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- From: diannes@teleport.com (Dianne Schoenberg)
- Subject: rec.pets.dogs: Briards Breed-FAQ
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- =======
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- ==========
-
-
- Briards
-
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Briards
-
- Author
-
- Copyright 1997 by Dianne Schoenberg.
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Table of Contents
-
- * The Dialog - How It Usually Goes
- * About The Briard
- * Working Ability and Temperament
- * Health
- * Getting A Briard
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- The Dialog - How It Usually Goes
-
- Every Briard owner has heard it a thousand times:
-
- What an adorable dog! What kind is it?
- It's a Briard.
-
- Is that a Bouvier?
- No, it's a Briard.
-
- Is that a Giant Schnauzer?
- No, it's a Briard!
-
- Is that an Old English Sheepdog?
- No, it's a Briard!
-
- Is that an Irish Wolfhound?
- No, it's a BRIARD!!
-
- A *what*?
- A Briard. It's a kind of French sheepdog.
-
- Oh yeah, a French Sheepdog--I know all about those!
- *sigh*
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- About The Briard
-
- What are Briards like?
-
- Briards are medium to large in size (bitches 22-25.5 inches, dogs
- 23-27 inches tall) and have a distinctive long coat that comes in
- tawny, grey, black, or a combination of those colors. They are a
- herding/guarding breed, as are German Shepherds, Rottweilers and
- Bouviers.
-
- I've never heard of that breed before.
-
- Briards are among the more uncommon of the American Kennel Club
- breeds, with only about 300 being registered per year in the U.S.
- They are relatively more common in Western Europe, with populations
- also present in the U.K. and Australia.
-
- His ears are so cute!
-
- In many countries (including the U.S.) the Briard's ears are
- typically cropped so that they stand erect. When a puppy is 4 to 7
- weeks of age, the breeder has the ear cropped into a round shape
- (unlike the pointed crop of most other cropped breeds) and the ears
- are glued together on top of the puppy's head. They heal quickly
- and appear to suffer no permanent trauma from the operation. In the
- U.K., Australia, and the Scandanavian countries, cropping is
- illegal and ears are left natural. Sometimes fanciers in other
- countries choose to leave the ear natural as well. The natural ear
- is like an Old English Sheepdog's ear in that it is not supposed to
- lie flat to the head but should be mobile and show some expression
- when the dog is alert.
-
- I didn't know that it is a cropped breed.
-
- It seems to be one of the better-kept secrets of dogdom and a lot
- of otherwise knowledgeable dog people seem unaware of this fact.
- But yes, the ear you typically see on American dogs is the cropped
- ear.
-
- I know someone who had a Briard cross. We knew it was a Briard because
- it had long hair and prick ears.
-
- I've run into this misconception more times than I can count (even
- in a respected dog magazine!) A long-haired prick-earred mix is
- probably NOT a Briard mix, because a Briard's ears DO NOT naturally
- stand. Most of the "Briard mixes" I have seen have actually been
- Old English Sheepdog or Bearded Collie mixed with something
- prick-eared like a German Shepherd or Siberian Husky.
-
- They must shed a lot.
-
- Actually, they don't tend to lose a lot of coat and don't generally
- "blow coat" like many of the other double-coated breeds. Puppies
- will lose their coats once or twice as they are growing their adult
- coat and bitches will sometimes lose coat after a season or a
- litter, although this is not inevitable. And when the undercoat is
- shed, it stays in the coat (instead of coming out all over your
- clothes and furniture) and must be groomed out or else the dog will
- become matted. For this reason the breed is sometimes said to be
- "non-shedding"; however, there is no such thing as a totally
- non-shedding breed.
-
- Do they take a lot of grooming?
-
- Short answer: YES.
-
- Longer answer: it depends a lot on the dog's coat texture. The
- ideal Briard coat is hard and weatherproof and doesn't take much
- grooming. However, many dogs have softer coats that take quite a
- bit more care. To be on the safe side, it is best to assume that
- any Briard will take one to two hours of grooming a week, which can
- be taken care of in one or two sessions of grooming a week (daily
- brushing is not necessary). Also ears must be cleaned and toenails
- clipped. Briards are not low-maintenance dogs.
-
- Do you ever shave your dogs?
-
- Most owners don't. The coat of the Briard evolved to protect him
- from the elements in his work as a herding dog. It is a coat that
- is practical either in cold or in heat. Briards are not typically
- clipped or shaved. If you like the temperament of the Briard but
- prefer a short-haired dog, there is another breed, very similar but
- with short hair, called the Beauceron.
-
- What's a Beauceron?
-
- Basically, it's a short-haired Briard :-).
