Adopting a Berger Picard.
You stumbled upon a Berger Picard at the dog park thinking he was a mutt, you saw the cutest picture on Internet, or someone told you about these amazing dogs and you can't get them off of your mind? Well you have come to the right place to get straightforward, up to date and accurate information on this amazing breed. We are passionate about our breed, but we know two important things:
The Berger Picard, like many other breeds,
is not a breed for everyone
and
a Berger Picard is a dog you have to deserve.
How you should go about adopting a Berger Picard?
The first step: Do your homework! Research the breed as much as you can before you contact the breeders. This will help you know what to be on the lookout for and what questions you should be asking. The accredited national breed or parent clubs are a good source of information. Have a look at our link page for the coordinates of the French, Swiss, Belgian and American breed clubs. Make a list of the things you like about the Picard, and also the things you don’t like as much. Then, ask yourself if you are ready to live with these character traits for 13 years. The Picard is aloof with strangers; are you ready to work on his socialization more than you have done with any other breed? The Picard has a strong herding instinct; do you have the knowledge to deal with their natural instincts. Is the Picard right for your life style?
So you want a Berger Picard! Once you have decided the Berger Picard is the right breed for you, visit the referral page on the breed or parent clubs websites. On these pages you should find a list of breeders that are members in good standing of the club. Start asking your questions to the people who are really in contact with the breed on a daily basis. Talk to as many people in the breed as you can to get a clear idea of the true nature of the Berger Picard. Meet as many Berger Picards as you can. Being a rare breed it’s not an easy task, but it’s worth all the effort. Visit different breeders, learn about their breeding methods, meet their dogs and inquire about upcoming litters.
The first quality required to have a Berger Picard: Patience! Good breeders don’t always have puppies available and often have quite a few families already on their waiting list. If they consider you as a good potential family and they cannot provide a puppy to fit your time line they will not hesitate to refer you to other breeders who will have a pup sooner. Breeders often give the family an idea of the time they will have to wait before getting one of their pups. They take this time to get to know the family better and make sure they are a good match for one of their pups. Remember adopting a puppy is not a decision that should be done on impulse or rushed. And in the process, one might learn there is great joy to be had from anticipation. Waiting and getting ready to greet your puppy are very precious moments.
Choosing the right breeder. A reputable breeder wants to talk all about their breed and is more than willing to answer any questions about the personality, diet, grooming, and any health issues the Berger Picard might encounter. If you chose the right breeder they will want to stay in contact with you for the entire life of the dog and often, as friendships grow, beyond. Your breeder should be a reliable source of support, knowledge and help you can count on at any time. Once you have established a good connection with a breeder, make sure to make you ask all your questions. Make a list as new questions come to mind. It’s before you get your puppy that you should be asking questions.
Be Prepared to Answer Questions Too. A good breeder only wants what is best for their dogs, so they will be asking a lot of questions to potential parents! They are going to want to know everything about you; from how active a life you lead, to the size of your yard, even how much money you expect you are going to be spending for heath care on your dog every year. They often have an adoption questionnaire they will ask you to fill out which is the first screening test. After that, depending on your answers they will most likely have more questions. They will want to meet you before they commit to letting you have one of their puppies. If they feel you are not the right match for a particular dog or the breed they will refuse to let you have one of their puppies and might even give you advice on a breed which may be more suitable for you.
How do I know I’m choosing the right breeder? Your choice of the right breeder has to be based on knowledge of the breed, experience, commitment and respect of the dogs in their care. The mother of the puppies should be available for you to meet, if not both parents. All of the breeder’s dogs should be well cared for, clean, and have temperaments that you would want in your own dog! Do not accept excuses for unfriendly behaviors and be very cautious if some of the dogs cannot be seen for all kind of excuses. The puppies’ space should be clean and well kept. They should be in contact with the humans and other animals of the household and properly socialized, not once or twice a week but many times a day. Our breeder’s Code of Ethics can serve as a guideline in choosing your breeder. We do not accept anything less, and there is no reason you should.
Return Policy. A responsible breeder will take a dog back under any circumstances and at any point in the dog’s life if you cannot keep it. Good breeders are passionate about their dogs. They put their heart and soul into rearing the best possible puppies, and will want to know how they are doing at all stages of their lives.
