History of the Briard
The Briard is an old French 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. Sometimes known in France as "Chien Berger De Brie" or sheepdog of Brie, this name is thought to have originated in one of two ways. The first explanation is that they originated in the ancient region of Brie, an environ of Paris. The more romantic alternative stems from an old legend of the Middle Ages which recalls the murder of Sir Aubry de Montdidier. His dog took it upon himself to relentlessly pursued the assassin, a man named Macaire. The King ordained that a judiciary duel should take place between man and dog. This strange conflict was fought out in 1371 on the Isle de Notre Dame, and the dog of which the description is very similar to that of a Briard , was the winner. The dog might well then have been known as the dog of Aubry (chien d'Aubry), and it is easy to see how this could have changed, in common usage, to 'chien de Brie'.
A wonderful working dog, the Briard is the most numerous of the French sheepdog breeds and has been used throughout the centuries 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 - even two legged ones! Due to their keen hearing and vast intelligence they were used during World War I as red cross dogs, sentry dogs and ammunition carriers. Consequently by the end of the war the Briard population was sadly depleted.
Despite his very ancient history, the Briard was introduced into this country only in the late 1960's with the first dog arriving from Ireland in 1966 and the first imports from France in 1969. The first ever litter in Great Britain was born in March 1969 from Irish imports and the second in November of the same year. The first Briard was shown in 1967 and by 1969 two Briards had qualified for Crufts. The breed then went from strength to strength and November 1973 saw the formation of the British Briard Club. In 1974 the breed was granted championship status, with the offer of 6 sets of Challenge Certificates, and this year also saw the first Briard Champion, Desamee Mitzi Moffat.
WHAT KIND OF DOG IS HE ?
The Briard is a big, rugged, sturdy dog, measuring from 23" minimum for females to 27" maximum for males. He should weigh anything from 70 - 100 lbs according to sex and height. His bone should be heavy and his feet large. He should be covered all over with a long, wavy coat and this coat may be any colour of fawn, from quite pale to a deep rich shade, (richer shades being preferred) with or without dark shadings on ears, muzzle, back and tail: all black, or with white hairs scattered through black coat; slate grey.
His character should be very intelligent, gay and lively and his temperament fearless with no trace of timidity or aggressiveness. This often translates into boisterous and unless a puppy is sensibly trained one could easily end up with an over exuberant and unmanageable adult who will take its owner for a walk rather than the other way round.
HOW MANAGEABLE IS HIS COAT ?
His coat, although having the advantage of not moulting, requires a considerable amount of grooming. From the day your Briard puppy arrives you must get him used to being brushed. So often the mistake is made by saying, 'he has no coat let's wait until it's grown a little' and when puppy is 6 months old you have a large dog that has no intention of standing to be groomed. Start when puppies are about 8 - 10 weeks old; don't put up with any nonsense like the puppy trying to chew the end of the brush, or your hand, he must be taught.
As your puppy's coat grows, so the need for grooming becomes more frequent; about 10 minutes per day. This is done by starting at the feet, which should be examined closely in between the toes for any hard lumps of soil, grass seeds or hair that has matted, this must be removed as it will cause discomfort and could lead to lameness. Once the feet are cleared you then start on the lower leg by holding up the coat with one hand and brushing it down in layers with the other, this ensures that no tangles are in the underneath of the coat. This method should be used up all his legs and body, it is not enough just to run the brush over the top layer of the coat. If properly groomed you should be able to run a wide toothed dog comb through the coat.
Grooming around the face of your dog can be a problem, most dogs dislike it and a number of owners generally forget or can't be bothered because of the fight. It must be done and the best way is to hold puppy by his beard and brush from his nose down the sides of his mouth. Make sure that the top of the head, behind the ears and around the eyes are all kept clear of tangles.
