Beauce Sheep Dog Origins (English version)
FCI - Standard France N°44 / 19.12.2001("BEAUCERON", "RED-STOCKING") BERGER DE BEAUCE
UTILIZATION
Sheepdog and Guard Dog.
CLASSIFICATION FCI :
Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs). Section 1 Sheepdogs. With working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMIMARY :
"Beauce Dog", "Beauceron" and "Red-Stocking" were the names chosen at the end of the XIX century to designate these ancient French Sheepdogs of the plains, all of the same type, with smooth hair on the head, a harsh, short coat and ears normally cropped. The body had tan markings, notably at the extremities of the four legs, which led the breeders at that time to call these dogs "Red-Stockings". The coat was commonly black and tan but there were also grey, entirely black and even wholly tan dogs. These dogs were bred and selected for their aptitude to conduct and guard flocks of sheep.
GENERAL APPEARANCE :
The Beauce Sheepdog is big, solid, hardy, powerful, well built and muscular, but without lumber.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :
The Beauce Sheepdog is medium in all its proportions. The length of the body from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock should be slightly greater than the, height at the withers.
The head is long : 2/5 the height at the withers. The height and width of the head are slightly less than half its total length. The skull and muzzle are of equal length.
BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT :
Franc approach and self-assured. The expression is candid, never mean timid or worried. The character of the Beauceron should be gentle and fearless.
HEAD :
The head is well chiselled with harmonious lines. Seen in profile, the top lines of skull and muzzle lie roughly in parallel planes.
CRANIAL RÉGION :
SkullStop
FACIAL REGION :
NoseMuzzleLipsJaws / TeethEyesEars
NECK :
Muscular, of good length, united harmoniously with the shoulders.
BODY :
Top lineWithersChest
TAIL
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS
Upright when seen from the front or in profile. ShoulderForearmFeet
HINDQUARTERS :
Upright when seen from profile and from behind.ThighHock jointFeetDewclaws
GAIT / MOVEMENT :
Supple and free. The limbs move well in line. The Beauce Sheepdog should have an extended trot with long reaching movement.
COAT :
HAIR :
Smooth on the head, short, thick, firm and lying close to the body, 3 to 4 cm in length. The buttocks and the underside of the tail are lightly but obligatorily fringed. The undercoat is short, fine, dense and downy, preferably mouse grey, very close, and can't be seen through the top coat.
COLOUR :
a) Black and tan (Black with tan markings) : "red stockings". The black is pure black and the tan, red squirrel coloured. The tan markings are distributed as follows
• Spots over the eyes.
• On the sides of the muzzle, diminishing gradually on the cheeks, never attaining under the ear.
• On the chest, preferably two spots.
• Under the neck.
• Under the tail.
• On the legs, disappearing progressively while rising, without covering in any case more than 1/3 of the leg and rising slightly higher on the inside.
b) Harlequin (blue-mottled with tan markings) : grey, black and tan, the coat being black and grey in equal parts, the spots well distributed, with sometimes a predominance of black. The tan markings are the same as for the black and tan.
A faint whit spot on the chest is tolerated.
SIZE :
Height at the withers : Male : from 65 cm to 70 cm. Female : from 61 cm to 68 cm.
FAULTS :
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
ELIMINATING FAULTS :
• Aggressive or overly shy.
• Size outside the standard limits.
• Too light-boned.
• Eyes too light, or wall eyes (except for harlequins).
• Split nose, of a colour other than black, with unpigmented areas.
• Overshot or undershot with loss of contact, absence of 3 or more teeth (the first premolars not counting).
• Uncropped ears totally upright and rigid.
• Rear feet turned excessively to the exterior.
• Simple dewclaws or absence of dewclaws on hind legs.
• Shortened tail or tail carried over the back.
• Coat : Colour and texture other than those defined by the standard. Complete absence of tan markings. Shaggy coat. Well defined, quite visible white spot on chest. For the harlequin variety : too much grey, black on one side and grey on the other, head entirely grey (absence of black).
NB
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.