The Briard hides a brave temperament and acute intelligence under his long, shaggy coat. They can be distant with strangers, yet friendly and caring with their pack mates, as befitting their French ancestors.

Even though they are purebred canines, they may end up in shelters or rescue organisations. Keep in mind to adopt! If you want to bring a dog home, don't go shopping.

Originally bred as herding and guard dogs to protect flocks and ward off predators, these working dogs were utilised by troops as sentries, ammo bearers, couriers, and medic dogs during World War I. Today, the Briard is mostly used as a companion dog, but they have achieved considerable success in obedience, agility, conformation, herding, carting, and tracking contests, demonstrating their adaptability and working temperament.

Briard Highlights
Breed Size	Large
Nature	Playful, Friendly
Energy Level	Active
Intelligence	High
Barking Level	When Necessary
Coat Length	Long, Medium
Breed Group	Working
Droll Amount	Low
Good with	Familes, Children, Dog
Feed Level	Medium, High
Colour Type	Black,gray,fawn
Other Facts	Tolerates being alone,cold weather tolerant,strong loyalty tendencies,good hiking companion.

Dog History

The Briard is said to have originated in France in the 8th century. He was known as the Chien Berger De Brie, which is said to stem from his birthplace, the Brie area (although the Briard was found in many parts of France).

There's also a more romantic explanation: the name is a misspelling of Chien d'Aubry. According to tradition, Aubry de Montdidier, a courtier of King Charles V, constructed a cathedral in honour of a brave Briard who saved his son's life in the 14th century.

Regardless of the name's origin, the Briard may be traced back to Emperor Charlemagne according to early tapestries depicting him. The Briard was closely associated with Napoleon and served as the French Army's official breed.

Thomas Jefferson is thought to have brought the first Briards to America, and the American Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1928. The Briard was not introduced to the United Kingdom until the late 1960s, which is surprising.

Health and Care

Briards are typically healthy, however they are susceptible to some health issues, as are all breeds. Although not all Briards will contract any or all of these illnesses, it's vital to be aware of them if you're thinking about getting one.

Find a reliable breeder who will show you health clearances for both your dog's parents if you're buying a puppy. Health clearances demonstrate that a dog has been checked for and cleared of a certain disease.

You can expect to see health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for hip dysplasia (with a score of fair or better), elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and von Willebrand's disease in Briards; thrombopathia from Auburn University; and normal eyes from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) in Briards. The OFA website can be used to verify health clearances (offa.org).

• Hip Dysplasia
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Congenital Stationary Night Blindness (CSNB)
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
• Von Willebrand's Disease
• Gastric Torsion

Care

The Briard may live in either the city or the country. When he's indoors, he's a rather quiet breed, but he does require 30 to 60 minutes of daily activity. The Briard can grow bored if there isn't enough action, which can lead to irritating or harmful habits including barking, digging, chasing, and chewing. Dog activities, particularly herding competitions, are a great way for him to burn off steam and refine his innate herding abilities.

Because the Briard puppy must understand who the pack leader is or he will want to take over, training should begin as soon as the puppy arrives home. This does not imply that he should master complex orders by the age of nine weeks, but he should begin learning good etiquette and home norms as soon as possible.

Crate training may be a useful tool for housetraining and keeping your dog safe while you're away, but keep in mind that while you're at home, he should be with you and not in his crate.

Because the Briard is naturally wary of individuals who aren't part of his "flock," it's crucial to teach your Briard puppy to be sociable to strangers. If a Briard is not properly socialised and taught, he may become aggressive against humans or animals that he perceives to be a threat.

Dog Breed Care Tips and Important Instructions

Briards need to exercise on a regular basis. They like long walks, hiking trails, and swimming, as well as backyard games of fetch and tug-of-war. Briards excel at obedience, agility, tracking, herding, and other dog sports as well.

Training is also crucial. These self-sufficient working canines excel at making decisions on their own and may require some time to train. Briards, on the other hand, are intelligent animals that can learn simple orders and new behaviours with a little encouragement and positive reinforcement—treats don't hurt, either!

"If you're a first-time briard owner, the dog may occasionally surprise you and do something you didn't train [him], but that only goes to show how clever they are and how much they want to please you," Hillier adds.