Adoption contract. The best way to have everything you have discussed with your breeder concerning the adoption of one of their puppies is to have a written contract. This contract should include but not be limited to: price, obligations and responsibilities of both breeder and buyer, return policy, heath guarantee, refund policy, etc. You should be able to consult the contract well before purchasing the puppy.
Limited Registration. Most reputable breeders will only sell you a puppy with limited registration. This means they are selling you the puppy registered as a companion dog with no breeding rights. Not all dogs are worthy of being bred, and the breeder wants to make sure only the most valuable traits of his lines are being passed down. If you wish to have a show dog and eventually breed him or her, and if they have all the required qualities and have passed the necessary health tests, discuss the matter with your breeder. In a rare breed such as ours, very often they will offer to mentor you. All breeds have their particular needs and essential considerations, and having someone guiding you along the way can be very helpful. Each breeder has his or her own way of working through this process, but generally reputable breeders are very open to helping newcomers to the breed.
Price. The Berger Picard is a rare breed with its share of breeding issues so when you get your puppy from a reputable breeder, you should expect to pay a reasonable amount of money for that dog. If you find a breeder that sells his puppies for a price substantially lower than average , you should question why that would be, what seems like a good deal today may be very costly done the road. Good breeders do not make profit off their litters and the little money left over is reinvested in better breeding equipment, more dog toys or dog activities. They have to cover the cost of genetic health screenings for the parents; some of these test have to be done yearly such as the eye screening, prenatal care for the dam; often in order to diversify the genetic pool semen is shipped in from across the country or from Europe, veterinary trips for the puppies; puppies have to be vaccinated and permanently identified before leaving the breeder and registration of the litter as well as a high quality diets. There is also a huge amount spent on showing and titling dogs in activities. These events help evaluate the quality of the dogs being bred. When you buy a dog from someone who is active and knowledgeable about their breed, you also get a lifetime of support about your dog’s needs, whenever a question arises.
We hope these guidelines will help you begin your research.
You stumbled upon a Berger Picard at the dog park thinking he was a mutt, you saw the cutest picture on Internet, or someone told you about these amazing dogs and you can't get them off of your mind? Well you have come to the right place to get straightforward, up to date and accurate information on this amazing breed. We are passionate about our breed, but we know two important things:
The Berger Picard, like many other breeds,
is not a breed for everyone
and
a Berger Picard is a dog you have to deserve.
How you should go about adopting a Berger Picard?
The first step: Do your homework! Research the breed as much as you can before you contact the breeders. This will help you know what to be on the lookout for and what questions you should be asking. The accredited national breed or parent clubs are a good source of information. Have a look at our link page for the coordinates of the French, Swiss, Belgian and American breed clubs. Make a list of the things you like about the Picard, and also the things you don’t like as much. Then, ask yourself if you are ready to live with these character traits for 13 years. The Picard is aloof with strangers; are you ready to work on his socialization more than you have done with any other breed? The Picard has a strong herding instinct; do you have the knowledge to deal with their natural instincts. Is the Picard right for your life style?
So you want a Berger Picard! Once you have decided the Berger Picard is the right breed for you, visit the referral page on the breed or parent clubs websites. On these pages you should find a list of breeders that are members in good standing of the club. Start asking your questions to the people who are really in contact with the breed on a daily basis. Talk to as many people in the breed as you can to get a clear idea of the true nature of the Berger Picard. Meet as many Berger Picards as you can. Being a rare breed it’s not an easy task, but it’s worth all the effort. Visit different breeders, learn about their breeding methods, meet their dogs and inquire about upcoming litters.
The first quality required to have a Berger Picard: Patience! Good breeders don’t always have puppies available and often have quite a few families already on their waiting list. If they consider you as a good potential family and they cannot provide a puppy to fit your time line they will not hesitate to refer you to other breeders who will have a pup sooner. Breeders often give the family an idea of the time they will have to wait before getting one of their pups. They take this time to get to know the family better and make sure they are a good match for one of their pups. Remember adopting a puppy is not a decision that should be done on impulse or rushed. And in the process, one might learn there is great joy to be had from anticipation. Waiting and getting ready to greet your puppy are very precious moments.
