Briard Dog Breed

Posted by Jeanne on November 30, 2008

Briards are one of the oldest breeds of French dogs suitable to strenuous work. Their traditional use has been the division of flocks, although they have been of utility for draft purposes and for guarding property and as a general utility farm dog. They are very smart and teachable, good watch dogs and not vicious.

• General Appearance – A strong and substantially built dog, fitted for field work, lithe, muscular, and well proportioned, alert and active.
• Size – Height at shoulders: Dogs, 23 to 27 inches. Bitches, 22 to 25-1/2 inches. Young dogs may be below the minimum.
• Head – Large and rather long.
• Stop well marked and placed at equal distance from top of head and tip of nose.
• Forehead very slightly rounded.
• Line from stop to tip of nose straight.
• Teeth strong, white, and meeting exactly even.
• Muzzle neither narrow nor pointed.
• Nose rather square than rounded, always black.
• Hair heavy and long on top of head, the ears, and around the muzzle, forming eyebrows standing out and not veiling the eyes too much.
• Eyes horizontal, well opened, dark in color and rather large; intelligent and gentle in expression.
• Ears placed high, not too large and not carried too flat. In France the tips of the ears are generally cropped, causing the ear to be semi-erect.
• Conformation – Neck muscular and distinct from the shoulders. Chest broad and deep. Back straight.
  Rump slightly sloped. Legs muscular with heavy bones.
• Hock not too near the ground, making a well-marked angle, the leg below the hock being not quite vertical.
• Tail – Uncut, well feathered, slightly curled at the end, carried low and twisted neither to the right nor to the left, the feather on lowest point reaching to point of hock.
• Feet – Strong, round, with toes close together and hard pads; nails black.
• Coat – Long, slightly wavy, stiff, and strong.
• Color – All solid colors are allowed except white. Dark colors are preferable.
• Usual Colors – Black, and black with some white hairs, dark and light gray, tawny, and combinations of two of these colors, provided there are no marked spots and the transition from one to the other takes place gradually and symmetrically.
• Dewclaws – Two dewclaws on each hindleg are required. A dog with only one cannot be given a prize.