Nothing can be done without education
The Picard is usually characterized as a "charming predator with a delicate soul". And in fact, before you buy a Picard as a companion, you would do well to find out what you are getting involved in and to consider whether this breed really suits you, because Picards have special traits that do not make them seem suitable for everyone. First and foremost, they are - like all French herding dog breeds - very independent and energetic dogs, who tend to take initiative on their own initiative. This certain self-will is often interpreted as thick-headedness or stubbornness. But it is a typical characteristic of all working dogs, especially those descended from herd dogs (collective drawing for shepherd, propellant and shepherd dogs), who for centuries had to act independently in many situations - without waiting for the order of their master - while hatching, driving and guarding the herds entrusted to them.
What you should know before you buy such a dog is that this independent move requires a good dose of consistency, patience, perseverance and empathy on the part of the owner.
These characteristics are necessary above all during the time of the dog's adolescence (1st + 2nd year of life) when it is necessary to shape the young dog into a pleasant, willing and obedient housemate and companion. His upbringing should be done with discipline and consistency, coupled with kindness and tolerance, but by no means with violence.
The Picard belongs to the dogs, which, despite all the physical hardness, also have a fair degree of inert sensitivity and respond very well to an empathetic and understanding leadership.
As a "command recipient", "slave" or "robot" who performs the same exercise five times in a row, this breed of dog is completely unsuitable. (If you throw the
stick three times, the Picard may not pick it a fourth time, according to the motto: "If you always throw it away, you can get it back yourself!").
But with patience, imagination and a dash of humour, coupled with the necessary empathy, you can also bring a Picard under control, and those who have the right "feeling" for this type of dog can get top performances out of it. As an ideal beginner dog, he is certainly not to be described.
A second typical characteristic of the Picard is its general restraint and reserve towards strangers, even towards foreign situations. This manifests itself in general caution, in a kind of distrust of unknown persons or circumstances, which should not be confused with fear, but which are to be interpreted rather as a kind of healthy mistrust. This trait is also ancient herd and farm dog behave and can be explained from its original use. Even the great advocate of the Picard, Jean Cotté, wrote in the middle of this century that one must know the human impact of his homeland in order to understand the Picard: Hard against himself, rough and dismissive against everything new and foreign, characterized by stubborn perseverance and a certain slowness in thought - these are characteristic characteristics of the people in the plains of Flanders and Picardy and these qualities would also characterize their dogs. , which originated in this landscape.
People who are unable to guide a dog with a firm and consistent hand should leave the fingers from this kind of dog, as leave the fingers from this kind of dog, as this intelligent dog tends to take the helm himself when treated too leniently. Even people who want to raise a dog in a relatively short time according to 'scheme F' are not well served with a Picard and should usewise to turn to another, easier to educate, breed.
A typical Picard trusts only his master, his family and friends of the house, who he knows from an early age or who regularly come in and out. This does not mean that the Picard is generally aggressive towards strangers, but usually only behaves negatively to neutrally.
However, if a stranger becomes too intrusive or abruptly approachs the Picard or his master, it may happen that he is dullly snarled by the Picard. The Picard looks sharply into the eyes of the stranger without being in any way anxious or insecure. Because of his incorruptibility, he is also an excellent watchdog without being sharp or biting in the narrow sense. In really threatening situations, however, he knows how to use his teeth and proves himself to be a reliable, intrepid protection dog (A Picard does not make prisoners!). Due to this innately suspicious attitude towards strangers, things and situations - which is also characteristic of all French herding dogs - one has to take special care with the Picard that one gets used to all possible situations during the embossing phase.
The biggest mistake you can make is to protect the young Picard too much. It is much better to speak well to him in a calm way and thereby convey self-assurance. You should never take him on his arm or caress him in such situations, because in this way you only reward and amplify his insecure or anxious behavior. It is important to take the dog everywhere as much as possible during his youth and to expose him to as many strange, albeit perhaps somewhat scary, situations at first. It should be noted that the dog always has good experiences in the end, that nothing bad happens to him. A Picard educated in this way will hardly ever cause problems later on.
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