Accepted By:
  International Bergamasco Sheepdog Association
  Bergamasco Sheepdog Club Of America

Temperament and Behavior

The Bergamasco retained the inborn characteristics which make the wolf a pack animal, i.e., the inclination towards personal ties and acting in collaboration with other members of the pack and consequently, the capacity for maintaining constant communication. On the other hand, the assimilation resulting from a millenary domestication process have laid the basis for reciprocal understanding and exchange of information between man and dog.

The combination of these two factors made it possible to establish a bond which formed the base for collaboration between the two species.

So the relationship which ensued between shepherd and Bergamasco is absolutely unique. In this manner, a silent dialogue took place in which it was always the dog to take the lead by fixing the shepherd with invisible eyes, straight in the face, always ready to catch every slight variation in his expression, in order to be able to interpret his intentions. In order to really understand the Bergamasco, it is important to correctly interpret this characteristic attitude.

One must not forget that in the wolves' world, the direction of a stare is of fundamental importance. To stare intensely back in a similar manner is interpreted as a challenge and promptly provokes an aggressive reaction by the dominant animal which has the privilege of being the only member of the pack allowed to do this as a sign of dominant leadership.

The fact that a direct stare is a deeply ingrained habit in Bergamasco, shows once more that it is not submissive, but is associated with man on an equal basis.

When the Bergamasco and the shepherd conducted their flocks across the alpine valleys, they were brought close together and the solitude and isolation in these zones made their bond all the stronger.

In our modem world which has become so superficial and lacking in values, I think that growing up with a Bergamasco is a highly significant experience for children. Anyone who owns a Bergamasco is also lucky enough to have an excellent Nanny on hand, apart from feeling protected, loved and safe at all times. Bergamasco is certainly not everybody's dog. Its appearance, its temperament and its wonderful gifts of sensibility and intelligence, all that it represents of antiquity and modernism, have made it into a precious rarity which it is not easy to understand completely.

History

As a result of their ancient roots and the geographical locations where they have always been found, the Bergamascos must be seen as Mountain Sheepdogs. They are built for strength and resistance with well developed chests and ample thorax, relatively short necks with strong muscles, wide heads with fairly short, square muzzles, hanging ears and round eyes.

Gait

Since the flock was being driven from dawn to dusk, it is obvious that the dog covered very considerable distances whilst pacing to and fro. It, therefore needed to be highly resistant. For this, speed is not important, hut resistance is, no sprints or unpredictable action, but a homogeneous and regular gait. When analyzing the various types of gait, it is obvious that the one best suited for a shepherds' dog is the trot, a flowing and regular gait which can be maintained over long periods without exhausting the dog. The Bergamasco Sheepdog is a good and very resistant trotter.

The preferred and natural gait is the trot free, extended, elastic. The motion should be long-striding, untiring and highly economical. In fact when the forepaw is raised from the ground in order to he carried forward, the metacarpal is flexed at an angle of 90° and is carried forward parallel to the ground at a height corresponding to the height of the carpal joint when the paw is on the ground. Continuing the forward movement, the metacarpal continues to extend, until, when the limb passes in front of the shoulder blade, is fully stretched

At this point the paw goes onto the ground at a point directly under the eye or ear, according to the length of the dog's neck.

This movement of the forepaw, close to the ground, is the most favorable to guarantee maximum efficiency and minimum loss of energy as well as maximum resistance.

For the purpose of producing the desired flat action of the forelegs the head is not carried high but the neck is carried forward with its upper profile almost a continuation of the top line with only a slight angle at the withers and the head is carried so that its axis is almost perpendicular to that of the neck.

Conformation

He has to have the build of a trotter but since he has always carried out its work in mountainous regions his loin, that is the suspended tract of the spine, if excessively long, would not he suitable for rapid ascent and for downhill leaping whilst this build is less pernicious for sheepdogs which work on the plains.

In totality, the Bergamasco is a solid and compact dog but not so much to prevent a long and smooth gait.

Size

Weight

Head

Skull   The width of the skull should be half of the length of the head. It is rather wide and slightly convex between the ears. The forehead also is slightly rounded and large. The median line (flute) is good marked and the occipital protuberance is prominent. Stop is marked.

