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Briard History

The Briard is an old French herding breed which goes back in history as far as Charlemagne, having been seen in tapestries of that period, history also attributes two Briards to Napoleon. For centuries the Briard was used as a shepherding dog, as well as a guardian of the flock and the homestead. With his size and substance he was well able to fight off wolves and other predators. During World War One, they were used as Red Cross dogs, sentry dogs and ammunition carriers and were almost made extinct. The Briard was officially recognized as a breed by the AKC in 1928.

Briard Temperament

Briards are naturally atheletic and aert, which makes them excellent watch dogs but also suspicious of strangers. The are known to bond intensely with their families and be very protective of them, some say that a Briard is a "heart wrapped in fur". Briards are also good with children and other small animals, provided that they have been raised with them. They are intelligent and are not to difficult to train. Due to it's heritage as a herding dog, they may display this behavior by trying to "herd" small children or other animals.

Briard Appearance

Briards are large, rugged, agile dogs, having harsh long coat and double dewclaws mounted low on each rear leg, resembling additional toes.The accepted coloring of these dogs includes various shades of tawny, gray, or black. Traditionally, their ears have been cropped, but some breeders are opting for the natural look. These dogs usually weigh between 60 to 100 pounds and stand 22 to 27 inches at the withers.

Briard Grooming

Show Briards have a long, flowing coat that requires a lot of maintenance. Most owners opt to take their dogs to the groomers for a "puppy cut", which is a lot easier to maintain. Brushing must be done twice weekly to keep your Briard looking presentable. Briards are a dog that is notorious for getting smelly quite quickly and requires frequent bathing. This dog is a medium shedder.

Briard Life Expectancy and Health Problems

The most common diseases affecting this breed are thyroid problems, Hip Displaysia and Progressive Retinal Atrophy. Since this is a deep chested breed, Bloat, or the twisting of the stomach, is also a problem. The average lifespan of a Briard is 10 to 12 years.

Famous Briards

Rosie from the 1993 Dennis the Menace movie was a Briard

Reno the Briard was featured in the movie Top Dog

Briard Pros and Cons

This simplified list may help you decide if a Briard might be a good fit for your lifestyle

Do You Want

• an energetic dog?
• a shaggy dog?
• a large dog?

Do You NOT Want

• a dog that requires a considerable amount of grooming?
• a dog that can be suspicious of strangers?
• a dog that requires a fair amount of exercise?
• a dog that may display it's herding abilities by trying to "herd" small children or other animals?

Useful Briard Links

The American Briard Club

The Briard Association of the UK

The German Briard Club