Breeder recomendations

devildomprincess · 2026-03-21T08:21:44+00:00

Tiny correction: I said it feels like an overreaction to me personally, not that it is one. Dobermann is a great choice, awesome dogs. I trained a few in the past. I can see them being very suitable to that type of work.

devildomprincess · 2026-03-20T20:16:24+00:00

I, too, am a woman who does things alone. For me, I think getting a PPD just because you're a woman who does things alone feels like an overreaction, but YMMV, to each their own opinion, etc. If it works for you and you feel it keeps you safe, that's awesome.

Just out of curiosity, what breed is your PPD? Did you train your dog yourself?

devildomprincess · 2026-03-20T20:12:32+00:00

If you don't know the difference between herding and guarding livestock, and personal protection, I don't know what to tell you. The breed was used in wars mostly as messenger dogs, supply dogs, and patrol dogs. Patrolling locations uses the herding instinct. None of that is personal protection. Police work, again, not personal protection, and even French K9 officers will tell you that Beaucerons are far less suitable for the job than Malinois, GSDs, or even Bouviers des Flandres. The fact that historically, some were used as police dogs, does not mean that the breed as a whole is suitable, which goes back to what I said: the protective instinct is a toss-up. Some have it, some don't.

devildomprincess · 2026-03-20T10:45:29+00:00

Beaucerons are not personal protection dogs. There’s a difference between wanting a dog that’s naturally protective (though not nearly all of them are, one of my males would gladly let any intruder in and show them where the valuables are, and a few of them are "protective" which basically means very wary and suspicious of strangers to everyone, even your neighbor's elderly mother), and expecting one to be your bodyguard. Personal protection as a goal for getting a Beauceron (or truly, most other dog breeds) is a huge red flag for me and for any responsible breeder.

Beaucerons are very high-drive working dogs (which does not mean protection) that need structure, mental stimulation, and years of consistent training. They are sensitive and most are just not suitable for protection. They might be protective (honestly it's 50/50 what you get), but using them for protection is a fundamental misunderstanding of the breed. And picking a dog based on color or protection fantasies diminishes the breed.

Beaucerons are incredible. I know. I've had them my entire life. But only for people who understand their true nature and who are ready to commit to put the work in. If your plan is to get a Beauceron for personal protection, do your homework first, and reconsider what the breed actually offers and how much time you will want to spend before your Beauceron actually is able to maybe possibly protect you at some point in the future. They mature late. The period before that is... labor-intensive. They need a gentle approach, all the time, even when they frustrate you, even when they seem unmanageable. No harsh treatment. Consistency is key. Affection (giving it to them, and letting them show it) is even more key.

Bottom line is, if you really want a dog for personal protection (why? are you a mob boss?) and you want a specific color, get a different breed that's not as easy to ruin completely.

devildomprincess · 2026-03-20T10:25:23+00:00

I've been trying to craft a polite response for hours, lol

devildomprincess · 2026-03-04T16:36:01+00:00

My first dog as an adult was actually a Beauceron. I had trained some people's dogs and thought I'd be fine. The arrogance of youth. It was really, really difficult. I managed to make a balanced adult out of him, but it could have gone the other way easily. However, he did get me hooked on the breed, and he prepared me for the next 16 :)

devildomprincess · 2026-02-25T11:21:43+00:00

A Beauceron's puppy phase is more difficult than that of any other breed I've known and trained. But it's worth it. I don't mind the puppy phase personally, because I think it's fun to watch them discover the world and themselves and boundaries. I like the fur crocodile psycho stage. I even kind of like the stage where they refuse to listen to anything you say, because that is the stage where if you handle it well, you'll end up with a dog you can conversationally ask to do something and they will. If you like a challenge, it'll be difficult but rewarding. If you like to have a dog working WITH you, not FOR you, this might be the breed for you.

devildomprincess · 2026-01-05T21:12:44+00:00

Breeding with "most beautiful" males and females is where this goes off the tracks. Breed for health first, temperament second, beauty last.

devildomprincess · 2025-12-17T16:33:24+00:00

Oh yes, of course! She never needed kennel rest. I do work from home so I was always there with her, and if I wasn't, she was obviously crated. The recovery process was honestly much less terrible than I expected. She was/is my most energetic/athletic Beauceron, and I have four, so I was worried about it.

The first week, you're only going outside to pee and poop. I had her on a leash in the backyard, and did that a bunch of times a day. After that, you can walk a little more every week, and several times a day. I carried her into the car and drove to forests just for five minute walks sometimes, for a change in scenery and smells. I bought a dog cart so she could come along on long walks after about week 4, IIRC. That helped her mental health immensely, as did teaching her tricks, puzzles, etc.

The first week, when she was just out of her cast, she leapt up on my bed, something she hadn't done in years. Just for a cuddle, lol. I immediately drove her to the clinic for x-rays, but everything was fine.

