Briard

General Information - Briard

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History

The Briard has been known for many centuries. Charlemagne, Napoleon and US President Thomas Jefferson all owned Briards. This ancient breed herded and guarded sheep by day, and was a guard for its owner's family and home by night. The Briard has also been used by the French Army as a sentry, a messenger, and to search for wounded soldiers amongst the dead on the battlefield utilising its acute sense of hearing. Present day Briards employ those same skills as search and rescue dogs locating earthquake victims. It became popular only after the Paris dog show of 1863 - largely due to the improvement of the dog's looks achieved by selective breeding. The breed is probably named either for Aubry of Montdidier, a man who was supposed to have owned an early Briard, or possibly for the French province of Brie. The Briard still serves as a herder and flock guardian today, as well as an esteemed guard and companion dog. Numerically, it is one of the most popular breeds in France.

Temperament

The Briard is an intelligent amiable dog that will protect its family with great loyalty. Because of the strong guarding traits early training and socialisation are essential. If trained in a firm and consistent manner it will learn easily and is a patient dog. Briards are a spirited breed, especially during puppy-hood, and this exuberance, combined with their size and strength, may cause difficulties if the household has a combination of pre school-age children and the steep learning curve of first-time dog ownership.

Upkeep

This is a dog that needs a good amount of activity and interaction every day. Its exercise requirements can be satisfied by a long walk or jog, or a long play session coupled with a little training. One of the greatest joys in a Briard's life is to be with its owner, so although it can sleep outside at night if required, it needs to be indoors as part of the family whenever they are home. Its long coat needs thorough brushing and combing every week or mats will form.

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 with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions and exaggerations, as well as being mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

Breed Standard - Briard

Characteristics: Very intelligent, gay and lively, fearless with no trace of timidity.

General Appearance: A dog of rugged appearance; supple, muscular and well proportioned.

Head and Skull: The skull slightly rounded and a little longer from occiput to stop than it is wide when measured through the points of the cheekbones. Emphasis should be placed on the fact that the head is composed of two equal rectangles, occiput to stop and stop to end of nose, when viewed in profile and from above. The muzzle square and very strong, any tendency to snipiness being severely penalised. The nose large and square and always black, no matter what colour the dog. The head should carry hair forming a moustache, beard and eyebrows lightly veiling the eyes.

Mouth: The teeth very strong, white and with a perfect regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips black, no matter what colour the dog.

Eyes: Horizontally placed, well open and rather large, not oblique. Intelligent and gentle in expression. Dark brown, eyerims always black, no matter what colour the dog.

Ears: Set on high. The ears, covered with long hair, should not lie too flat against the side of the head. They should be fairly short, the length of the ear being equal to or slightly less than half the length of the head. When the dog is alerted, the ears should be lifted slightly and swing very slightly forward.

Neck: Of good length, strong and muscular, arched to give proud carriage of the head and flowing smoothly into well placed shoulders.

Forequarters: Shoulders well angulated and well laid back; forelegs well muscled and with strong bone.

Body: The back firm and level, chest broad and well let down, there should be a very slight slope at the croup, which determines the set of the tail. The Briard should be very slightly longer in body than he is high at the shoulder.

Hindquarters: Well angulated with hocks set not too low and turning neither in nor out, but the leg below the hock not quite vertical. Hindlegs, particularly the thighs, well muscled. Double dewclaws set low on the hind legs of the utmost importance.

Feet: Strong, turning neither in nor out, slightly rounded, about mid:way between a cat foot and a hare foot. Nails always black. Pads firm and hard and toes close together.

Gait: Effortless and when the dog extends himself, covers a great deal of ground. Extremely supple enabling the dog to turn quickly. The gait strong, firm, very smooth and with plenty of drive.

Coat: Long, not less than 7 cm (3 in) on the body. Slightly wavy and very dry. A fine dense undercoat is required all over the body.

Tail: Long, well covered with hair and with an upward hook at the tip. Carried low but held neither to one side nor the other. The bone of the tail should reach at least to the point of the hock.

Colour: All black, or with white hairs scattered through the black coat. Fawn in all its shades, but the darker shades preferred. Fawns may have dark shadings on the ears, muzzle, back and tail, but these shadings must blend gradually into the rest of the coat, since any demarcation line denotes a bi-colour which is unacceptable. Briards may also be slate grey.

Size: Dogs 61: 69 cm (24: 27 in) at withers. Bitches: 58: 64 cm (23: 25.5 in) at withers.
Slight undersize is not to be considered a fault in an animal under eighteen months of age. A well balanced animal should never be penalised for being slightly over the maximum size.

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault is regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

DNZ No 518

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 and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.