Standard of the Kennel Club of Great Britain

(Note: this is the standard that was in effect circa 1977; I do not know the date of its adoption.)

Briard

General Appearance:
A dog of rugged appearance; supple; muscular and well proportioned, gay and lively.

Size:
Dogs 24-1/2 to 27 inches. Bitches 23 to 25-1/2 inches.

  • Faults: Less than the mininum, except for those under 18 months of age.
  • Serious Faults: Adults below the minimum or more than 1 inch above the maximum.

    Head:
    Strong, fairly long with well defined stop, placed exactly midway in the length of the head. The head must carry hair forming moustache, beard and eyebrows which slightly veil the eyes.

  • Faults: Short or overlong head; unbalanced head; carrying too much hair so detracting from the shape of the head; too little moustache or beard or eyebrows. Too pronounced or too little stop.
  • Serious Faults: Any of the above carried to excess.

    Muzzle:
    Neither narrow nor pointed.

  • Faults: Nose too small, narrow or pointed, light coloured, or with flesh coloured spots.
  • Serious Faults: Chocolate coloured, light or flesh coloured nose.

    Forehead:
    Slightly rounded.

  • Faults: Flat, too round, too wide, or shading the eyes.

    Skull:
    Rectangular in shape.

  • Faults: Too long; too short or bumpy.

    Teeth:
    Strong, white and well fitting.

  • Faults: Defective teeth.
  • Serious Faults: Incisors or pre-molars missing; seriously over or under-shot.

    Eyes:
    Horizontal in shape, well opened and rather large; intelligent and gentle in expression.

  • Faults: Too small; almond shaped or light in colour.
  • Serious Faults: Eyes of different colour one from the other; wild in expression or very light.

    Ears:
    Set on high. They should not lie too flat against the side of the head, and they should be fairly short. The length of an uncropped ear should be equal to, or slightly less than half the length of the head. Covered with long hair. In the case of equality between two specimens the advantage should be given to the one whose ears are carried erect without being cropped.

  • Faults: Short hair on ears, ears too long or badly carried.
  • Serious Faults: Ears set on too low; or half folded.

    Conformation:

    Neck:
    Well muscled and arching well away from the shoulders.
  • Faults: Neck too long, thin or short.

    Chest:
    Broad, deep and well let down.

  • Faults: Narrow; too deep; or not deep; flat ribbed or too rounded.

    Back:
    Straight.

  • Faults: Dipped or roach back.
  • Serious Fault: Rump higher than withers.

    Rump:
    Slightly sloping.

  • Faults: Straight rump or 'goose-rumped'.

    Legs:
    Well muscled with heavy bone, well balanced stance.

  • Faults: Light bone; loose shoulders; thighs too wide apart; weak or straight pastern.
  • Serious Faults: Badly laid shoulder; short hair on legs.

    Hocks:
    Not too low set, well angulated, the leg below the hock being not quite vertical.

  • Faults: Hock set low or high.
  • Serious Faults: Badly angulated hock.

    Tail:
    Full length. Well covered in hair, with a slight upward curl at the tip. Carried low and neither twisted to one side nor the other. The bone of the tail should reach at least to the point of the hock.

  • Faults: Short, carried gaily or sideways, carrying short hair.
  • Serious Fault: Carried over the back.

    Feet:
    Strong and round, (mid-way between a cat foot and a hare foot.)

  • Faults: Long, flat or narrow feet; feet turning either in or out; insufficient hair.

    Nails:
    Black.

  • Faults: Grey nails.
  • Serious Faults: White nails.

    Pads:
    Thick and hard.

  • Faults: Flat, soft or spongey.

    Toes:
    Close together.

  • Faults: Toes spread out, long or flat.

    Coat:
    Long, slightly wavy, harsh (like the hair of a goat.)

  • Faults: Soft, curly or short coat.
  • Serious Fault: Hair less than three inches long.

    Colour:
    All solid colours are allowed except those mentioned below. The darker colours are preferred. Disallowed colours are: white, chestnut, bi-colour; white stripe on head, white hair on feet. Do not confuse bi-colour with the lighter shadings at the ends of the hairs. This lighter shading must, however, be of the same tone as the rest of the coat, ie. light fawn on dark fawn, light grey on dark grey.

  • Fault: Slight white marking on chest.

    Dewclaws:
    Double dewclaws on hindlegs. Even dogs of first rate quality cannot be awarded a prize if they do not have these double dewclaws.

  • Faults: Double dewclaws on front legs.