Bergamasco Sheepdog Facts You Should Know (with Pictures).

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Bergamasco Sheepdog Breed Overview

The Bergamasco Sheepdog is a medium-sized dog.

The adult Bergamasco Sheepdog stands 20 to 24 inches.

The Bergamasco Sheepdog belongs to the Herding Dogs group.

Dogs in the Herding Dogs group, like the Bergamasco Sheepdog, were bred for moving livestock, including sheep, cattle, and even reindeer.

Herding dogs work closely with their human shepherds, and their natural intelligence and responsiveness make them highly trainable.

Herding dogs have high levels of energy, which needs to be channeled properly to prevent destructive behavior.

Herding breeds are protective of their people and property and make excellent watchdogs. Their intelligence, agility, and activity level make them well suited to dog sports.

The fact that Bergamasco Sheepdogs belong to the Herding Dogs group is one of the reasons why Bergamasco Sheepdogs have the personality and temperament that they have.

The temperament of the Bergamasco Sheepdog is generally described as:

  • Determined
  • Intelligent
  • Patient
  • Vigilant

History of the Bergamasco Sheepdog Breed. Where Bergamasco Sheepdogs came from

Given the Bergamasco`s age, we don`t know much about what their original name would have been in Persia, which was the area that is now known as Iran.

The term Bergamasco originated in the province of Bergamo when the nomadic shepherds who developed the woolly dog traveled from Persia to Europe and ultimately chose to settle down there.

The Bergamasco worked closely with the shepherds and had a special bond with their masters, unlike other sheepdog breeds.

The Bergamasco were able to learn how to herd and defend the sheep without the need for specific directives and indications; as a result, the shepherds had a wonderful, intelligent companion to work with.

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What the Bergamasco Sheepdog Looks Like

The Bergamasco coat is intended to cover it from all weather conditions and provide sun protection.

The fur is soft and somewhat curled when the animal is a puppy; dreadlocks are not present.

However, the hair will eventually lengthen and reach the flocking stage (around 8 to 9 months).

The soft undercoat, which acts as a waterproof layer, the goat hair, which are long strands that feel like a goat`s hair, and the woolly top coat, which is incredibly fine to the touch, all start to mix at this time.

When the thin top coat and the goat hair start to intertwine, flocking occurs.

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Best Bergamasco Sheepdog Breeders

Bergamasco Sheepdog Breeders in the United States

We have researched reputable Bergamasco Sheepdog breeders that you can buy a puppy.

Go to this page for our complete list of reputable Bergamasco Sheepdog breeders in various states in the United States.

On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.

A few of these breeders are listed below.

  1. Ancient Eyes Bergamascos

    Puppy Price: Check with breeder

  2. Shabby Chic Bergamasco, LLC

    Puppy Price: Check with breeder

  3. RunWalk Ranch Bergamascos

    Puppy Price: Check with breeder

  4. Silver Pastori Bergamascos

    Puppy Price: Check with breeder

  5. Alp Angel Bergamascos

    Puppy Price: $3000

What Colors do Bergamasco Sheepdogs Have?

Bergamasco Sheepdogs come in the following beautiful primary colors:

    Bergamasco Sheepdogs come in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to their primary colors:

      How Long Bergamasco Sheepdogs Live

      The lifespan of the Bergamasco Sheepdog is typically from 13 to 15 years.

      Bergamasco Sheepdogs live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.

      Bergamasco Sheepdog Litter Size

      Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 2 different Bergamasco Sheepdog birth litters.

      From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Bergamasco Sheepdogs can have is 7 puppies. Also, the Bergamasco Sheepdog can have as few as 3 puppies per litter and as many as 11 puppies per litter.

      The number of puppies that the Bergamasco Sheepdog will have depends on factors such as the age of the Bergamasco Sheepdog, the method of pregnancy, etc.

      Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Bergamasco Sheepdog will have and how the litter size of the Bergamasco Sheepdog compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.

      How Fast Bergamasco Sheepdogs Can Run

      How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.

      The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.

      Based on our analysis of the speeds of 5 different Bergamasco Sheepdogs, the average speed of the Bergamasco Sheepdog is 20.1 mph (32.4 kmph).

      The fastest speed on AKC record that the Bergamasco Sheepdog ran in a race is 23.53 mph (37.9 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a Bergamasco Sheepdog is 9.16 mph (14.7 kmph).

      Click here to see how the speed of the Bergamasco Sheepdog compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.

      How fast Bergamasco Sheepdog can run compared to other mammals

      How Popular are Bergamasco Sheepdogs with New Dog Owners?

      Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.

      The graph below shows the popularity trend of the Bergamasco Sheepdog.

      The popularity of the Bergamasco Sheepdog averaged over the years is Number 169 out of about 200 dog breeds.

      Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.

      Health Problems in Bergamasco Sheepdogs and How to Prevent Them

      Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.

      The Bergamasco Sheepdog is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.

      From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.

      Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

      If you want a Bergamasco Sheepdog puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Bergamasco Sheepdog breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

      The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Bergamasco Sheepdogs for:

      1. Elbow Dysplasia
      2. Hip Dysplasia

      You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Bergamasco Sheepdogs here.

      Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Bergamasco Sheepdogs

      If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Bergamasco Sheepdog.

      We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Bergamasco Sheepdog:

      • Bordoodle (81 percent match with Bergamasco Sheepdog). Learn more about the Bordoodle here.
      • Pyredoodle (79 percent match with Bergamasco Sheepdog). Learn more about the Pyredoodle here.
      • Saint Berdoodle (79 percent match with Bergamasco Sheepdog). Learn more about the Saint Berdoodle here.
      • Japanese Spitz (79 percent match with Bergamasco Sheepdog). Learn more about the Japanese Spitz here.

      Other Things to Know About Bergamasco Sheepdogs

      Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Bergamasco Sheepdog that you need to know about the Bergamasco Sheepdog breed:

    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs do not have the tendency to drool.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are not very sensitive to their enviroment. They can tolerate noisy environments. They are also not very sensitive to the tone of your voice, firm or gentle.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are not prone to gaining weight easily.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are not prone to nip and chew at things.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs have a very low prey drive. This means they get along well with other pets.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are good for new dog owners.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs can tolerate cold weather.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs get along well with other dogs.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are very friendly towards strangers.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are very easy to groom.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are very playful.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are very healthy. They do not suffer from a lot of health problems compared to other dog breeds
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are highly intelligent.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs weigh 55 to 85 pounds when fully grown.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs are 20 to 24 inches when fully grown.
    • Bergamasco Sheepdogs have a lifespan of 13 to 15 years.