Last Updated on October 23, 2022 by Pets Feed
The Briard was bred as a herding breed and has served its purpose perfectly for centuries. However, at present, dogs of this breed are given birth as a favorite pet, a friend for the whole family, a participant in exhibitions and dog sports.
This French shepherd is a great manipulator. Briard is so smart that he can easily control a person, which the owner will not even suspect. But if raised correctly, Briard will make the perfect obedient friend.
It is for its intelligence that the breed is valued by farmers who have a large number of sheep. Briard manages a flock of up to 700 animals without human help.
| Breed name | Briard |
| Country of origin | France |
| Weight | 30 – 40 kg |
| Height (at the withers) | 62 – 68 cm |
| Life expectancy | 12 years |
| Size | Big |
Briard photos
Briard dog breed, standards and appearance
Briard is a French shepherd dog with long hairs all over the body and an elegant shaggy fringe on the forehead that hides the eyes.
The Briard is a charming and disheveled dog with a hipster fringe, wrapped in a long coat of shaggy fur. The sexual type of representatives of this breed is pronounced, so that the Briard females are significantly smaller than males.
The growth of a male brie shepherd should vary between 62-68 cm, a female – from 56 to 64 cm. The weight is not strictly stipulated by standards, an adult male can reach 30 to 40 kg, a female- 25 to 30 kg.
- Head: the head is large, slightly elongated. The muzzle is abundantly covered with hairs. Expressed judgment.
- Jaws: scissors bite. Complete teeth.
- Ears: the ears are small, tied high, near the head. Previously, the ears were cut.
- Eyes: Eyes are tall and straight. Color: dark or black brown, rarely gray.
- Frame: The chest is bulky. The back is straight. Filled belly.
- Members: The legs are straight and muscular. The hocks are not placed too low. The legs are rounded, like a cat. The pads are elastic. The nails are dark. On the hind legs, there are profitable double toes – the main difference in the race.
- Pelage: the coat is long and looks like a goat. With age, the coat becomes more rigid. The puppies are born dark and it was not until the age of 3 that their coat stabilizes. Color: all types except white, chocolate and reddish.
Character and behavior
Briards are large dogs, but they are incredibly friendly. In general, the character of the dog is influenced by education. If the owner manages to find an approach and treat the animal with understanding, he will return the same.
If the owner constantly rumbles the dog or beats it, then the quadruped will keep resentment, which will turn into uncontrolled aggression.
The Briards are sympathetic, they easily establish contact with people. Dogs in this race like to learn new things.
They love children. They can monitor the child for hours, but from time to time the shepherd’s instinct works in the Briard and he begins to keep the children.
Dogs in this breed need human attention. Briard owners must be careful. A puppy dog tries to find the owner’s weaknesses in order to handle it. Briard must be raised from the first days of his stay in a new home.
Important
The representatives of the race are jealous, if there are other animals in the house, the dog will be from time to time offended. And also, if the Briard is reprimanded so as not to follow the order or a bad behavior, then he will undoubtedly be offended and will ignore the owner. To make peace with him, just caress the quadruped.
Health
- The Briard dog, like all breeds, suffers from certain diseases, even if it is not a fact that you will meet with your pet:
- Hip dysplasia is a hereditary disease in which the femur does not adapt perfectly to the hip joint;
- Elbow dysplasia;
- Congenital stationary night blindness;
- Hypothyroidism: it is a disease of the thyroid gland. It is believed that hypothyroidism can lead to affections such as: epilepsy, alopecia (hair loss), obesity, lethargy, hyperpigmentation, pyodermitis and other skin diseases;
- Progressive retinal atrophy;
- Von Willebrand’s disease;
- Crayfish;
- Gastric twist, or, as they say “in the people” – Volvulus of the intestines.
Life expectancy
Large dogs live slightly less than small ones. Briard, for example, faithfully serves the owner from 9 to 12 years. The main factor that determines the lifespan of a domestic purebred dog is nutrition.
Basic care
Its long and thick coat ideally requires daily brushing, which is not suitable for everyone. But the minimum is to comb 3 times a week. Bat your dog at least once a month, clean your eyes if necessary, the ears three times a week. The nails are cut three times a month.
Exercise
It is necessary to walk with the Briard at least 2 times a day, each time at least 1.5-2 hours.
The breed needs physical activity and active games. To do this, the owner can go for a bike ride, and the dog will follow alongside.
Briard dog fun facts
- A Briard dog named Brutus contributed to the judicial practice of the Middle Ages, acting as a prosecutor during the trial of the assassin of his master. The dog fought with him, forcing him to admit his guilt. In memory of this event, a stone shield was installed in the city of Montidier.
- During the war years, Briard dogs participated in hostilities, leaving the wounded from the battlefield and delivering drugs and ammunition.
- The Briard breed has the same name as the material from which the tobacco pipes are made. The Briard material is obtained from a tree growth between the root and the trunk of a shrub from the heather family, sometimes called heather. The Bois de Briard has nothing in common with the dog breed, except for the name.
Origin
The first mention of the breed of dogs with sheep’s wool dates back to the 7th-8th centuries. The exact origin of the Briard Shepherd Dog is unknown, but it is believed that the breed arrived in France along with nomads from the East. Briard showed his excellent shepherd qualities, and soon every owner of Bree cattle owned a posh curly shepherd dog.
In 1863, the Briard dog breed was presented at an exhibition in Paris, and in 1885 it was entered in the French herd book.
In 1897, the first standard for the Briard breed appeared in France, then the shepherd dog began to gain popularity in other countries. In North America, the Briard Shepherd Dog has been known since the 18th century, but the first litter was officially registered only in 1922.
Initially, the role of the curly-haired dog in human life was to guard and graze livestock.
Today the Briard is more just a pet and a guide for people with disabilities.
