Briard

The Physical Characteristics of the Briard

The physical characteristics of the Briard breed are best summarized as follows:

-Massive muscular herding dog
-Moderately wavy coarse long double coat.
-Coats are gray, black or tawny.
-As the dog matures; the coat deepens in color ground.

Personality and Temperament of the Briard

With its ultra-sonic hearing, the Briard can hear anything and guard like fastidious watchdog. Always on alert yet playful, the dog is devoted and obedient. The memory facilities of the breed are like a steel trap. Due to the dog’s intelligence and strong memory, the Briard is quite trainable. The kind and docile nature of the canine makes for an ideal companion. When the Briard is not raised properly, they may seem unruly, stubborn and unapproachable. (They do not take well to teasing).

Other Briard Characteristics

The average height of a Briard is 24 to 27 inches for the male and 22 to 25 inches for the female. The weight ranges between 70-75 pounds. The life expectancy of the Briard breed is from 10 to 12 years.

Briard’s Health Problems
Despite the healthiness of the Briard breed, certain lines are prone to hip dysplasia and eye disorders (PRA and cataracts). Due to the size of the breed, they may experience bloating and stomach torsions like other larger canines.
The condition may not show any signs and occur rapidly leading to fatality if not treated.

Ideal Living Conditions
Their ideal living condition is in the house with the family; however, the Briard loves the great outdoors. Regular running or swimming will keep the breed from becoming restless. In apartment living, The Briard may live quite comfortably – as long as it gets adequate exercise. Although, the Briard will find a way to engage in moderate activity indoors, the breed does best in an average-sized yard. The Briard canine is not suited for confinement in a kennel.