What Kind of Dog is That? - A Briard ?
The Briard, or Chien Berger de Brie, is an ancient working breed of France whose origin dates back to the eighth century. Early tapestries depict these large shaggy dogs with Emperor Charlemagne. And Napoleon was also reported to have kept Briards. The Briard has been used since early times as a guardian of the flocks and a herding dog.
He has been the official dog of the French army and is somewhat rare today because so many Briards were lost in both world wars. Briards carried supplies to the front lines and served as sentry dogs due to their keen hearing, reputed to be the most acute of any breed. He was used by the medical corps to search for wounded soldiers. Reports stress the amazing ability of the Briard to lead the corpsmen to those soldiers who still had a spark of life in their bodies. It was said that any man the Briard passed by was beyond assistance.
A Heart Wrapped in Fur
There are many other bonuses with this breed. He is quiet in the house and adapts quickly to its emotional climate. While large, he is agile and active–amazingly fast when he is going places–but has none of the constant motion of smaller breeds or some large breeds. The Briard seems equally at home in the city or the country, providing that he can be with his family. An excellent watch dog without being vicious, nothing gets by him unnoticed. The instinct to protect in time of danger comes naturally. Even then, he is more likely to throw the trespasser off his feet than bite him.
Friends of the Briard call him “a heart wrapped in fur.” His picturesque coat is coarse and strong, a true “goat’s coat.” Dirt and water do not readily cling to it, and if well-groomed it sheds very little. The joy of owning a shaggy companion is diminished if you neglect his coat. You will have to take time for grooming to have an attractive and healthy dog. Expect the minimum time required to be two hours a week and much longer if you have been remiss. The well-groomed Briard is a beautiful animal, and, more important, a comfortable one.
Briard Love Starts at Home
As a sheep-herding dog, the Briard demonstrates an uncanny ability to keep his flock within the unfenced boundaries of his master’s property. This instinct is strong, and the well-raised Briard is not inclined to wander from home. Of course, no dog should be permitted to roam the neighborhood at will, in danger of being hit by a car, poisoned, destroyed as a dangerous animal, or, at the very least, unpopular with the neighbors. A controlled dog is a good neighbor, and not as subject to these dangers.
If you have time and love to give, the Briard puppy will grow up reflecting every minute of kindness you have given and will return it to you many times over.