Briards have double dew claws on the hind legs and single dew claws on their front and these must be clipped from time to time. This is done with dog nail clippers, as the nails of Briards are black it is very difficult to see the quick so, unless you have the right equipment and know what you are doing, this must be left to your veterinary surgeon. The same applies to his nails, although the average dog who gets plenty of road walking should not have too long nails.
To shampoo your dog start as early as possible, whether puppy is dirty or not, it is far easier to console a little puppy than a fully grown adult. A good method is to wet puppy over his body, leaving his head, shampoo his body and rinse well, then wet, shampoo and rinse his head, taking care to plug his ears with cotton wool and making sure no shampoo gets into his eyes. It is a good idea to use baby shampoo on your puppy's head. The reason for leaving his head until the end is two fold. Firstly, he gets used to the water by the time you get to his head and secondly, once a dog has a wet head he starts to feel the cold.
Finally we must point out that regular grooming of a Briard's coat is an absolute necessity and you must spend a few minutes each day on this task. A neglected coat can very quickly become totally matted, which is not only uncomfortable and unhealthy for the dog but will probably need clipping off professionally.
WHEN SHOULD YOU START TRAINING ?
The quick answer to this question is at once. You have just arrived home with your first ever bundle of fun. You know he will grow into a large dog and unless you lay down a few elementary rules at this early stage, your cuddly Briard puppy will eventually take over and may become an unruly hooligan. From an early stage it is a good idea for your Briard to have contact with people other than his own family. If you have visitors to the house, don't shut your puppy out, encourage him to be friendly towards them. A visit to the shops or a local pub or training classes can help to socialize him. If your puppy is banished outside whenever anyone comes and does not meet strangers, you may find when you take him out he is shy or even nervous towards people.
You must also teach him manners, very quickly he will be able to reach the kitchen unit tops, he will have his paws all over them if allowed but an "No" or "Down" and gentle persuasion should stop him, don't even let him get away with it once. The same applies to him leaping at your visitors, not everyone likes to be pinned against the wall by a large hairy monster. Once you start to make a point - keep it up until the habit is cured, always remember - be firm. Depending on your lifestyle, you will know what you will or will not allow him to do. If you don't want him up on your furniture then don't ever allow it.
HOW MUCH EXERCISE DOES A BRIARD NEED ?
Being a large breed, the Briard does not mature until around 18 months. Their bones are still soft until well over one year, so don't over exercise whilst they are young. A short walk on the lead to your local shops, perhaps off the lead on the way back through the park, but never allow romps across fields or afternoon hikes before they are 18 months or so. Have you ever seen a young Briard just let off the lead? His legs are flying all over the place, his back end trying to overtake his front and sometimes even tripping over himself with his own exuberance. This may look amusing, but this sort of exercise could lead to unsoundness. I have known young Briards that have been allowed to play on the stairs, romping up and down - please don't allow it. Once your puppy has finished his height growth, his walks can be gradually extended; an adult Briard benefits from regular daily exercise both on and off the lead.
SO SHOULD I BUY A BRIARD ?
If you wish to share your life with a large, hairy, exuberant bundle of love, who because of his high level of intelligence can easily become bored, requires regular grooming and as an adult needs plenty of exercise, then the answer is yes. Owning a Briard can be very rewarding but it can also be very hard work, it is not a breed to be purchased on a whim.
A wonderful working dog, the Briard is the most numerous of the French sheepdog breeds and has been used throughout the centuries 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 - even two legged ones! Due to their keen hearing and vast intelligence they were used during World War I as red cross dogs, sentry dogs and ammunition carriers. Consequently by the end of the war the Briard population was sadly depleted.
Despite his very ancient history, the Briard was introduced into this country only in the late 1960's with the first dog arriving from Ireland in 1966 and the first imports from France in 1969. The first ever litter in Great Britain was born in March 1969 from Irish imports and the second in November of the same year. The first Briard was shown in 1967 and by 1969 two Briards had qualified for Crufts. The breed then went from strength to strength and November 1973 saw the formation of the British Briard Club. In 1974 the breed was granted championship status, with the offer of 6 sets of Challenge Certificates, and this year also saw the first Briard Champion, Desamee Mitzi Moffat.
