Health
Generally speaking, the Beauceron is a healthy breed. But as with all breeds, Beaucerons are also affected by diseases. Hip dysplasia (HD) and elbow dysplasia (ED) occurs and health programs exist for these diseases in Sweden. Other diseases that occur in the breed are allergies, cancer, autoimmune diseases, heart defects and epilepsy.
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Characteristics / Mentality
Beauceron is a dog with a lively temperament, great curiosity and courage. It is responsive to its trainer and with a great will to work, the dog is happy to carry out tasks you ask of it. The breed matures very late and about at the age of three it can be considered an adult. This often means that the teenage period can feel drawn out and hard, which you should keep in mind.
The Beauceron gives a respectful impression and must have an alert and courageous look. The breed has great integrity and its strong character requires an experienced owner, who is good at reading the language of dogs and who is not frightened or angered by a dog with its own opinions. With the right training, you get a dog with capacity for a lot and with a great will to please. But in the wrong hands, a Beauceron can become difficult and less fun to deal with.
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Size and appearance
Wither height for males is 65–70 cm and for bitches 61–68 cm. The breed comes in two different colors, black and tan (black and with red markings) and harlequin (black, red and grey). It is big, strong, rustic, powerful, well built and muscular without appearing heavy and clumsy. Beauceron gives an awe-inspiring impression with an alert and courageous look.
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Fur maintenance
The fur is short and smooth on the head and otherwise strong, short (3–4 cm), coarse and dense. The breed has a lot of undercoat, which means that the dog does not freeze in rain and wind as easily. And when shedding, the large amount of wool can create an "extra floor mat" inside. But the structure of the fur itself means that it is very easy to care for, brushing when shedding is enough.
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Other
In the right hands, the Beauceron is a wonderful family member. The breed requires a leader who is consistent and fair. The Beauceron is a good allround dog that you can train most things with. It is whippy enough for agility, definitely has enough in it for work and is easy to learn as an obedience dog. A perfect dog for those who want an active dog life and for those who have an interest in competition.
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Worth noting is that the Beauceron is quite uneven today in terms of mentality, body type and drive. Different breeders breed for different qualities, so it is important that you as a buyer know what you want and actively search for breeders that suit just that. Few litters of puppies are born in Sweden overall, but don't be in a hurry and buy a puppy from the first best litter. It's much better to be patient and wait for a puppy from a litter that hopefully fits what you're looking for, although it may take a year or two at worst.
Have proper dialogues with the breeders, ask what they aim their breeding towards and what they expect from the planned litters. Carefully study results from MH and HD/ED x-rays in the lines and also ask about the general state of health. However, remember that breeding is always a bit of a lottery. Breeders can create as good conditions as possible to produce good and healthy dogs, but still the result is not as good as hoped for. As well as lines with less good conditions can generate good offspring thanks to the right parent combinations.
FCI Classification:
Group 1, Section 1
With work test
Breeding responsibility Sweden:
The Swedish Working Dog Club ( Svenska Brukshundsklubben "SBK")