The Bedlington Terrier is a herding dog breed from the plains region, between the Seine and Loir rivers, surrounding Paris, France, known as La Beauce. It is also known as Berger de Beauce, Bas Rouge or French Shorthaired Shepherd..

History

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 names are somewhat misleading. The breed was found throughout northern France, rather than just in the Beauce. 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. 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 hair Berger de la Brie and the short hair 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.

Appearance and Size

The Beauceron stands 24 to 27.5 inches in height and weighs 66 to 85 pounds. Its standard colouring is black and tan as well as black, tan and grey (harlequin). Other colours, such as the once prevalent tawny, grey or grey/black, are now banned by the breed standard. The coat is short, close and smooth except on legs, tail and flanks, where there is a slight fringe. Although most breeds may or may not have dewclaws (many owners remove dewclaws, especially if the dog is used for field and hunting), an important feature of the Beauceron is the double dewclaw. A Beauceron must have double dewclaws, which form well separated “thumbs” with nails on each rear leg, anything less will result in disqualification The adult Beauceron stands around 24 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weighs about 100 to 120 pounds.

Personality

The Beauceron is a muscular breed is described as intelligent, friendly, very calm, protective of children, and fearless. They are perfect for both inside and outside the house and can be trained for different activities. It was known all around France as a protection dog which increased its popularity.

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Beauceron" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.