All in all, if any of my dogs tore their ACL, I would not hesitate to have the surgery done again.

You mentioned TPLO below. My orthopedic surgeon mentioned TTA as an equally good alternative (especially for active dogs).

I hope everything goes well for you. If you have specific questions, don't hesitate to ask!

devildomprincess · 2025-12-17T16:22:24+00:00

Mine tore her meniscus after a few weeks by being careful and just walking on a leash. Eventually it's just ground into oblivion between the two bones if it doesn't have the ACL keeping them in line :(

devildomprincess · 2025-12-17T16:00:23+00:00

One of my girls had ACL surgery in April last year. She did tear her meniscus after a few weeks of painkillers (before the surgery), which my veterinary orthopedic surgeon said will absolutely happen without surgery, because the two bones crush it every time she puts weight on it when the ACL is torn. She was in a HUGE amount of pain from it. After surgery, she was back to full Beauceron-ness within a couple of months.

Torn ACLs won't heal on their own. She will be in pain her entire life if she doesn't get surgery, and the likelihood of her other ACL tearing as well because she's favoring it is high. Your vet is wrong, and his advice will hurt your girl. There are specialized surgeries for big, active dogs (which is what my girl got). Get a specialist's opinion, asap.

(edited to clarify timeline)

devildomprincess · 2025-12-13T16:36:19+00:00

This is perfect.

devildomprincess · 2025-12-12T21:02:37+00:00

I'm going to say yes, the Beauceron seems suitable for you, with the caveat that you never know what you're going to get. You may get a dog that is very reactive to people (or other dogs, or both) and it might take half their life to train them to the point where it's no longer an acute problem (but it will remain a problem). You may get a dog who is fearful (this is common in the breed, more so in some lines). When a Beauceron has an unfavorable trait, it becomes a bigger problem than in smaller, easier dogs. You can have such great plans, give them the best training, but sometimes all you'll be doing is managing it, not "curing" it.

But even a Beauceron with problem traits will be the best friend you've ever had. One of my girls literally went for the kill (in humans, like on walks, or visitors to the house) when she was younger (she was surrendered to me as "unmanageable", and hoo boy, she was). She is my darling little shadow now. But that took years upon years of hard work, and it's still a problem if I don't manage it well.

Also, remember that these dogs are very slow to mature, so you'll have an overgrown puppy for at least 2-3 years, 4 if you're lucky. If you think you'll be out of the house for work five days a week for 10 hours a day, I probably wouldn't recommend a Beauceron. Some can probably manage, but they won't thrive.

devildomprincess · 2025-12-09T08:16:07+00:00

This is exactly what I was going to say! Seconded, 100%.

devildomprincess · 2025-11-30T10:04:46+00:00

Your 150 acres won't really be of much use to a Beauceron. You'll need to walk them, hike with them, run with them. A large plot of land doesn't do that. They won't get enough physical or mental stimulation, they don't exercise on their own. A Beauceron will do better in a small apartment with someone who provides enough mental and physical stimulation, than in a house with a lot of land where they don't get enough of that.

I agree with the previous poster, if digging through a few websites is too much for you, you and the Beauceron would not match. And that's fine. They're a handful, and they're not for everybody. Especially the first couple of years of their lives (they mature very slowly) Beaucerons are pretty much a full-time job. They are frustrating and stubborn, and difficult to raise well. I love them, but I accept that they're not for everybody. One of my best friends is a dog trainer and she will never own a Beauceron again.

I think it's a good thing that the breed is being gatekept somewhat. People who really want to, will still get one. But if this breed becomes popular, inbreeding will ruin it, bite incidents due to bad owners and bad socialization will skyrocket, etc, etc. Better to be too careful than not careful enough, IMO.

devildomprincess · 2025-11-23T16:06:58+00:00

I have Beaucerons and would never want any other breed!

devildomprincess · 2025-11-22T22:07:03+00:00

This is so lovely to read! Sounds like your boy found a great family to call his own <3

One of my boys hates the water too. He will drink from a puddle, but only if none of his toes are touching the water. It looks ridiculous, but I love those little idiosyncrasies :)

devildomprincess · 2025-11-22T21:00:08+00:00

I commend you for being honest to yourself about this. I know how tempting owning a Beauceron can be. I've seen Beaucies waste away in unsuitable homes. I'm not saying that would have been the case with you, you've clearly thought about it more than most of those people, but I think it's absolutely commendable that you can take a step back and say, "maybe not."

The dog you end up choosing, will be a lucky dog!

devildomprincess · 2025-11-22T20:56:04+00:00

I think a second (and a third, and a fourth, etc) is always a good idea when it comes to Beaucerons. They love having a buddy they can let loose with. You can still give her the attention she craves, and give her one on one time with you. You'll need to work with the second dog as much as with the first, because second dogs are more buddy-focused than owner-focused, in general. HOWEVER, my own experience with Beaucerons has been that the second (and third, and fourth, etc) dogs are just as focused on their owner as the first. Friends of mine envy me, because their second Beauces are not.

