All About
Briard

Affectionate but independent, Briards are an ideal choice for an active family. They have a lot of energy, love activity and are great with children. Briards can romp around all day with kids and are happy to hang out and relax along side mom and dad in the evening. This herding breed is alert and vigilant, making them excellent watchdogs. Their individual personalities can vary from clownish to serious, but they all love they are all people-pleasers with hearts of gold.

The Briard should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

Begin grooming your Briard puppy long before he really needs grooming. Make sure that you make grooming time a happy period he will look forward to in the years when grooming is a necessity and can take a long time. A Briard should be brushed several times a week, completely to the skin, using a good-quality pin brush. Using an undercoat rake can help eliminate a lot of dead hair and lessen shedding. The number of baths a Briard will need depends entirely on his lifestyle and the jobs he is doing. Frequency may range from weekly to monthly, to even less.

The Briard can adapt to city or country life. He is a fairly calm breed when inside, but he does need 30 to 60 minutes of exercise daily. Without enough activity, the Briard can become bored, paving the way for annoying or destructive behaviors like barking, digging, chasing, and chewing. Dog sports, especially herding trials, are a good outlet for his energy and hone his natural herding ability.The Briard puppy must learn who the pack leader is or he'll try to assume the position; therefore, training should start as soon as the Briard puppy comes home. This doesn't mean he should know advanced commands by 9 weeks of age, but he should be learning proper manners and rules of the house right away.Crate training can be an important aid — it helps with housetraining and keeps your pup safe when you're away — but remember that he should be with the family (not in his crate) when you are at home.Because the Briard is naturally suspicious of people outside his "flock," it is important to encourage your Briard puppy to be friendly with strangers. If a Briard is not properly socialized and trained, it can lead to aggression toward people or animals he considers a threat.

Major concerns: gastric torsion, CHD
Minor concerns: nightblindness
Occasionally seen: PRA, heart problems
Suggested tests: hip, eye, (cardiac)
Life span: 10-12 years

The Briard originated in France and can be dated back to the 8th century. He was known as the Chien Berger De Brie, which is believed to be derived from his place of origin, the region of Brie (although the Briard was found in many parts of France).A more romantic explanation exists as well — that is, the name is a distortion of Chien d'Aubry. A 14th century legend claims that Aubry de Montdidier, a courtier of King Charles V, built a cathedral in memory of a valiant Briard who saved his son's life.Regardless of the origin of the name, the Briard can be linked back to the Emperor Charlemagne through his depiction in early tapestries. The Briard has also been linked to Napoleon and was the official breed of the French Army.It is believed that Thomas Jefferson imported the first Briards to the United States, and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1928. Surprisingly, the Briard was not introduced to the United Kingdom until the late 1960s.