Choosing the right breeder. A reputable breeder wants to talk all about their breed and is more than willing to answer any questions about the personality, diet, grooming, and any health issues the Berger Picard might encounter. If you chose the right breeder they will want to stay in contact with you for the entire life of the dog and often, as friendships grow, beyond. Your breeder should be a reliable source of support, knowledge and help you can count on at any time. Once you have established a good connection with a breeder, make sure to make you ask all your questions. Make a list as new questions come to mind. It’s before you get your puppy that you should be asking questions.
Be Prepared to Answer Questions Too. A good breeder only wants what is best for their dogs, so they will be asking a lot of questions to potential parents! They are going to want to know everything about you; from how active a life you lead, to the size of your yard, even how much money you expect you are going to be spending for heath care on your dog every year. They often have an adoption questionnaire they will ask you to fill out which is the first screening test. After that, depending on your answers they will most likely have more questions. They will want to meet you before they commit to letting you have one of their puppies. If they feel you are not the right match for a particular dog or the breed they will refuse to let you have one of their puppies and might even give you advice on a breed which may be more suitable for you.
How do I know I’m choosing the right breeder? Your choice of the right breeder has to be based on knowledge of the breed, experience, commitment and respect of the dogs in their care. The mother of the puppies should be available for you to meet, if not both parents. All of the breeder’s dogs should be well cared for, clean, and have temperaments that you would want in your own dog! Do not accept excuses for unfriendly behaviors and be very cautious if some of the dogs cannot be seen for all kind of excuses. The puppies’ space should be clean and well kept. They should be in contact with the humans and other animals of the household and properly socialized, not once or twice a week but many times a day. Our breeder’s Code of Ethics can serve as a guideline in choosing your breeder. We do not accept anything less, and there is no reason you should.
Return Policy. A responsible breeder will take a dog back under any circumstances and at any point in the dog’s life if you cannot keep it. Good breeders are passionate about their dogs. They put their heart and soul into rearing the best possible puppies, and will want to know how they are doing at all stages of their lives.
Adoption contract. The best way to have everything you have discussed with your breeder concerning the adoption of one of their puppies is to have a written contract. This contract should include but not be limited to: price, obligations and responsibilities of both breeder and buyer, return policy, heath guarantee, refund policy, etc. You should be able to consult the contract well before purchasing the puppy.
Limited Registration. Most reputable breeders will only sell you a puppy with limited registration. This means they are selling you the puppy registered as a companion dog with no breeding rights. Not all dogs are worthy of being bred, and the breeder wants to make sure only the most valuable traits of his lines are being passed down. If you wish to have a show dog and eventually breed him or her, and if they have all the required qualities and have passed the necessary health tests, discuss the matter with your breeder. In a rare breed such as ours, very often they will offer to mentor you. All breeds have their particular needs and essential considerations, and having someone guiding you along the way can be very helpful. Each breeder has his or her own way of working through this process, but generally reputable breeders are very open to helping newcomers to the breed.
Price. The Berger Picard is a rare breed with its share of breeding issues so when you get your puppy from a reputable breeder, you should expect to pay a reasonable amount of money for that dog. If you find a breeder that sells his puppies for a price substantially lower than average , you should question why that would be, what seems like a good deal today may be very costly done the road. Good breeders do not make profit off their litters and the little money left over is reinvested in better breeding equipment, more dog toys or dog activities. They have to cover the cost of genetic health screenings for the parents; some of these test have to be done yearly such as the eye screening, prenatal care for the dam; often in order to diversify the genetic pool semen is shipped in from across the country or from Europe, veterinary trips for the puppies; puppies have to be vaccinated and permanently identified before leaving the breeder and registration of the litter as well as a high quality diets. There is also a huge amount spent on showing and titling dogs in activities. These events help evaluate the quality of the dogs being bred. When you buy a dog from someone who is active and knowledgeable about their breed, you also get a lifetime of support about your dog’s needs, whenever a question arises.
We hope these guidelines will help you begin your research.