Briard or Brie shepherd

The name of this dog does not come from Brie, the region famous for its cheese, but it comes from the deformed abbreviation of "Aubry Dog". It is said that in 1317, a dog of this breed discovered its master's the murderer, the knight Aubry de Montdidier. Its height and good character has made the briard one of the most appreciated breeds of French dogs.

The Beauce shepherd, Beauceron or Bas-rouge, has undoubtedly the same ancestors as the briard. Before that, it was considered a variety of the short-haired briard. Interestingly, the name does not have a correlation with its origin: The Beauceron does not come from Beauce but from Brie. It is an excellent sheepdog, it is intelligent, obedient and it is used a as police dog. But it is easily irritable and it has unpredictable reactions, it is not convenient to use it as a playmate for children.

In the mountainous regions of the North of Italy, there are sheepdogs which aspect allows us to suppose that they are related with the briard. The breed is called Cane da Pastore Bergamasco (Bergam Shepherd). According to the numerous experts, the blood of Persian sheepdogs runs through their veins, and it may be Hungarians. The Bergan shepherds are brave defense dogs, which you may trust, but due to its thick hair, they are not useful to keep them in an apartment.

Brie Shepherd (1). Size: male 62-68 cm. female 54-64 cm. Weight: The standard is not indicated. All the uniform colors are admitted except white. Dark colors are preferred.

Beauce Shepherd (2). Size: 60-70 cm, female 58-68 cm. Weight: 27-37 black, black and tan, tawny with black tip hairs, gray harlequin, gray with red patches. The standards consider the dewclaws a typical characteristic but the FCI let the different country members decide whether to authorize or not to cut them off.

Bergam Shepherd (3). Size: 55-63 cm. Weight: 30 kg approximately. Colors: all the nuisances of gray with or without white and black patches; a black saddle is not accepted. White, Elizabethan and tawny dogs are accepted too.