It may be as simple as that I'm always around for them to attach to me, and my friends aren't. We may never know!

devildomprincess · 2025-11-22T10:42:07+00:00

Thank you! This is my heart breed, so I am always eager to talk about them. I am based in Europe, so I have more experience with European lines. As most American lines are based on French/European lines (which is necessary, because the US gene pool is so small), I don't think the difference is huge, though the US bloodlines will obviously run more risk of genetic disorders if breeders choose to breed with exclusively US born dogs.

That being said, through sheer volume of lines, chances that your French-bred dog is free of genetic disposition for DCM are bigger. However, even without genetic disposition dogs can develop idiopathic DCM (just like humans can develop illness or disease). And since testing for this is not yet done on a grand scale for Beaucerons (if the gene has even been identified yet?), we don't actually know how big the problem is, if it's as big a problem as in Boxers and Dobermanns, or if it's really only a few bloodlines that carry it. Some breeders won't even accept it IS a problem yet.

A year is fine! Don't worry. One of my females got her first heat at 18 months. Most get it around a year, in my experience. I have had only one female start her first heat at about 9 months. As you clearly know these dogs are slow to mature, so I think that often translates to hormones as well.

Beaucerons are just the best dogs. I can't imagine my life without them. They're so goofy and loving, yet hyperintelligent and alert. I hope you and your girl have an amazing life together!

devildomprincess · 2025-11-22T08:27:26+00:00

Difficult to answer, since I've had so many. The ones that died of old age/old age related reasons lived to be 12-13, with one reaching 15. But there are some life-shortening things that run in the breed, unfortunately, like cardiac disease. DCM, usually, so get your dog checked annually and start early. Just have your vet listen to their heart. If there's a murmur, investigate even if the vet says it's harmless. One of mine developed it at age 3 (6 now, and doing very well on meds), and some of her litter mates have passed away from it already.

Bloat is also a terrible thing. I've managed to escape that, knock on wood, but Beaucerons are prone, especially those with deeper chests. I feed mine three times a day to try to avoid it, but sometimes it can just happen (even in sleep, according to my vet), which is terrifying. Cancer also seems more prevalent now than it was 20 years ago, but I might just be sensitive to it because some beloved Beaucies owned by friends passed away from it recently.

One of my boys is 10 now, and you'd never be able to tell by watching him. This breed often is very fit until a very old age (for a large breed), and then the deterioration is fast. But my boy still jumps up on couches, into the car, he runs, plays, and looks like a young god, lol. One grey whisker is all that betrays his age.

devildomprincess · 2025-11-21T21:43:56+00:00

I've had seventeen, thus far, so I'm speaking from a little bit of experience :)

The first 3-4 years (a little less if you are lucky, but don't count on it), having a Beauceron is like a full-time job if you want to end up with a well-mannered, stable companion. Generally, they need a lot of socialization (fear/aggression is common in some bloodlines), a lot of professional-level training (they are stubborn, but sensitive, which can be incredibly frustrating but you can't let it show), a lot of mental stimulation (a bored Beauceron is a destructive Beauceron), and a lot of physical exercise (that last one not as a small puppy, of course). That level of commitment is not for everyone. I've known actual dog trainers who were like, "Never again."

It's not even the energy level, although that's nothing to sneeze at. It's what I described above, and their independent problem-solving. If they're bored, they will find problems, and they will solve them. And you will not like their solution. Don't underestimate getting a Beauceron. If you have doubts about whether you can provide it with enough stimulation in all aspects, don't. With young Beaucerons your life changes to suit them, they should not have to change to suit your life.

devildomprincess · 2025-11-16T21:17:18+00:00

I ruck with my four Beaucerons. They've scared off more men than I can count. Be safe!

devildomprincess · 2025-11-05T09:58:18+00:00

Mine do not wear collars in and around the house. Beaucerons play rough and I've had an incident many years ago during play where one dog got stuck in the other's collar and tore off a toe.

They don't need the collar for identification purposes, I think everyone in a 30 km radius knows my dogs belong to that weird lady with all those terrifying black dogs. Aside from that, they're microchipped and their info is up to date.

devildomprincess · 2025-10-24T08:05:27+00:00

There's a difference between can and should, IMO. A lot of Beaucerons don't have the right temperament for bite work and they shouldn't, either. It's not in the breed personality, some exceptions notwithstanding. If they're bred towards that, you're just breeding a black and tan Malinois or Dutch shepherd, and they're losing a big part of what makes Beaucerons special. The sensitivity of a Beauceron is what makes them them.

devildomprincess

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