Briard
Group: Pastoral
Size: Large
Coat length: Long
Grooming required: Every day
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Large House
Garden size: Large
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: More than an hour per day
They are a large and powerful dog with a double coat, the outer being shaggy and coarse and they come in various shades of fawn and black. They also have a distinctive square nose, shaggy beard and double dew claws on their back legs.
Originally the Briard was a herding dog but has also proved its value in the armed forces and police.
The Briard loves to herd and has exceptional hearing. They are good-natured, fearless, loyal, and very trainable but with a strong protective instinct. They are normally good with strangers and children and with the right training, they will get along with other animals. They need plenty of exercise outdoors even though they tend to be fairly active indoors too, they often particularly enjoy swimming.
They need plenty of grooming to maintain the shaggy coat. They are generally healthy but can be prone to PRA, hip dysplasia and bloat.