Beauceron

Beauceron, Berger de Beauce, Berger français and Bas-Rouge are the denominations of a breed of sheepdog of French origin. Film appearances Le Beauceron appears in the following feature films: Moonraker (1979, with Roger Moore). James Bond's enemy (Drax, played by Michael Lonsdale) has two Beaucerons who protect their master and impress James Bond when the latter approaches them. The Bear (Jean-Jacques Annaud, 1988). Bear hunters have a pack of Beaucerons that they use to attack bears. The dogs will never overcome Bart, the adult bear. My father, this hero (Gérard Lauzier, 1991, with Gérard Depardieu and Marie Gillain). The heroine's boyfriend's parents own a Beauceron. Her role in the film is limited to guarding and protecting the property when the heroine's father follows his daughter. Gaspard le bandit (Benoît Jacquot, TV movie broadcast in 2005 on France 2, with Jean-Pierre Jorris, Natacha Régnier, Jean-Hugues Anglade). Tatie Danielle (Étienne Chatiliez released in 1990 with Tsilla Chelton). Aunt Danielle owns a Beauceron called Garde-à-vous. She speaks to him regularly, usually to gossip about her neighbor or servant.

Like most continental European shepherds, the origin of the Beauceron can be traced back to the canis palustris (or "molossed bog dog"). The evolutions and contributions that have taken place over the centuries indicate a relatively disparate original common core, given the versatile morphology required by the function of shepherd and the specificities of the breed. Originally intended to protect herds of sheep, the sheepdog was assigned a role as a driving dog in the Middle Ages, through the application of the principle of common grazing. Due to its imposing stature, the ancestor of the Berger de Beauce certainly assumed the double function of protecting and driving the herds, in the French plains, while medium-sized dogs did the same work in the mountains. In his Cours d'agriculture, Abbé François Rozier mentions a "bold" mastiff "capable of attacking and defeating a wolf on his own", which could have entered the genetic heritage of Beauceron, among other ascendants. . During the first French dog show which took place in 1863, out of the 16 sheepdogs presented, 13 of them showed a lupoid type and a black and tan coat. This is certainly the first official appearance of the ancestors of the Berger de Beauce. In 1893, the veterinarian Pierre Mégnin, at the origin of the name "Berger de Beauce", published the characteristics of the dog. It differentiates it from its long-haired cousin, the Berger de Brie. The same year, the first subject, Bergère de la Chapelle, is registered in the Book of French Origins. In 1896, a commission expressly created to examine the characteristics of the two main French sheepdogs: one short-haired (the Berger de Beauce), the other long-haired (the Berger de Brie), defined the bases of selection. This commission, made up of experts and farmer-breeders (but without shepherds!), determines the criteria of the breed and formalizes the denomination "Berger de Beauce", by stipulating that it is in no way a question of the region. of origin but of a language convention. From this commission was born, the same year, the French Shepherd Dog Club. A first standard was published the following year. Relatively vague, it admits a size of 60 to 70 centimeters, without distinction of sex, and it authorizes different coat colors. In 1911 and on the initiative of the breeder Siraudin, the Club des Amis du Beauceron was created, the official club of the breed. The standard is then reviewed to standardize the size and eliminate dresses that have become rare. The gradual virtual disappearance of pastoralism in the French plains (first half of the 20th century) forced the Berger de Beauce to reconvert. Like some of his cousins, he succeeded brilliantly in this bet. In defense disciplines first of all, but above all in a dual role which it fulfills marvelously: guard dog and companion dog. Some shepherds still use it for driving flocks. Some owners of Beaucerons practice one or another canine sport with their dog. The Beauceron is one of the few breeds admitted in the disciplines including a bite test. In France, the annual number of births has been relatively stable (between 3,000 and 4,000) since the 1970s, the breed never having suffered the consequences of a passing fad. The Berger de Beauce is in the top 15 births in France, but the breed could well suffer from the ban on ear cropping because wearing semi-erect or droopy ears radically changes the physiognomy of the dog. Since this same period, Beauceron has been exported but it remains relatively discreet outside France.

The Beauceron is an impressive but often very affectionate dog, who enjoys the company of humans. Enduring, he must be able to spend himself regularly. It requires a perfectly controlled training because, apart from its physical power, it often has a lot of temperament. In general, he is friendly with the children of the family. Versatile and sporty, it adapts to many activities: dressage, guarding, rescue, tracking, sledding, beauty contests...