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TheBriard (pronounced[bʁijaʁ]ⓘ)[2]: 108 orBerger de Brie (pronounced[bɛʁʒedəbʁi];[2]: 89 plural:Bergers de Brie) is a Frenchbreed of largeshepherd dog, traditionally used both forherding sheep and todefend them. It was first shown at the first Paris dog show, in 1863; the first Briard to be registered in theLivre des Origines Françaises, the nationalstud-book, was Sans Gêne in 1885.[3] It was in the past also known as theChien de Berger français de Plaine.
The Briard originated in, and is named for, theBrie historic region of north-central France, where it was traditionally used both forherding sheep and todefend them.[3][4]: 287 The first written mention of the shepherd dogs of Brie is thought to be in theCours complet d'agriculture ofJean-Baptiste François Rozier,[5]: 41 who in 1783 wrote that the "chien de Brie" was long-haired and usually black;[a] that in the open plains there was little danger from wolves, and so the dogs were used more for herding than for defence;[b] and that shepherd dogs had the task of preventing the sheep from straying into crops or vineyards where they might cause damage.[4]: 287 [c][d]Pierre Mégnin, writing in 1895, clearly distinguishes the short-haired Chien de Beauce – the modernBeauceron – from the long-haired Chien de Brie or Briard.[5]: 41 [6]: 292 In 1896, Mégnin was among those who founded theClub des chiens de berger français.[5]: 42
The Berger de Brie was first shown at the first Paris dog show in 1863, where a bitch named Charmant took a prize. The first Briard to be registered in theLivre des Origines Françaises [fr], the nationalstud-book, was Sans Gêne, winner of a gold medal at the Paris show in 1885.[3][5]: 42 Abreed standard was established in 1897, in which two varieties were described: one with a woolly or sheep-like coat, the other with a coat more similar to that of the goat; the woolly type later disappeared. In 1909, abreed society, Les Amis du Briard, was formed.[5]: 42
Breed numbers fell during theFirst World War; any dog thought suitable for military use was sent to the front. The breed society resumed its activities in 1923, and a rival breed association was formed at about the same time; in 1935, this last organised the first single-breed show for the Berger de Brie, with seventy-eight participants.[5]: 42 Numbers again fell sharply under theNazi occupation of France during theSecond World War. After the war the two breed clubs merged under the name Club des Amis du Briard.[5]: 42
In 1954, the Berger de Brie was fully recognised by theFédération Cynologique Internationale.[7]
Partly as a consequence of themechanisation of agriculture and resultingrural depopulation of the post-War years, the Berger de Brie came to be commonly kept as acompanion dog. In the 1970s and 1980s, its numbers increased substantially: annual registrations in theLivre des Origines Françaises rose from 317 in 1970 to 905 in 1975, to 4101 in 1980 and then to a peak of 6364 in 1986, after which they fell precipitously; at one point the breed club had over 6000 members, more than any other French breed association at any time.[5]: 44 Disagreements within the association resulted in its expulsion from theSociété Centrale Canine; a new breed society, theAssociation du Berger de Brie, was recognised in 1989.[5]: 45 In 1996, ten European breed associations in nine different countries joined to form theUnion Européenne du Berger de Brie.[5]: 45 [8]
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 12.6 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 forcrossbreeds.[9]
In 2001, blindness caused by a disease similar toLeber congenital amaurosis was partially reversed in three Briard puppies by researchers atCornell University and theUniversity of Pennsylvania usinggene therapy.[10][better source needed]
The coat is long (no less than7 cm), thick and harsh like that of a goat; it may be solid black, grey, blue or fawn, or fawn overlaid with black; greying is seen to a variable extent.[1] Dogs stand62–68 cm at thewithers, bitches about56–64 cm.[1] An unusual characteristic of the breed is the doubledewclaw on the hind legs; the breed standard specifies a single or absent dewclaw as a disqualifying fault.[1]
Media related toBriard at Wikimedia Commons