How to Identify a Briard

A Briard is a working dog and a member of the herding group. [1] It is known for its long hair, as well as its loyalty (it is sometimes referred to as "a heart wrapped in fur"). [2] This wikiHow will help you with figuring out whether or not a dog is a Briard.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Looking at the Body Structure

  1. Male Briards are typically anywhere from 23–27 inches (58–69 cm) tall and weigh anywhere from 60–100 pounds (27–45 kg), while female Briards are slightly smaller, and usually are somewhere between 22–25.5 inches (56–65 cm) tall, and they weigh anywhere from 50–80 pounds (23–36 kg). [3]
    • They're usually fully matured by 1-2 years of age, but they reach their full size when they’re between 6-8 months old. [4]
  2. A Briard’s ears are high up on their head, with their ear length being equal to or a little less than 1/2 the length of its head. The ears should also be covered with the dog’s long hair. [5]
    • When cropped, the ears of the dog are upright and parallel to each other, facing slightly forward if the dog is alert. [6]
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  3. A Briard’s eyes are usually set well apart from each other and are quite large. The dog will either have black or black/brown colored eyes, and the eyelid rims are usually very dark, similar in color to the coat. [7]
  4. A Briard’s nose is a square shape as opposed to round, and it is always black. [8]
  5. A Briard’s head is overall quite large, giving an impression of length. [9]
  6. A Briard’s tail is not cut and is well feathered. It’s carried low on the dog’s body, and if you’re looking at it from the right side, it should form a "J" shape. [10]
  7. A Briard is strong overall, with a handsome form. [11] Its gait has been described as being almost "cat-like". [12]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Examining the Coat

  1. Briards have long hair and are double-coated. They have a coarse outercoat, which can be six inches long or more. The undercoat is fine and tight, covering the dog's entire body. [13]
    • Though the Briard’s hair may be long, it should never hide the head's form or cover the eyes completely. [14]
  2. Their coat may be black or different shades of gray and/or tawny. In fact, pretty much the only color they typically aren’t is white. A combination of these colors (or the occasional stray white hair) can also sometimes occur. [15]
  3. A Briard will need to be brushed to the skin multiple times per week, using a quality pin brush. [16]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Noticing the Dog's Temperament

  1. Briards are athletic dogs, and as such, they will need exercise (both physical, such as walks or games of fetch, and mental, such as agility) often. [17]
  2. Briards are intelligent dogs and thus should be relatively easy to train. [18]
  3. Briards are relatively independent (though they also love being with their owners), so they may occasionally refuse a command. [19]
  4. As stated earlier on, although Briards are relatively independent, they are also known to be loyal to, and protective of, their owners. [20]
    • Because of this loyalty, Briards are known to make good watchdogs. [21] This means that they may occasionally exhibit some aggressiveness towards other animals or humans outside of their “pack”, especially if they’re not socialized properly. [22]
  5. Since the Briard is a herding dog, it may attempt to herd humans or other animals in a variety of ways, including using its head or barking at them. [23]
    • Be sure to train the Briard not to do this while it’s still young, since it could become an issue as the dog gets older and its head gets bigger. [24]
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      Tips

      • If the dog is yours, consider a dog DNA test. This will help to confirm whether or not your dog is truly a Briard.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/briard/
      2. ↑ https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/briard#/slide/1
      3. ↑ https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/briard/
      4. ↑ https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/dog-breeds/briard
      5. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      6. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      7. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      8. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/briard/
      1. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/briard/
      3. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      4. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      5. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      6. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      7. ↑ https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/briard/
      8. ↑ https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/briards.html
      9. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Briard.pdf
      10. ↑ https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/dog-breeds/briard
      11. ↑ https://www.dogzone.com/breeds/briard/
      12. ↑ https://www.dogzone.com/breeds/briard/
      13. ↑ https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/dog-breeds/briard
      14. ↑ https://www.dogtemperament.com/briard-temperament/
      15. ↑ https://www.dogtemperament.com/briard-temperament/

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