Bergamasco Shepherd Dog
Other names: Bergamasco, Cane da pastore Bergamasco, Knut
The forerunner of the Bergamasco breed originated in Persia (yesteryear Iran) and was brought westwards by migrating farmers and societal drift. Since its conception in the mid-1800s the breed has been used for herding and roving. The dog is extremely rare in the UK: ten years ago it was estimated that only 30 such dogs were native to the British Isles.
Key facts about the Bergamasco Shepherd Dog
Origins and history
The ancestor of the Bergamasco came from Persia. According to students of canine heritage such a dog may have existed more than seven millennia ago. It migrated westwards amid centuries of societal shifting to find its more recent home (1850s) in the Italian Alps near the town of Bergamo. Genetic ‘paw-printing’ shows that it was around this time that the first Bergamasco was born.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 1 - Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs)
Section
Section 1 : Sheepdogs
Physical characteristics of the Bergamasco Shepherd Dog
Adult size
Female : Between 21 and 23 in
Male : Between 23 and 24 in
Weight
Female : Between 57 and 71 lb
Male : Between 71 and 84 lb
Coat colour
The Bergamasco is only found of black or grey colours. The black coat tends to bronze in the sun.
Type of coat
The double coat is long and actually consists of three types of fur: the undercoat, the top coat and the goat hair.
Eye colour
Dark brown or chestnut.
Description
A medium-sized dog with an abundant matted coat. The dog is stocky and sturdy; its body is almost square in appearance. The muzzle is rather flat and broad leading to a gradually sloping stop and upwards to a medium-sized and reasonably flat skull. The ears are set high and drop but are not flat against the cheek.
Good to know
The coat of the Bergamasco is self-cleaning. As a result of this, the dog should only be bathed once or twice a year. The exception to this rule would be if the dog needed to be cleaned for some reason. Cutting or over-grooming this dog’s coat can cause the dog to develop skin infections and irritations.