Briard Dogs for Adoption in Henderson, NV

A clean, well-groomed Briard usually has little odor. Smells tend to come from a dirty, damp or matted coat, ear infections, dental disease or skin problems. The long beard can collect food and water, so wiping it after meals helps. If a strong odor persists after a bath, a veterinary check is a good idea.

A Briard's coat does reach a natural adult length, usually filling in fully by about two to three years of age. The hairs then grow and shed in cycles rather than lengthening forever. Because it is long and coarse, the coat may look like it keeps growing, but regular brushing and occasional tidying keep it manageable.

Briards are large dogs. Males stand about 23 to 27 inches at the shoulder and females about 22 to 25.5 inches, and most adults weigh roughly 55 to 100 pounds, depending on sex and frame. Their thick coat makes them look even bigger. They are muscular and athletic rather than heavy or bulky.

Most Briards see normally, and their eyebrows are meant to veil, not cover, the eyes; the breed standard says hair should never completely hide them. Some Briards inherit congenital stationary night blindness, which impairs vision in dim light and can affect daytime sight. A DNA test exists, and a veterinarian can assess any dog's vision.

Briards are slow to mature. Most reach close to adult height around one year but keep filling out until about two, and many are not mentally mature until two or three years old. Their adult coat also takes a couple of years to come in fully. Patience with a goofy, energetic adolescent is part of raising one.

Briard is pronounced bree-ARD, with the emphasis on the second syllable, following the French pronunciation. The name refers to the Brie region of France, the same area that gave its name to Brie cheese, where the breed is thought to have developed as a sheepdog.

A Briard may be right for you if you want a devoted, intelligent and protective companion and can commit to daily exercise, training and about two hours of grooming a week. It may not suit you if you want a dog that welcomes every stranger, have little time for grooming or prefer a small, low-energy dog.

Briards are not hard to train in the sense of learning; they are quick and intelligent. The challenge is their independence and sensitivity. Harsh corrections can cause them to shut down, and repetition bores them. Consistent, reward-based training that starts early, along with thorough socialization, usually produces a responsive, reliable companion.

Briards are best suited to cool and temperate climates, thanks to their thick, weather-resistant coat. They can live in warmer places with care, such as exercising early or late, providing shade, water and air conditioning, and keeping the coat brushed out rather than shaved. Watch carefully for overheating in hot, humid weather.

Briards were bred to herd and guard sheep in France. Unlike many herding breeds, they did both jobs, moving flocks between pastures and protecting them from wolves and thieves at night. That dual role explains their mix of herding drive, protectiveness and independence. In World War I, French soldiers also used Briards as sentries and messengers.

The Briard is known for its long, flowing coat, eyebrows that veil its eyes, double dewclaws on the hind legs and devoted, protective personality. It is also known as a capable herding and guarding dog from France. Medical researchers know the breed for gene therapy work that partly restored vision in Briards with inherited night blindness.

Briards tend to be loving, loyal and sensitive with their family and reserved with strangers. Many are confident, protective and intelligent, with an excellent memory and a strong desire to stay near their people. Some show independent thinking and herding behaviors such as circling or nudging. Individual personalities vary with background and training.

The Briard comes from France, specifically the Brie region in the north-central part of the country. Dogs of this type were described as early as the late eighteenth century, and the breed was shown at the first Paris dog show in 1863. Legends link Briards to Charlemagne and Thomas Jefferson, but those stories are hard to verify.

Most adult Briards need at least an hour of activity a day, combining brisk walks, play and mental work such as training, herding or agility. They have stamina rather than restless energy and can be calm indoors once their needs are met. Puppies need shorter, gentler sessions while their joints grow, and seniors benefit from easier routines.

Briards have hair over their eyes because their long eyebrows grow up and out in an arch, part of the natural coat that protected working dogs from weather and debris. The breed standard asks that the hair lightly veil the eyes but never fully cover them. Trimming or clipping hair back is fine if it seems to block vision.