WHAT KIND OF DOG IS HE ?
The Briard is a big, rugged, sturdy dog, measuring from 23" minimum for females to 27" maximum for males. He should weigh anything from 70 - 100 lbs according to sex and height. His bone should be heavy and his feet large. He should be covered all over with a long, wavy coat and this coat may be any colour of fawn, from quite pale to a deep rich shade, (richer shades being preferred) with or without dark shadings on ears, muzzle, back and tail: all black, or with white hairs scattered through black coat; slate grey.
His character should be very intelligent, gay and lively and his temperament fearless with no trace of timidity or aggressiveness. This often translates into boisterous and unless a puppy is sensibly trained one could easily end up with an over exuberant and unmanageable adult who will take its owner for a walk rather than the other way round.
HOW MANAGEABLE IS HIS COAT ?
His coat, although having the advantage of not moulting, requires a considerable amount of grooming. From the day your Briard puppy arrives you must get him used to being brushed. So often the mistake is made by saying, 'he has no coat let's wait until it's grown a little' and when puppy is 6 months old you have a large dog that has no intention of standing to be groomed. Start when puppies are about 8 - 10 weeks old; don't put up with any nonsense like the puppy trying to chew the end of the brush, or your hand, he must be taught.
As your puppy's coat grows, so the need for grooming becomes more frequent; about 10 minutes per day. This is done by starting at the feet, which should be examined closely in between the toes for any hard lumps of soil, grass seeds or hair that has matted, this must be removed as it will cause discomfort and could lead to lameness. Once the feet are cleared you then start on the lower leg by holding up the coat with one hand and brushing it down in layers with the other, this ensures that no tangles are in the underneath of the coat. This method should be used up all his legs and body, it is not enough just to run the brush over the top layer of the coat. If properly groomed you should be able to run a wide toothed dog comb through the coat.
Grooming around the face of your dog can be a problem, most dogs dislike it and a number of owners generally forget or can't be bothered because of the fight. It must be done and the best way is to hold puppy by his beard and brush from his nose down the sides of his mouth. Make sure that the top of the head, behind the ears and around the eyes are all kept clear of tangles.
Briards have double dew claws on the hind legs and single dew claws on their front and these must be clipped from time to time. This is done with dog nail clippers, as the nails of Briards are black it is very difficult to see the quick so, unless you have the right equipment and know what you are doing, this must be left to your veterinary surgeon. The same applies to his nails, although the average dog who gets plenty of road walking should not have too long nails.
To shampoo your dog start as early as possible, whether puppy is dirty or not, it is far easier to console a little puppy than a fully grown adult. A good method is to wet puppy over his body, leaving his head, shampoo his body and rinse well, then wet, shampoo and rinse his head, taking care to plug his ears with cotton wool and making sure no shampoo gets into his eyes. It is a good idea to use baby shampoo on your puppy's head. The reason for leaving his head until the end is two fold. Firstly, he gets used to the water by the time you get to his head and secondly, once a dog has a wet head he starts to feel the cold.
Finally we must point out that regular grooming of a Briard's coat is an absolute necessity and you must spend a few minutes each day on this task. A neglected coat can very quickly become totally matted, which is not only uncomfortable and unhealthy for the dog but will probably need clipping off professionally.
WHEN SHOULD YOU START TRAINING ?
The quick answer to this question is at once. You have just arrived home with your first ever bundle of fun. You know he will grow into a large dog and unless you lay down a few elementary rules at this early stage, your cuddly Briard puppy will eventually take over and may become an unruly hooligan. From an early stage it is a good idea for your Briard to have contact with people other than his own family. If you have visitors to the house, don't shut your puppy out, encourage him to be friendly towards them. A visit to the shops or a local pub or training classes can help to socialize him. If your puppy is banished outside whenever anyone comes and does not meet strangers, you may find when you take him out he is shy or even nervous towards people.