-
- But the picture I have of a Beauceron doesn't look anything like a
- Briard--it looks something like a Rottweiler or Doberman.
-
- Under the coat, Briards and Beaucerons are actually very similar
- and the breeds share a common ancestry--in fact, dogs show catalogs
- did not distinguish between the two as separate breeds until 1893,
- and the two continued to be interbred into the 1900s.
-
- What are those funny things on his feet?
-
- The breed standard for the Briard requires that the dogs have at
- least two dewclaws (extra toes) on the inside of each back foot, a
- peculiarity shared with the Great Pyrenees and a few other European
- dogs. This characteristic was selected for by breeders in the
- belief that the dogs with double dewclaws were the best herders. A
- few dogs might be missing one or more dewclaws, and some owners
- elect to have them surgically removed, but generally speaking this
- is one of the defining characteristics of the breed.
-
- Why do all these puppies all have names that begin with "M"?
-
- The French have a convention of giving all livestock born in a
- particular year a registered name beginning with the same letter.
- For instance, 1996 was an "M" year. Doing this makes it easy to
- read pedigrees, tell which dogs were littermates and guess how old
- an animal is. Not every U.S. breeder follow this convention, but
- the majority do.
-
- What color is your dog?
-
- Briards come in three colors: tawny, grey and black. Tawny is the
- most common color in the U.S. A tawny may have gray or black hairs
- in its coat but it will still be considered tawny if it is tawny on
- any part of its body. One common variant is the dog that is gray or
- black on its back with tawny legs and feet. This is frowned upon in
- the European countries but is acceptable according to the AKC
- standard. Tawny can range from a pale wheaten shade to a deep clear
- red.
-
- The next most common color is black--approximately 20% of the
- American Briards are black. In Europe, closer to 50% of the dogs
- are black. Blacks may have scattered white hairs throughout the
- coat; this is still acceptable in all countries.
-
- Grey is a fairly rare color. There are only a few grey dogs in the
- U.S. There are actually two types of grey: grey-born Briards, which
- are called blue, and black-born Briards, which are called grey. The
- two types of grey are inherited differently. Blue Briards may not
- be shown in the U.S., but it is an allowed color in Europe.
-
- It says on this pedigree that my dog's grandfather was a
- "Rassemblement Select." What does that mean?
-
- Every four years or so at its national specialty the Briard Club of
- America holds a special event called a rassemblement which is based
- on European dog shows. A European judge is brought over and
- performs written evaluations on all dogs, which are later published
- in book form. The best ones present are designated "select."
-
- How old is the breed?
-
- The Briard is one of the oldest of the herding breeds. There are
- depictions of similar shaggy dogs that date from around the year
- 800 and there are written descriptions from the 1500s. Both
- Charlemagne and Napoleon are believed to have owned Briards. The
- first Briards in the U.S. were imported by Thomas Jefferson, who
- left detailed records of his breeding program at Monticello and
- carefully placed breeding pairs with trusted friends; however, the
- breed did not really catch on in the U.S. until after World War I,
- when soldiers returning from Europe popularized the breed. It was
- recognized by the AKC shortly thereafter.
-
- Where can I read more about the breed's history?
-
- An excellent history of the breed can be found in the book "The
- Briard" by Diane McLeroth. There is ordering information at
- http://weber.u.washington.edu/~diannes/briard/resources.html.
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Working Ability and Temperament
-
- What is their temperament like?
-
- Briards are intelligent, sensitive and humorous. They are willing
- to cooperate with humans but need to see a reason to do so. They
- are independent and may try to seize control if they sense weakness
- on the part of the handler. They can be pushy if they want
- something from you. They are not "love everybody" dogs: once a
- Briard meets you and observes you for a while, he will decide for
- himself whether he likes you or not. They are very affectionate to
- those they love, but most are not particularly interested in
- petting or attention from strangers. They tend to have a sense of
- humor and may be clowns.
-
- You said that this is a herding dog?
-
- Yes; they were originally used to hold sheep in unfenced pastures
- in rural France. This style of herding is referred to as "boundary"
- herding. Like most of the other continental herding breeds (Bouvs,
- GSDs, the Belgians, etc.) the Briard also has a strong guarding
- instinct. That's why these breeds are commonly used for police work
- as well.
-
- Since they are a guarding dog, does that mean they lived outside with
- the flock of sheep?
-
- You are thinking of a flock guardian. Breeds used for this type of
- work include the Great Pyrenees, Komondor, Kuvasz, Anatolian,
- Maremma & similar dogs. This type of work requires a different
- temperament than herding does: herding dogs want to boss stock
- around, whereas flock guardians live with the herd as a member of
- it. I have heard of Briards occasionally being tried as flock
- guardians but they seem to have been less than outstandingly
- successful at it.
