Briard (Berger de Brie (France))

The Briard is a giant dog belonging to the Herding Group. The breed traces its roots to France. Among AKC-registered breeds it sits at #145 by popularity. Many owners just call them Berger de Brie (France)s. Adults typically stand 22–27 inches (55.9–68.6 cm) at the shoulder and weigh 55–100 pounds (24.9–45.4 kg), with males at the upper end of those ranges.

Published breed data puts a typical Briard lifespan at 12–13 years. The main levers behind that number are body size (smaller dogs usually outlive bigger ones), genetics, and how consistently a dog stays lean, exercised and current on preventive veterinary care. For its size class this breed lands in the typical longevity band: neither notably fragile nor exceptionally long-lived. Owners who keep the weight off and the teeth clean reliably see the upper half of the range.

This breed splits the difference between couch and trail, happy with consistent, unextreme exercise. Trainability is average — consistent, reward-based sessions work well. With socialization, children and this breed get along well; supervise the early years. Other dogs are usually accepted, particularly with early socialization.

Medium-sized homes suit this breed fine; true apartments depend on the dog and the schedule. You will find relatively little hair around the house thanks to low shedding. Grooming demands run high. Frequent brushing and professional grooming keep the coat in shape. No low-shedding claim applies here. Allergy sufferers should spend time with the breed before committing.

We benchmark every breed against the other 151 in our data: at an average 35.2 kg sits heavier than 82% of them. Size rank translates directly into budget: feeding and equipping this breed costs what that weight class costs anywhere. All figures on this page come from the AKC breed profile cited below, and the calculators linked here use those same numbers for feeding portions, crate sizing, age conversion and first-year costs. Because breed-specific health risks affect veterinary spending, comparing pet insurance while your dog is young and healthy is usually worthwhile.