You must also teach him manners, very quickly he will be able to reach the kitchen unit tops, he will have his paws all over them if allowed but an "No" or "Down" and gentle persuasion should stop him, don't even let him get away with it once. The same applies to him leaping at your visitors, not everyone likes to be pinned against the wall by a large hairy monster. Once you start to make a point - keep it up until the habit is cured, always remember - be firm. Depending on your lifestyle, you will know what you will or will not allow him to do. If you don't want him up on your furniture then don't ever allow it.
HOW MUCH EXERCISE DOES A BRIARD NEED ?
Being a large breed, the Briard does not mature until around 18 months. Their bones are still soft until well over one year, so don't over exercise whilst they are young. A short walk on the lead to your local shops, perhaps off the lead on the way back through the park, but never allow romps across fields or afternoon hikes before they are 18 months or so. Have you ever seen a young Briard just let off the lead? His legs are flying all over the place, his back end trying to overtake his front and sometimes even tripping over himself with his own exuberance. This may look amusing, but this sort of exercise could lead to unsoundness. I have known young Briards that have been allowed to play on the stairs, romping up and down - please don't allow it. Once your puppy has finished his height growth, his walks can be gradually extended; an adult Briard benefits from regular daily exercise both on and off the lead.
SO SHOULD I BUY A BRIARD ?
If you wish to share your life with a large, hairy, exuberant bundle of love, who because of his high level of intelligence can easily become bored, requires regular grooming and as an adult needs plenty of exercise, then the answer is yes. Owning a Briard can be very rewarding but it can also be very hard work, it is not a breed to be purchased on a whim.
Kennel Club Breed Standard - Briard
A Breed Standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function. Absolute soundness is essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations which would be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed. From time to time certain conditions or exaggerations may be considered to have the potential to affect dogs in some breeds adversely, and judges and breeders are requested to refer to the Kennel Club website for details of any such current issues. If a feature or quality is desirable it should only be present in the right measure.
General Appearance
Rugged appearance; supple, muscular and well proportioned.
Characteristics
Very intelligent, gay and lively.
Temperament
Fearless, with no trace of timidity or aggressiveness.
Head and Skull
Skull slightly rounded and slightly longer from occiput to stop than it is wide when measured through points of cheekbones. Head is composed of two equal rectangles, occiput to stop and stop to end of nose, when viewed in profile from above. Muzzle square and very strong; any tendency to snippiness' highly undesirable. Stop clearly defined. Nose large and square, always black.
Eyes
Horizontally placed, well open and rather large, not oblique. Intelligent and gentle in expression. Dark brown, eye rims always black.
Ears
Set on high and covered with long hair. Should not lie too flat against side of head. Fairly short, length of ear being equal to or slightly less than half length of head. When dog alert ears should be lifted slightly and swing very slightly forward.
Mouth
Teeth very strong and white with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips always black.
Neck
Of good length; strong and muscular; arched, giving proud carriage of head and flowing smoothly into well placed shoulders.
Forequarters
Shoulders well angulated and well laid back, forelegs well muscled, strongly boned.
Body
Back firm and level, chest broad, medium spring of rib, well let down, very slight slope at croup, determining set of tail. Very slightly longer in body than height at shoulder.
Hindquarters
Well angulated, with hocks set not too low and turning neither in nor out, but leg below hock not quite vertical. Hind legs, particularly thighs, well muscled. Double dewclaws set low on hind legs of utmost importance.
Feet
Strong, turning neither in nor out, slightly rounded, about midway between cat foot and hare foot. Nails always black, pads firm and hard, toes close together. Well covered with hair.
Tail
Long, well covered with hair with upward hook at tip. Carried low but always held centrally. Bone of tail reaching at least point of hock.
