Different breeds of dogs.

BRIARD

by Dennis Fisher.

This article is one of a great many articles written by Dennis Fisher about a very wide variety of subjects concerning different  dogs, such as obedience training, breeding, showing, health matters, training problems and other subjects.  All these articles appear on Dennis Fisher's websites.   Visit  http://www.allaboutgermanshepherddogs.com the site that has been set up specifically for German Shepherd Dog enthusiasts, or http://www.freedogadvice.com  if you interested in a breed   other than German Shepherd Dogs. 

For those who like an unusual  breed, not  seen in  many homes, the Briard offer an excellent alternative.

This French breed of dog, bred originally to herd sheep and cattle, can fit easily into the home environment.

It is a large, heavy-coated animal, with males standing approximately 26-27 inches at the shoulder and females slight smaller.

A feature of the Briard is that, although there is a tendency for the heavy undercoat to become looser at certain times,  it is an animal that does not shed its long coat, 

 However, because the coat is definitely long and heavy, a certain amount of grooming is necessary in order for the animal to remain in good health and appearance.

The Briard is a quite, confident, intelligent   animal that is good with children, and it can be a very good, alert watchdog because of its acute sense of hearing and imposing presence.

  But , as in every breed, there is often a great variance in temperament.  Some Briards, possibly  because of indiscriminate breeding with not enough attention paid to temperament, are not as bold as one would wish and not what one would expect of an animal of this impressive size.

 With the choice of every breed it is very important to personally   examine the parents of the pup you intend choosing.   If both Sire and Dam are bold, confident, outgoing animals, that do not suddenly back away from strange unfamiliar sights and sounds, it is highly likely that the pups will inherit these important attributes.

This is not to suggest that the parents must be vicious, because this feature rather than being desirable often hides inherent insecurity and timidity.     A bold, outgoing, approachable  – but not necessarily over-friendly – temperament is preferred. 

This can be  is quite clearly evident when one examines an animal n its home environment.

In color the Briard can be completely black, slate gray or various shades of fawn. The head is large and impressive, slightly rounded with a square muzzle.   The ears are  covered with hair.

Because it was originally bred to work the Briard is an animal that does require a great deal of exercise and should not be confined to a small area.