Muzzle   The width of the muzzle, measured at half length, is half of its length. It gradually and slightly converges towards the end, but not to a point. Nose most be black, with wide nostrils. The jaws are well developed with scissors bite. The lips are thin, not too developed, and just cover the teeth

Eyes   Eyes are large, slightly oval, neither protruding or sunk. Brown in color. They should look alert, serene and intelligent. The eyelids fit tightly over the eye, with black pigmented rims. The eyelashes are long to hold up the hair fringe falling forwards to cover the face.

Ears   Ears are set just above the zygomatic arch. They are pendent9 soft, thin and ending in a triangular shape. In alert, there should slight lift near their attachment. Ear length should not to be more than the half of the length of the head, better if shorter.

Neck   Neck is strong and large, its perimeter is twice its length. Upper profile is slightly convex. The skin is never flabby, so always without dewlap. Coat forms a thick collar.

Body

The length of the body measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks should be about 4% the height at the withers. Breast is broad. The rib cage should be full, descending down to the level of the elbows, with well sprung ribs, not barrel chest. The height of the chest should be 50% the height at the withers.

Top line must be straight, only the Withers stands in the straight topline. The lumbar region shows a certain convexity. The rump is large, strong, and well muscled. It should be long, blending into the croup with an inclination angle formed by the horizontal line of 30°.

The underline from the sternum rises very slightly towards the belly whose tuck-up is barely noticeable.

Tail

Forequarters

Shoulder   The shoulder blade needs to be wide and sufficiently long. Its length should not be inferior to a quarter of the height at the withers. Its average layback from the horizontal should be 55° - 60°.

Upper Arm   As the shoulder the upper arm should be strong, with well developed musculation. Humerus is a strong bone only a little longer than the shoulder blade. The angle between shoulder blade and humerus should be about 115° - 120°.

Elbows   Elbows are in close proximity to the chest wall. The coat from the elbow down must be profuse, long and matted.

Forearm   Forearm is strong and straight. Radius has the same length or slightly longer than the humerus.

Pastern Joint   The pastern joint (Carpus) is mobile and lean with the pisiform bone clearly protruding.

Pastern   Pastern (Metacarpus) seen m profile is slightly sloping to the front.

Foot   Oval shaped with well closed and arched toes.

Hindquarters

Upper Thigh   Upper thigh should be wide, strong and well muscled. The pelvis angle and femur angle must be about 100°. The lower tight most be strong with robust bones and muscles. Tibia is slightly longer than the femur and the tibia-femoral angle is about 110°.

Hock   Hock is an essential articular muscular complex for producing the drive and should be really wide

Rear pastern   Rear pastern (Metatarsus) When the dog is standing in balance, the metatarsal must be perpendicular to the ground and posed in such manner that a vertical line, drawn from the point of the ischium, touches the ground just in front of the toes. It should be relatively short to permit a low, harmonious gait. The distance from the point of the hock to the ground must be about 25% of the height at the withers.

Foot   Eventual dewclaws must be eliminated. Foot has the same characteristic as the front one.

Coat

Typical of this breed is the presence of 3 types of hair: the undercoat, fine, dense and oily, adhering to the skin and forming a waterproof, protective layer; the goat hair strong and rough as in goats and which stays smooth without tufting and the woolly top coat, finer in texture and which grows together in maps.

The distribution of the various types of hair over the body is not homogeneous. In the region of the withers down to roughly half the depth of the thorax, only goat hair is present, forming a smooth saddle.

In the rear section of the trunk and on the limbs, together with the goat hair which is still present there, there is a vast amount of woolly hair from which the particular masses of hair, known as "maps" originate.

The "map" should be larger at its base, flat, irregular and sometimes opening fan-wise. This is due to the abundant presence of goat hair mixed with the woolly hair.

The coat color

The coat color is gray of all possible shades, from a most delicate gray to black. It can be solid or with black patches. An all black coat is allowed if opaque. Ah all white coat is proscribed so as all other colors. White patches are accepted as long as their surface is not more than a fifth of the total surface of the coat.

Faults

Eyes:   Round eyes, blue and yellow eyes, bulbous, too small. Poor pigmentation, expressionless.

Mouth:   Not a scissory bite. Lips flabby and not well pigmented.

Forequarters:   Pinning-in (pigeon toed) and toeing out.

Body:   Croup too short or too straight.

Hindquarters:   Lack width of thigh. Over angulation and close hind movement.

Coat:   Adult coat too soft, too fluffy.

Feet:   Flat feet or splayed toes.

Tail:   Too short, curled on back when on the move, no movement of tail when on the move.

Gait:   Trot not free and extended enough because of too short body

Color:   Coat mainly or all white.