-
- Have Briards been used as police dogs too?
-
- Yes, but while they are suitable to the work, police departments
- generally prefer breeds with less coat. They are also eligible to
- compete in Schutzhund and Ring Sport competition.
-
- Do they take a lot of exercise?
-
- While Briards are generally calm dogs indoors and are not "hyper"
- like some of the other herding breeds, they do need regular
- exercise. A daily walk should be considered the minimum. It is a
- good breed to consider if you are looking for a breed to run or
- hike with.
-
- I want a dog that will live outside. Would a Briard be suitable?
-
- Generally not. Briards are very devoted to their people and want to
- be where you are. If you will spend several hours a day outside
- working with the dog you both might be happy with the arrangement,
- but keep in mind that a Briard who does not get enough attention
- from his people can easily become a problem dog.
-
- Are Briards good with kids?
-
- Many Briards are very gentle and loving with children, but as with
- any dog care should be taken to avoid problems. They are large dogs
- and may be boisterous and have the potential to knock down a small
- child. Also, as with many other herding dogs, they may need to be
- taught that nipping is not an appropriate way of getting people's
- attention. That being said, many families have both Briards and
- small children and are very happy with the combination.
-
- Are they easy to train?
-
- It depends on what you mean by "easy." They do learn readily.
- However, they do need to be TRAINED. They are too large, energetic
- and strong-minded to be allowed to be left to their own devices. A
- basic obedience class or two is highly recommended.
-
- Also, be aware that heavy-handed training techniques do not usually
- work well with Briards; positive motivation is generally much more
- effective with them than than force-based methods are.
-
- I have heard that Briards are dog-aggressive. Is it true?
-
- They tend to be dominant with other dogs and may or may not get
- along with strange ones. Many are fine and trustworthy with other
- dogs. Your best bet is to ask the breeder you are considering
- buying from about the dogs in their bloodline.
-
- I want a "protective" dog. Is a Briard for me?
-
- That depends on YOU. Generally speaking, it is a mistake to get any
- dog that is more assertive than you are. In that case, the dog
- might begin using his own judgement on what you should be
- "protected" against, and you may not be very happy with his
- decisions. If, on the other hand, you are willing to take the
- responsibility of teaching the dog proper behavior, you may be very
- happy with a Briard. Keep in mind that a dog of any size can bark
- to warn away intrudors and any large dog will serve as a deterent
- to unwanted attention. So a "non-protective" dog such as a terrier
- or Greyhound might serve your needs just as well.
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Health
-
- How long do they live?
-
- Their average lifespan is usually around 10-12 years, which is
- pretty typical for a large breed.
-
- What inherited problems do they have?
-
- Any dog (purebred or mixed-breed) may be carrying genes that cause
- inherited problems. The advantage with purebreds is that careful
- breeding can reduce the incidence of these problems over time.
- Briards are generally a pretty healthy breed but the following
- disorders (all of which are known or suspected of having a
- hereditary basis) can be of concern.
-
- Hip dysplasia
- Briards are among the breeds hard-hit by hip dysplasia, with
- around 20% of the xrays submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation
- for Animals (OFA) failing to pass. It is recommended that all
- animals to be bred be xrayed to make sure they are free of
- dysplasia before breeding.
-
- Bloat
- This has been know to occurs in all deep-chested breeds. The
- stomach or other internal organs may torsion (twist) and become
- blocked off. Symptoms include panting, non-productive retching,
- and/or a hard, distended abdomen. Bloat is a medical emergency
- and requires immediate medical attention; surgery is most often
- needed for the animal to have any chance at survival. There may
- be hereditary factors that predispose certain animals towards
- bloat, but if so the exact mode of inheritance is unknown.
-
- Poor temperament
- Shyness, shy-sharpness and aggressiveness unfortunately do
- occur in Briards and may have a genetic basis. However, this is
- NOT correct temperament for the breed: the standard states the
- temperament should be "wise and fearless, with no trace of
- timidity." While Briards are typically not very interested in
- strangers, that does not mean they should shy away or be
- aggressive toward them. If you are considering buying a Briard,
- it is a good idea to see both parents if you can and ask
- yourself, "Do these dogs have the kind of temperament I want to
- live with?" If there is any question in your mind about the
- temperament of the parents, DO NOT BUY THE PUPPY.
-
- Also it might be helpful to question the breeder in detail
- about the kind of temperament they feel is appropriate for a
- Briard. If they seem to feel that shyness or aggressiveness is
- acceptable temperament, it might be better to pass on dealing
- with that breeder.
