The Beauceron is a breed that stands out due to its intelligence. This energetic dog can function well as a watchdog and make a loving companion in a suitable environment. The Beauceron is a French herding breed that is known for being clever, robust, devoted, and industrious. Additionally named the Bas Rouge, Beaucerons are sizeable canines with superb athleticism and demanding exercise requirements. Once full-grown, an adult Beauceron can reach a towering height of 27 inches and weigh over 100 pounds.
Having an endearing character, the Beauceron is affectionate towards its family members, displaying tenderness and amusement. However, outsiders are met with suspicion and the dog is vigilant in safeguarding both its household and loved ones. Due to its autonomy and resolute demeanor, this French shepherd breed is ideally meant for an owner with greater expertise.
Our focus will be on the Beaceron dog breed’s personality and traits. We will delve into its evolution from being a farm dog to a contemporary companion. We will discuss its health, care, training, grooming, and lifespan requirements. Additionally, we will examine the unique features that distinguish this breed.
The Beauceron is not only intelligent and full of energy, but it is also quick and adept at responding to training, particularly in agility and obedience tasks. You can witness examples of Beaucerons in action in the video provided.
Beauceron Origin
The Beauceron is capable of herding a flock with great skill and care to avoid startling them. This breed was categorized in the late 1800s and is recognized for their remarkable black and red coat (known as Bas Rouge, which means ‘red stockings’) as well as their robustness and stamina, enabling them to move livestock over extended distances.
Throughout history, this breed has fulfilled various roles due to their exceptional intelligence, size, and faithfulness. They demonstrate expertise in multiple areas such as serving the military, protecting individuals or properties, herding sheep, and leading search and rescue missions.
When searching for a working dog, the Beauceron appears to be the top choice. However, is it suitable for a household pet? Let’s examine some of the breed’s traits.
Adult Beauceron Dog Size
These French sheepdogs are a sizeable and dominant breed, with an average height ranging from 24 to 27.5 inches. Despite their unassuming appearance, these dogs can weigh between 70 to 110 pounds!
Typically, men are found towards the higher limits of both height and weight spectrums.
Appearance, Coat Color And Markings
The Beauceron exhibits markings that bear a strong resemblance to those of the Doberman Pinscher or Rottweiler. It has droopy ears, a lengthy tail, and a dense double-coat which is available in four hues.
- Black and Gold
- Tri-Color
- Black and Rust
- Harlequin
In certain areas, ear cropping may be performed on this breed, resulting in dogs with erect ears. However, this practice is becoming less popular, and the video showcases the Beauceron’s natural ears, which are aesthetically pleasing.
Beauceron Temperament
Despite being recognized for their immense size and strength, Beaucerons are also known to be gentle and sensitive dogs. To maintain a calm and relaxed demeanor at home, they require adequate physical exercise, which cannot be fulfilled by a simple evening walk. Mental stimulation is also essential for their well-being, and they thrive when given tasks such as tracking, protection work, agility, or obedience training. Beaucerons are not the type to laze around during the day, and need a purpose to feel content.
Early socialization and obedience training are essential for the breed, starting from puppyhood, and it’s important for you to channel their energy and intelligence towards positive and productive activities.
As a herder, these French sheepdogs will use their mouths the way we use our hands, grabbing anything and everything, to take them where they want them to go. Positive reinforcement training can help to steer them in the right direction.
Beauceron Personality Challenges
Although the Beauceron is a kind and affectionate companion for a family, it’s not recognized for its ability to coexist well with other animals in the home. Additionally, it might be cautious around unfamiliar people.
Having the involuntary defensive behavior trait can be a drawback for a pet or companion dog, and the Beaceron necessitates comprehensive socialization from a young age. To increase the likelihood of rearing a friendly and outgoing dog, selecting a puppy with two amiable parents and acquainting them with a high volume of guests from the day you bring them home can also be beneficial.
Beauceron Training
Due to their innate athleticism, the highly intelligent Beauceron requires a considerable amount of both physical and mental activity to prevent boredom and destructive behavior. This breed is not suitable for inexperienced dog owners, as they can easily outsmart them.
To ensure the mental and physical well-being of this dog, a significant amount of attention in terms of play, exercise, dog tasks, and education will be required. This large breed requires early socialization and obedience training from a young age and consistently throughout its life to increase the likelihood of becoming a well-adjusted adult dog.
Positive reinforcement
Avoid using rough or physical corrections with the Beauceron breed, as they are usually quick learners and strive to please their trainers. Such correction methods may not suit them and could potentially hinder their ability to understand the desired behavior.
It is recommended to employ a kind and composed approach and incorporate affirmative feedback when training this breed, as they learn rapidly in suitable circumstances. Per usual, we recommend offering rewards and commendations.
Exercise
This particular breed requires an extensive amount of physical activity on a daily basis. Engaging in activities such as taking long walks, going for hikes or jogs will satisfy their exercise needs. Moreover, it is essential for them to have access to a spacious and completely enclosed yard to indulge in unrestricted play and run around throughout the day.
Beauceron Grooming
Although these dogs don’t need a lot of grooming due to their thick, weather-resistant coat, they still shed.
