Beauceron

Beauceron

Beauceron with cropped ears
Other names	French Shorthaired Shepherd Beauce Sheep dog Beauce Shepherd Berger de Beauce Bas Rouge
Origin	France
Traits Weight Male 70–110 lb (32–50 kg) Female 70–110 lb (32–50 kg) Height Male 26–28 in (66–71 cm) Female 25–26 in (64–66 cm) Coat Harsh outer coat with woolly, fluffy undercoat Color Black with tan markings, or black and mottled grey with tan markings Litter size 6–7 puppies Life span 10–14 years
Classification / standards FCI Group 1, Section 1 Sheepdogs #044 standard AKC Herding standard KC (UK) Pastoral standard UKC Herding dog standard
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Beauceron is a guard dog and herding dog breed falling into the working dog category whose origins lie in the plains of Northern France. The Beauceron is also known as Berger de Beauce (sheepdog from Beauce) or Bas Rouge (red-stockings).

A French herding breed known for centuries in western Europe, the Beauceron is noted as one of the breeds used to create the Doberman Pinscher. The regional name is somewhat misleading: the breed was found throughout northern France, rather than just in the Beauce region. Although quite different in appearance, the Beauceron and the long-haired sheep dog, the Briard, stem from similar ancestral stock, sharing the trait of double dewclaws on the hind legs. Both were used to herd sheep and cattle. Like the Beauceron, the Briard is found throughout northern France, and despite implications from its name, also did not come exclusively from the Brie region.

In 1809, Abbé Rozier wrote an article on these French herding dogs, in which he described the differences in type and used the terms Berger de Brie and Berger de Beauce.

In 1893, the veterinarian Paul Megnin differentiated between the long-haired Berger de la Brie and the short-haired Berger de Beauce. He defined the standard of the breed, with the assistance of M. Emmanuel Ball. In 1922, the Club des Amis du Beauceron was formed under the guidance of Dr. Megnin.

In 2008, the Beauceron made its debut in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

A versatile breed, the Bas Rouge is used to both guard and herd sheep and cattle. It was once very useful against wolves, now long gone from northern France. The breed served in both world wars as messenger dog, supply transport dog, land mine detection dog, search dog, police dog and rescue dog.

This breed stands 61 to 70 cm (24 to 27.5 inches) in height and weighs 30 to 45 kg (66 to 100 pounds). The Beauceron has a hard outer coat and a woolly undercoat that grows thick in cold weather, especially if the dog sleeps outdoors. Its standard colouring is black and tan (the latter colour referred to in French as rouge ecureuil, squirrel-red) or grey, black and tan called harlequin. Other colours, such as the once prevalent tawny, grey or grey/black, are now banned by the breed standard. The merle coats should have more black than gray with no white. In the black and tan dogs the tan markings appear in two dots above the eyes, on the sides of the muzzle, fading off to the cheeks, but do not reach the underside of the ears. Also on the throat, under the tail and on the legs and the chest. Tan markings on the chest should appear as two spots but a chest plate is acceptable.