Briard Breed description: Character & Co

What are typical character traits of the Briard?

Even if the Briard is hardly used as a herding dog today, the typical family-dog character traits of the Briard still stand out. They constantly protect and guard their family. The strong and temperamental dog is very loving and affectionate. It constantly wants to be close to their owner. It is surprisingly gentle towards children and likes to participate in the wildest games. At the same time it does not like being left alone. You should get your Briard puppy used to the fact that they can't always have their family around. But even with the right training they always need to feel that their family is close. Instead of a puppy, you can also take in a Briard in need from a shelter, whose former owner could not provide the dog with appropriate care.

The Briard has a lot of energy and is very intelligent. They need an active family that is willing to do a lot of exercise with them. Otherwise, it will not feel sufficiently stimulated. Since it doesn't particularly have a hunting instinct, you can relax while walking them out in the nature. But the Briard is not satisfied with walks alone. Since they are working dogs, they need to have a task to attend to. Take your Briard puppy to a dog sports field early on to get it used to this environment. They are suitable for agility, mass sports and also like to do protection dog sports.

What are typical diseases of the Briard?

The Briard dog is a pretty healthy dog breed. There are few typical diseases. A certain form of a congenital eye defect can occur, night blindness (CSNB). The dog may also suffer from a defective ureter.

What should be considered in regards to Briard breeding?

The breeding associations in the VDH only admit dogs for breeding that do not have a congenital eye defect or a defective ureter. A Berger de Brie puppy costs about 1400 Euros.