Gait/Movement
Effortless, and when dog extends himself covering a great deal of ground. Extremely supple, enabling dog to turn quickly. Strong, firm, very smooth with plenty of drive.
Coat
Long, not less than 7 cms (2¾ ins) on body. Slightly wavy and very dry. A fine dense undercoat required all over body. Head carries hair forming a moustache, beard and eyebrows, lightly veiling eyes.
Colour
All black, or with white hairs scattered through black coat. Fawn in all its shades, darker shades preferred. Fawns may have dark shadings on ears, muzzle, back and tail, but these shadings must blend gradually into rest of coat since any demarcation line denotes a bi-colour which is not permissible. May also be slate grey.
Size
Height: dogs: 61-69 cms (24-27 ins) at withers; bitches: 58-65 cms (23-25½ ins) at withers. Slight undersize before 18 months, or slight oversize in maturity permissible.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
A Breed Standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function. Absolute soundness is essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations which would be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed. From time to time certain conditions or exaggerations may be considered to have the potential to affect dogs in some breeds adversely, and judges and breeders are requested to refer to the Kennel Club website for details of any such current issues. If a feature or quality is desirable it should only be present in the right measure.
General Appearance
Rugged appearance; supple, muscular and well proportioned.
Characteristics
Very intelligent, gay and lively.
Temperament
Fearless, with no trace of timidity or aggressiveness.
Head and Skull
Skull slightly rounded and slightly longer from occiput to stop than it is wide when measured through points of cheekbones. Head is composed of two equal rectangles, occiput to stop and stop to end of nose, when viewed in profile from above. Muzzle square and very strong; any tendency to snippiness' highly undesirable. Stop clearly defined. Nose large and square, always black.
Eyes
Horizontally placed, well open and rather large, not oblique. Intelligent and gentle in expression. Dark brown, eye rims always black.
Ears
Set on high and covered with long hair. Should not lie too flat against side of head. Fairly short, length of ear being equal to or slightly less than half length of head. When dog alert ears should be lifted slightly and swing very slightly forward.
Mouth
Teeth very strong and white with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips always black.
Neck
Of good length; strong and muscular; arched, giving proud carriage of head and flowing smoothly into well placed shoulders.
Forequarters
Shoulders well angulated and well laid back, forelegs well muscled, strongly boned.
Body
Back firm and level, chest broad, medium spring of rib, well let down, very slight slope at croup, determining set of tail. Very slightly longer in body than height at shoulder.
Hindquarters
Well angulated, with hocks set not too low and turning neither in nor out, but leg below hock not quite vertical. Hind legs, particularly thighs, well muscled. Double dewclaws set low on hind legs of utmost importance.
Feet
Strong, turning neither in nor out, slightly rounded, about midway between cat foot and hare foot. Nails always black, pads firm and hard, toes close together. Well covered with hair.
Tail
Long, well covered with hair with upward hook at tip. Carried low but always held centrally. Bone of tail reaching at least point of hock.
Gait/Movement
Effortless, and when dog extends himself covering a great deal of ground. Extremely supple, enabling dog to turn quickly. Strong, firm, very smooth with plenty of drive.
Coat
Long, not less than 7 cms (2¾ ins) on body. Slightly wavy and very dry. A fine dense undercoat required all over body. Head carries hair forming a moustache, beard and eyebrows, lightly veiling eyes.
Colour
All black, or with white hairs scattered through black coat. Fawn in all its shades, darker shades preferred. Fawns may have dark shadings on ears, muzzle, back and tail, but these shadings must blend gradually into rest of coat since any demarcation line denotes a bi-colour which is not permissible. May also be slate grey.
Size
Height: dogs: 61-69 cms (24-27 ins) at withers; bitches: 58-65 cms (23-25½ ins) at withers. Slight undersize before 18 months, or slight oversize in maturity permissible.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