-
- Progressive retinal atrophy
- There are two forms this disorder which can appear in Briards:
- central progressive retinal atophy (cPRA) as well as
- generalized PRA. Both are rare in the US but are more common in
- other areas in the world--in particular, it has been reported
- that 5 out of 6 Briards in the U.K. are either carriers or
- affected by cPRA. In both cases, the gene that causes this
- disorder is a simple recessive, meaning that a parent can
- produce a puppy afflicted with the disorder even although they
- themselves are asymptomatic. Dogs affected with either cPRA or
- PRA will go blind in adulthood. There is no cure.
-
- Autoimmune thyroiditis
- Dogs with low thyroid levels may be sluggish, have coat
- problems, and/or have problems with fertility. Treatment
- consists of daily medication.
-
- von Willenbrand's disease
- This is a bleeding disorder that has been reported to occur in
- a few U.S. dogs. A blood test is available to check for levels
- of vWD antigen, but it is a somewhat controversial issue among
- Briard breeders and many do not test for it.
-
- Stationary night blindness
- Unlike progressive retinal atrophy, this is a disorder that is
- present in early puppyhood & is not progressive (thus the
- "stationary"). Affected dogs are unable to see in low-light
- conditions. It is also believed to be caused by a recessive
- gene. It can not be diagnosed on a standard eye exam (i.e. a
- CERF examination) although it is detectable by
- electroretinogram (ERG).
-
- Allergies and skin problems
- Some Briards may be allergic to fleas or certain foods. Again,
- exact mode of inheritance is not known.
-
- Cancer
- Unfortunately too many lovely Briards are being lost to cancer
- these days; lymphosarcoma seems to be the most common kind. It
- is not known at this time whether or not cancer has a
- hereditary basis in Briards, but this is likely to be an area
- of interest and research in the future.
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Getting A Briard
-
- I want a Briard. How do I want to go about finding one?
-
- The national club can help you find a breeder or a rescue person in
- your area. Club contacts are listed on the Briard Homepage at
- http://weber.u.washington.edu/~diannes/briard/clubs.html.
-
- How much do they cost?
-
- Again, it depends. Briard breeders tend to vary quite a bit in what
- they ask for their pups. I have heard of anywhere from $300 to
- $1500 being asked for a pet puppy. Please keep in mind that the
- most-expensive puppy is not necessarily the highest-quality puppy.
-
- I am looking for a Briard. What questions should I ask breeders?
-
- * Are you a member of the national club? If not, why not? Most
- breeders in the U.S. are members of the Briard Club of America,
- which has a code of ethics members must abide by. If a breeder is
- not a member, especially if it is somebody who is breeding large
- numbers of litters, this may be a warning sign that something is
- not right.
- * Are the parents of this litter champions? It is usually not very
- difficult to put a championship on a Briard, and most breeders in
- the U.S. are involved in showing their dogs. Don't be too
- impressed by claims of "champion lines" or by champion
- grandparents or great-grandparents--if both parents of a litter
- are not champions or currently being shown, find out why.
- * What health tests have been done on the parents? At a minimum,
- both parents of a litter should have been xrayed free of hip
- dysplasia. It is recommended that the hips be certified free of
- dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and that
- you see the OFA certificate on both parents. Unfortunately there
- have been instances of breeders representing their dogs as having
- OFA certification when they did not, so it is recommended that
- prospective buyers exercise caution.
- * Tell me about the temperament of the parents. See the section
- about temperament above. It is recommended that you meet both
- parents if it's possible. If you are not comfortable with the
- temperament of either parent, DO NOT BUY THE PUPPY.
-
- What's a rescue dog?
-
- A "rescue dog" is one that has been "rescued" from one sort of
- situation or another. This does NOT mean the dog has necessarily
- been neglected or abused; often, it's simply a dog the owners were
- unable to keep for some reason or another. Rescue dogs can make
- excellent pets, and may work well for homes where the owners are
- gone all day. The cost is generally minimal, usually just enough to
- cover the rescuer's expenses for caring for the dog. The Briard
- Club of America has a volunteer who coordinates rescue efforts; see
- the web page for contact info.
-
- Briards are so cute, I want one!
-
- Please be very sure that you know what you are getting yourself
- into before getting a Briard. This is a breed that is not suitable
- for everyone. With their requirements for grooming, exercise and
- discipline there is definitely a larger commitment from the owner
- that is required with a Briard than with a lot of other breeds.
- Also keep in mind that even though the Briard is "cute," it is
- first and foremost a working breed. It may not be the best choice
- for a first-time dog owner or for a "wimpy" person or someone who
- is inclined toward spoiling a dog.
-
- That being said--I wouldn't be without one.
- _________________________________________________________________
-
-
- Briard FAQ
- Dianne Schoenberg, diannes@teleport.com
-
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