Maintaining a briard's coat, like training, takes commitment. When briards are pups, Hillier recommends starting a grooming programme. Their delicate, fluffy infant coats may not require much care, but when their rougher adult coats grow in, frequent brushing becomes necessary. The sooner you begin grooming your briard, the easier it will be to keep up the routine.

Brush your briard at least once a week to avoid tangles and eliminate dead hair. During the spring and fall, you may need to brush them more frequently, although they don't shed much. More good news: briards don't need to be bathed very often.

"The mature briard coat should be coarse," Hillier explains, "so it shouldn't need bathing very often unless [he's] unclean."

Regular nail trims, ear cleanings, and dental care, such as at-home brushing and professional cleanings, are all part of a proper grooming routine.

Feeding

3 to 4 cups of high-quality dry food per day, split into two meals, is the recommended daily quantity.The amount of food your adult dog consumes is determined by his size, age, build, metabolism, and degree of activity. Dogs, like people, are unique individuals that require different amounts of food. It practically goes without saying that a dog that is very active will require more than a dog who is sedentary. The type of dog food you buy makes a difference as well; the better the dog food, the more it will nourish your dog and the less you'll have to shake into his bowl.

Rather than putting food out all the time, measure his food and feed him twice a day to keep your Briard in good form. Give him the eye and hands-on tests if you're not sure if he's overweight.

Look down at him first. There should be a waist visible. Then, with your thumbs down his spine and fingers stretched downward, place your hands on his back. Without pressing too much, you should be able to feel but not see his ribs. If you can't, he'll need to eat less and exercise more.

Fun Facts

• The briard has appeared in a number of films, including Chuck Norris' Top Dog, Married...with Children, Dennis the Menace, and Buddy.
• Norman, a briard, holds the world record for a dog's quickest 30 metres on a scooter. In 2013, he finished the distance in 20.77 seconds.
• Liberty and Justice, two briards, were appointed the official mascots of Colonial Williamsburg in 2015. They were reenactors portraying the dogs of George Washington.

Home Training Tips and General Information

They are easily trained and eager to serve their master, but they require a strong owner who can guide them. They are incredibly sensitive to their families' feelings and make good home companions with proper upbringing.

Briards may require a lot of mental and physical exertion. They desire to be amused through games and exercises. As owners, you should do this on a regular basis to help them develop into well-behaved companion dogs.

They should be socialised as soon as possible, particularly with youngsters. If they are raised together, they are friendly and adapt well to living with youngsters. Briards must be taught how to become pack leaders so that they may understand their role in the pack.

When teaching your Briard puppy, showing appreciation and providing positive reinforcement is highly beneficial and necessary.

You should never scream at your young puppy or punish them for not listening – positive reinforcement is the most effective way to train your Briard.

Instead than patting your Briard on the top of their head or back while congratulating them, give them a pat beneath their chin or chest, which is more loving for them.

Long bouts of training for your Briard are not recommended. It is more efficient to train them throughout the day with numerous yet brief sessions. Briards should be trained 3-5 times a day for 5-minute sessions. This guarantees that you have their undivided attention.

Reward your dog with a pet dog treat whenever they've completed what you've requested of them.

Many Briard owners make the major mistake of allowing their young puppy to do things that they would not want them to do later in life (e.g. laying on furniture). Allowing them to develop this habit will make it incredibly difficult to change your pet dog's behaviour in the future.

Briard puppy training must begin at the age of eight weeks, and they normally reach full learning capacity between eight and twelve weeks.

While complimenting, use a joyful tone; when saying "No," use a stern tone (but don't yell).

FAQS

Briard Unique Name

Male Name	Female Name
Bo	Betsy
Buck	Candy
Champ	Duchess
Griffin	Fiona
Luke	Kali
Milo	London
Ned	Madison
Petey	Maggie
Quincy	Matilda
Remy	Mia
Spike	Noel
Thor	Riley
Zane	Roxy
Bailey	Smokey
Banjo	Sunny
pencer	Sydney
Tanner	Tootsie
T-bird	Butterscotch
Tiny	Lexus
Xena	Tequila