Elroy. The Picard.

Well I think Elroy AKA Jaws has already grown.  Honestly - I am pretty sure he is bigger than the day he arrived.  I'm thinking I had better start being nice to him - he will soon be bigger than me. I realized in my excitement over getting a puppy I never really said much about his breed - the Berger Picard.  Also known as the Picardy Sheepdog, Picardy Shepherd or "wild thing."  OK - that last one is my own label.

They originated in the Picardie region of France - and they are one of the oldest French herding breeds.  Like us PONs, they nearly became extinct after the War, but due to the efforts of some devoted fans, they saw an increase in numbers.  Although they were first shown in dog shows in Europe in 1863, it was not until 1925 that they were officially recognized in France.  They were recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1992 and just last year were recognized in the Herding Group by the American Kennel Club.  They still remain a pretty rare breed.

There actually was a movie that featured a Picard in 2005 - Because of Winn-Dixie.  Now while movies portray us dogs as well-behaved, adorable companions - one needs to keep in mind that movies are movies.  Just like us PONs,  Picards are probably not for everyone.  Words to describe the
Picard include lively, goofy, hard working, intelligent and stubborn.  Sound familiar?  But if trained properly, they can excel at Obedience, Rally, Agility, Herding - you name it.  Keep in mind though, that training in the KEY.

The boys can grow to 25.5 inches - and girls to 23.5 inches.  They have a harsh coat which requires minimal grooming.  Bonus. They come in two colors - Fawn and Brindle.  It's a bit confusing as the Brindle can also be referred to as Gray.  On top of that, there are variations in the Fawn and the Brindle.  My take on this - they come in a light color and a dark color.  I think Jaws could be called a Dark Fawn or a Fawn Brindle - but who knows what he will look like as he gets older?  Maybe he'll be purple. 

Picards carry their ears erect - and we see moments of that with Jaws.  Sometimes he has one ear up.  Sometimes two.  And sometimes he still looks like the Flying Nun.  

Like us PONs,  Picards need to be socialized a lot as puppies - as I mentioned the other day.  We see that Jaws is STARTING to settle in.  He will actually fall asleep and RELAX - outside his crate.  When he gets the puppy zoomies, he is C-R-A-Z-Y.  He jumps and leaps and even does somersaults. Of course my human panics as she doesn't want him to hurt himself.  But TRY and stop him.  It's like picking up a crazed porcupine.

One difference that I see between PONs and Picards is that some Picards can be described as "picky eaters."  Clearly that is NOT the case with PONs!

My human is THINKING that Jaws MAY be a good herding dog.  His mother loves sheep.  Jaws has a tendency to walk BEHIND the group of us - and he also LOVES to nip at heels. And pant legs.  I see lots of money going into obedience school for this guy.

When my human took Jaws to the Vet the other day, he looked at my human and said "Do you stay up at night reading Rare Breed books?" He knows my human well.  He also knows she loves learning and trying new things.  Having a Picard is a whole new experience - and even though it is a BIT chaotic right now, we have a feeling this is going to be a fabulous journey!