The Bergamasco is among the most ancient sheepdog breeds with a history that goes back to almost 2000 years. The body of this dog is compact and square shaped which gives him just the right kind of harmony between strength, agility and speed.
The Bergamasco is a well muscled and strong boned dog having the ability to keep on running for long time periods and is often known as a brave, sound and strong dog. These qualities are highly essential in the herding breeds of dogs and the Bergamasco seems to be passing the eligibility criteria with flying colors. A few other details about this fabulous dog breed are discussed in the sections below.
Bergamasco Dog Facts For Kids and Information :
- Origin: Italy
- Usual weight: 32 to 38 KGs
- Usual height: 60 cms
- Felted coat on most of the body parts
- Color: Black or merle
- Lifetime: 13 to 15 years
- Puppy Price: Average $1000 - $1200 USD
Bergamasco Diet :
When it comes to feeding the Bergamasco dogs, you may use different kinds of food products that may comprise of kibble as well as premium quality canned or raw foods. It is highly recommended to feed the dogs at least two times every day.
The preferred meal times should be mornings and evenings. If you have a Bergamasco puppy, you should feed it three times a day until it reaches adulthood.
Habitat :
The Bergamasco is basically a working dog breed that needs a lot of exercise. Therefore the preferred habitat is an open place with a yard at the very least.
If you are a physically inactive person and willing to adopt this breed, it may not be the best choice because the Bergamasco have a tendency to thrive when they get raised in vast properties like large farms where they might be able to run as much as they want to in order to exercise by themselves.
Behavior
The Bergamasco is a highly intelligent breed of dogs. That’s the reason why they are very loyal and show their best behavior when they are given different kinds of strategic tasks on a regular basis.
The breed appears to be highly competitive when it comes to dog agility trials including tracking, flyball, showmanship, obedience, etc. The trainability and herding instincts suggest the fact that the dog may easily be trained for competing in different kinds of herding trials.
The Bergamasco is usually seen while herding a flock of sheep but it can do well in other similar circumstances as well.
Lifestyle :
The Bergamasco is a very active breed of dogs. It likes to lead an active life which is full of exercise, running and other similar tasks.
Lifecycle :
On average, the Bergamasco lives a life time comprising of 13-15 years as it is a pretty healthy breed without any certain genetic illness tendencies.
Breeding :
Different dog kennels and dog breeding facilities all across the world breed the Bergamasco dogs.
Bergamasco Appearance :
As far as the overall appearance of the Bergamasco is concerned, it is a pretty muscular and strong boned dog. It has a massive head as well as a thick tail which is a little curvy in the upward direction in the end.
The whole body of the god is fully covered with coat that has a tendency of forming mats. Overall, the Bergamasco has a compact personality but when you notice it, you come to learn that it is a bit longer than being taller.
The characteristic feature of this dog breed is the very unique coat that comprises of three different layers of hair. The coat forms loose mats or flocks depending upon the circumstances.
They are meant to cover the legs and body of the dog and to protect it from predators as well as the harsh climatic conditions. In addition to this, the hair present of the dog’s head is usually longer and hangs over its eyes.
Life Span :
The average life span of the Bergamasco is somewhere between 13 to 15 years.
Bergamasco Health Issues & History :
The Bergamasco comes with an ancient Italian origin that goes back to more than 2000 years. It basically comes from the cattle and shepherd dogs that moved through Orient to western part of the world after the migration of nomads along with their herds.
These dogs usually got exchanged along with the trade of sheep. Since that time, the breed has evolved into something even better and more intelligent. Keeping that in view, the Bergamasco breed got recognition from the AKC in the year 2015.
As far as the overall health of the breed is concerned, the Bergamasco is a pretty healthy breed with almost no genetic medical complications at all.
Also read: Puli : Lively and Playful Dog
Bergamasco Grooming :
The coat of the Bergamasco comprises of three different layers of coat. The first layer comprises of the undercoat which is pretty oily and dense. Therefore it acts as a waterproofing layer. The intermediate layer is similar to that of a goat so it is wiry and long.
Finally, the upper most layer is kind of wooly while it entwines with the intermediate layer to create a very unique and distinctive coat of the Bergamasco. So keeping these three layers in mind, it may be said that the overall coat of the breed remains pretty well groomed all the time so they do not require a lot of grooming.
Occasional brushing and two or three baths every year is pretty appropriate to ensure the coat of your dog stays in good shape.
Images, Pics, Photos and Pictures of Bergamasco :
Shedding :
The Bergamasco demonstrates minimal shedding.
Temperament and Personality
The Bergamasco breed is a finely intelligent dog with a nice temperament. It usually stays patient, observant and alert all the time and possesses good balance and self control. The breed may also serve as a good choice while being a companion or a guard dog as they have a tendency to develop a very strong bond with the owner.
Bergamasco Characteristics :
- Available in black, white, silver, gray and brown colors
- Water repellant, long, rough, harsh and dense coat
- Minimal shedding
- Low maintenance