05 Feb Interesting Facts about the Briard Dog Breed

Briard is one of the large and muscular dog breeds. The hair of this dog is wavy and his hair is about fifteen centimetres long, which makes his size bigger. The Briard dog breed is mostly seen in black, grey and brown colours with round ears. This breed is very intelligent and has a high hearing power. He’s usually bred to work on the farm. If you want to get to know the Briard dog breed, stay tuned to the end of this article.

History of the Briard dog breed

This breed has been known for many centuries. Charles Megan, Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson and Lafayette were historical figures who all had Briards. This ancient herding dog was also used in the French army as a guard, messenger and saviour of wounded soldiers. Briard’s fame reached its peak after the French dog show in 1863. Shepard, police dogs, guards and watchdogs are among the capabilities of this breed.

Briard dog behaviour 

He was bred to work on the farm and it seems that he lives to be the shepherd of every creature! He has very good hearing power. Kind, but with a solid defensive instinct. Briard is an alert and wonderful guard dog. Sensitive, playful and submissive, but with his way of thinking. Centuries of working and living with humans have made him a calm and pleasant being, brave, faithful and fearless.

This breed has a good long-term memory. He trains well but requires an experienced trainer and isn’t recommended for everyone. He’s very stubborn and if he isn’t properly trained, he can become a very timid, angry or both creature. He needs a lot of fun and exercises to feel happy. If he gets to know children from an early age, he will be very kind to them. He isn’t a dog that can be left alone and ignored all day because he loves his family and should spend most of his time with them.

Briard dog breed nutrition

It’s better to give 1.5 to 2.5 cups of high-quality dog food per day, in two divided meals. The amount of food your dog eats depends on his age, body structure, metabolism and activity level. Dogs, like humans, have natural behaviours and their nutritional needs aren’t the same, and the quality of their food is also different. It’s better to give your dog less nutritious food instead of filling his bowl several times a day.

To prevent your dog from becoming obese, you can feed him twice a day and measure the amount of food he eats. If you aren’t sure whether your dog is overweight, you can test him with your hands and eyes, first, look at him so that you can see the dog’s waist, then place your hand on his back and your thumb along his spine. Run your fingers down. You should be able to touch the dog’s ribs without putting too much pressure, but if you can’t feel the ribs, the dog is overweight and you need to decrease his food and increase activity.

Grooming the Briard dog breed

• Briard dogs have the least amount of hair loss among all dogs. 
• You have to brush your teeth every day. 
• You have to bathe him every 6 or 8 weeks because his hair gets dirty very quickly, his paws get muddy and his beard gets wet and dirty. 
• To prevent the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth, it’s necessary to brush the dog’s teeth 2 or 3 times a week, but if you want your dog not to suffer from gum disease or bad mouth, you must do this every day. 
• Trim your dog’s nails once a month. If you hear the sound of the dog’s nails dragging on the floor while walking, it means that they are too long. Keeping the nails short will help you avoid getting hurt when the dog jumps excitedly to greet you.
• When grooming the dog, check him for signs such as sores, itching, signs of infection such as redness, sensitivity to touch, and inflammation on the skin of the nose, mouth, eyes, or feet. 
• The dog’s eyes should be without any redness or secretions. If you check your dog once a week in all aspects, you will prevent serious problems that may occur in the dog. 
• At least twice a week, check the inside of the dog’s ear for signs of infection or accumulation of germs, and if you notice that the dog shakes his head a lot and the inside of his ear is itchy, be sure to look inside his ear and never allow water or oil to enter his ear.

Compatibility with children and other pets

Briard is a loving, playful and family-friendly companion and can be a good protector for children. As with any breed, you should supervise the Briard’s actions when playing with your child as they may injure each other. Also, teach your child how to handle and touch the dog and don’t allow him to approach or feed the dog while he’s being trained.

No matter how tame the dog is, it should be leashed when playing with children. Briard never likes to be left alone. These dogs usually behave well with other dogs, but if they are played within an open yard, especially small dogs, they may act aggressively. If they are trained well, they can play with other animals, even cats.

Problems and health

Dogs of this breed are generally healthy, but like all other dogs, they may suffer from some diseases. Not all dogs of this breed get sick, but if you take care of them, you should have the necessary knowledge about them. 

Hip dysplasia

This disease is usually common among dogs of this breed. Factors such as genetics, environment and diet are effective in changing the shape of the hip joint. Although dog with the disease lives normal and healthy life, some of them may need surgery. Hip dysplasia is a hereditary disease in which the femur doesn’t connect well to the hip joint, resulting in lameness in one or both hind legs of the dog. You won’t see any signs of pain in a dog with this disease, but in old age It causes arthritis. Although hip dysplasia is a hereditary disease, factors such as a high-calorie diet or injuries caused by jumping or falling on smooth and soft surfaces can influence the rapid development of this disease.

Constant Congenital Night Blindness (CSNB)

This disease appears in several degrees, the first degree causes the dog to lose its vision in places where the light is low, and the more advanced degree causes the dog to be completely blind.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

This disease is a degenerative eye disorder in which the affected dog becomes blind due to the loss of the photoreceptors located behind the eyes. It can be diagnosed before the symptoms of this disease appear. Fortunately, dogs can use their other senses to solve their needs if they lose their sight and lead a healthy and complete life. A legal breeder must obtain a dog’s eye health certificate from a veterinary ophthalmologist every year.

Hypothyroidism

This disease causes disorders in the thyroid gland, which causes epilepsy, hair loss, obesity, lethargy, hyperpigmentation and other skin diseases. This disease is treated with medicine and a proper diet.

Von Willebrand

This problem is a hereditary disease that causes mild or severe and prolonged bleeding. If you suspect that your dog has this disease, ask your veterinarian to perform a blood test and necessary measures for this disease.

Cancer

Abnormal swelling caused by pain in one area, wounds that don’t heal, bleeding in any part of the body, and difficulty breathing are symptoms of cancer. This disease can be treated with chemotherapy, surgery or drugs.

Dilatation (opening) of the stomach and volvulus (GDV)

This disease causes bloating or twisting of the stomach, which can occur after eating a large meal a day, or eating quickly, or even drinking a large amount of water after eating and exercising. The type of food may also cause bloating. This disease is common among old dogs, but it can occur at any age.

Stomach expansion is associated with air inside the stomach, which causes the dog to not be able to burp or vomit naturally due to the excessive accumulation of air inside the stomach. In this case, the return of blood to the heart is slow and the blood pressure drops, which causes the dog to go into shock. If the doctor doesn’t take care of him in time, the dog will die. A dog with bloat may become restless, depressed, lethargic, weak, or have palpitations. When you see these symptoms in your dog, take him to the vet as soon as possible.

To wrap up

Briard is a large and muscular herding dog with wavy hair and a double coat. It was bred to work on the farm and it seems that it lives to be the shepherd of every creature! Kind, but with a robust defensive instinct. To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, activity, fitness, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs, so they count the moments before the next session.