Briard
The Briard, the Berger de Brie, herded and guarded flocks across northern France for centuries and served the French army as a sentry and casualty dog. Behind the fall of hair…
About the Briard
The Briard, the Berger de Brie, herded and guarded flocks across northern France for centuries and served the French army as a sentry and casualty dog. Behind the fall of hair over the eyes is a lively, forward animal that was bred to think for itself and still does.
Dogs stand 62 to 68 cm under a long, dry, goat-like coat in black, fawn or slate grey, and the standard requires double dewclaws set low on each hind leg. The breed is strong-willed, slow to mature, and will guard its family without being asked to. A stud should be outgoing and settled with strangers, since the Briard's protective streak becomes a problem when it sits on a nervous foundation.
Congenital stationary night blindness is the Briard's own inherited eye disease, and there is a well-established DNA test for it that a stud owner should have used. A Briard stud should also have hip scores and a current eye certificate. The breed is large and deep-chested, so ask about bloat in the line and about how the dog is fed and exercised, and ask about thyroid function.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Briard
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Best Practice — further tests it recommends
Completing these as well as the Good Practice tests is what the Royal Kennel Club calls Best Practice.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA test — CSNB (Congenital Stationary Night Blindness) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
| Hip score (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Total of both hips, 0–106. Lower is better. |
Breed hip median
Breed median 11 (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years, 70 dogs scored). Lower is better. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Briard stud dogs
No Briard studs are listed right now
When a Briard on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Briard litters
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Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