Throughout the year, and especially during the molting season twice a year, it is necessary to groom your dog. During the regular time, it’s recommended to brush your dog every few days; however, during the molting period, it’s necessary to brush your dog every day.
Caring for your Beauceron
To control loose hair and maintain your dog’s skin and coat health, it is recommended to use rubber grooming mitts, a dog brush with medium bristles, or a hound glove. Additionally, regularly brushing your dog will aid in promoting new hair growth.
Regular nail trimming is necessary to prevent cracking and splitting, and consistent ear cleaning is essential to avoid ear infections caused by excess wax buildup, moisture, and debris. Don’t forget to attend to these needs for your pup.
BONUS: How to Choose the Best Dog Food
If the world were perfect, every brand of dog food would be of the same quality. However, dog owners are confronted with an excessive number of options, each one boasting to be the finest dog food available. The process of navigating through these choices to find a dog food label that ticks all the boxes such as being healthy, cost-effective, and likable to your furry friend can be highly exasperating. We have gathered competent opinions to assist you in consolidating your alternatives.
What Makes a Dog Food “Good”?
Dry kibble or canned wet food is the most common diet for dogs. Despite not being appetizing to humans, these processed foods provide the necessary nutrients for their health. Veterinary experts strictly regulate and extensively test high-quality commercial dog foods. What specific ingredients are present in these foods?
Cats are strict carnivores, unlike dogs who can derive nutrients from non-meat sources such as grains, fruits, and vegetables, although meat still makes up the majority of their diet. These non-meat foods can be an important source of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, rather than just fillers. A quality dog food should contain meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits that are high-quality and suitable for your dog’s digestive system.
Dog Food Nutrition
To ensure your furry friend is getting the proper nutrition they require, it is important to choose a dog food brand that fulfills their unique nutritional needs, despite the fact that most commercial dog food brands meet the minimum requirements for dogs. Not all dogs have the same nutritional requirements.
Throughout their life, dogs need various nutrients in varying amounts. As a result, the dietary requirements of puppies differ from those of adult dogs. Therefore, it is recommended to provide a puppy formula or a food suitable for “all life stages” to young dogs. To learn about the variance in nutritional needs between young and mature dogs, the Merck Veterinary Manual provides a list of recommended nutrients and their suggested amounts based on age and weight. Also, large breed dogs and puppies have different nutritional needs than small breed dogs and puppies.
Dog Food Myths and Misinformation
The internet is rife with false facts and misconceptions about dog nutrition, so it’s important to be vigilant and verify the credibility of your sources. Dogs’ dietary needs are often the subject of claims made by well-intentioned people who lack scientific evidence to back them up. Therefore, it is critical to examine the sources and check for credibility, such as consulting veterinarians, canine nutritionists, or scientific research. In addition, it is prudent to maintain a healthy dose of skepticism since anything that appears too good to be true likely is.
There are numerous queries related to dog food options such as grain-inclusive or grain-free, with or without peas, and the presence of animal byproducts. In case your pet is found to have a food allergy to grains, you may go for a grain-free diet with veterinary assistance. Normally, grains are an excellent source of essential nutrients for dogs, while quality animal byproducts like organ meats offer excellent nutrition. Such byproducts include entrails that come packed with more nutrients compared to the meat that is consumed by humans. It’s crucial to note that regulated byproducts do not involve materials such as hooves, hair, floor sweepings, intestinal contents, or manure. If you have any queries pertaining to your dog’s food, don’t hesitate to approach your vet for assistance.
How to Read a Dog Food Label
Decoding a reputable dog food from an inferior one can be accomplished by examining the label. However, reading the label is not always a simple task, given the tiny print and the cumbersome nature of managing large bags of dog food while at the store! Furthermore, dog food labels may be ambiguous, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. The FDA mandates that dog food labels disclose eight essential pieces of information, and specific states may have their own labeling stipulations.
- Product name
- Net weight of the product
- Name and address of the manufacturer
- Guaranteed analysis
- List of ingredients
- Intended animal species (i.e. dog or cat)
- Statement of nutritional adequacy
- Feeding guidelines
Product Name
Just by looking at the product name, you can learn a lot about what’s inside the packaging. If a product is labeled as “beef,” it means that the beef content must be at least 70% of the entire product. However, if the label reads “beef dinner,” “beef entrée,” or “beef platter,” the beef content only has to make up 10% of the product. “With beef” indicates that only 3% of the total product has beef, and “beef flavor” means there is a small amount of beef that is used to give flavor to the product (less than 3%). This rule also applies to other named ingredients such as “chicken.”
Ingredients
You cannot determine the quality or origin of ingredients from a dog food label’s ingredient list. Manufacturers may separate the ingredients to achieve more equal distribution, such as listing various types of corn as flakes, ground, or kibbled. This lowers the position of corn on the ingredient list, despite its high actual content. Meat can also be problematic. Whole meats contain a considerable amount of water weight, resulting in a lower meat percentage after processing than it suggests. In contrast, meat meal may sound unappealing, but it actually contains more meat than “whole meats” as there is no water weight to consider.
Although the ingredient list cannot guarantee the superiority of the ingredients, it can provide information about the contents of the food. This is critical for pets with distinct dietary requirements or sensitivities, and it is also valuable for pet owners who want to offer their furry friends particular forms of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates.
