MyDogBreeds
Scottish Terrier is originated from United Kingdom but Briard is originated from France. Scottish Terrier may grow 43 cm / 16 inches shorter than Briard. Scottish Terrier may weigh 30 kg / 66 pounds lesser than Briard. Both Scottish Terrier and Briard has almost same life span. Both Scottish Terrier and Briard has almost same litter size. Scottish Terrier requires Moderate maintenance. But Briard requires High maintenance
The Scottish Terrier is also known as the Aberdeen Terrier but people who love and know him refer to him fondly as the Scottie.
These little dogs were originally bred to hunt vermin on farms and their actual origin is ancient. It is believed that the first descriptions of these dogs date way back to 1436 with there being 2 varieties - a rough-haired Scotch Terrier and a smooth-haired English Terrier.
In 1881 the Scottish Terrier Club of England was founded with the Scottish Terrier Club of Scotland being founded in 1888. Scotties were introduced to America in the early 1890s.
Through myth and legend, the Briard is thought to be a very ancient dog. A French herding breed, a Briard type of dog appears in writings as early as the end of the 14th century. According to legends the Briard was owned by Napoleon, Charlemagne, Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. As a cross between the Barbet and the Beauceron, the Briard came into popularity following its appearance in a Paris dog show in 1863. Bred originally to guard and herd sheep, these intelligent, independent dogs were often left on their own. Because they both guarded and herded, their size and structure as well as their personalities were different from other dogs that worked sheep. Those that herded only were fast, agile and smaller. Those that only guarded were heavier, bigger and stronger. The Briard was in-between these two types of breeds. He was well suited to any kind of farm work and guarded the crops from the sheep’s desire to eat them. They moved the sheep from one grazing area to another and then to their holding area at night. No humans had to assist the Briard in this work once they were trained.
During World War 1, the Briards were drafted into service as messengers, sentries and search dogs for lost or injured soldiers. In that time frame the breed served almost to the point of extinction. Breeding programs following the war brought them back. Today the Briard is a home companion, a police dog, as well as both military and civilian search and rescue dogs.
The Scottish Terrier is a small dog, fairly robustly built but with short legs. He has a wiry, weather-resistant coat and a soft undercoat. The coat is essentially black but there are other colors too such as a wheaten shade, grey-black and brindle too.
The ears are erect, the eyes small and bright. The tail isn’t docked but is of medium length and is nearly always held up, without curling over the back.
Height at withers for both males and females should be roughly 23 to 26cm and weight in the region of 8 – 10 kg.
The Scottie is a an independent, robust breed. He is playful as a puppy, but as he matures he becomes more dignified and dour. He is stubborn, but being a terrier he is alert and makes a good watchdog. For a small dog he has a powerful bark.
Brave, loving and loyal, he can fit into life in the city or the countryside so long has he has his human family close by. He doesn’t take kindly to strangers and he he slightly aggressive with other dogs he doesn’t know. He makes a great playmate for children but he certainly doesn’t like being prodded, sat on and poked by small children.
The Briard is a powerful, intelligent and independent working dog. They have a straight topline and their height is almost the same as their length. They have long, large, rectangular heads with wide muzzles. Their noses are also square and jet black while their side set, large eyes can be black-brown or black. Their ears have traditionally been cropped but with more countries outlawing it, they can now have natural ears set high on the head. They have a tail that is feathered and low-cut. The feet of a Briard are round, compact and large.
The Briard is a double coated breed with a long beard and mustache. Their hair completely covers the head and the eyes so that they are not seen. They have prominent eyebrows as well.
The Scottie is strong willed and independent, and training and socialization is important if you don’t want your Scottie believing he has the final say.
These dogs are stubborn and dominant and will need a strong, firm but kind owner. They’re aggressive with other dogs, but get on well with their human family.
When you bring one of these distinctive looking dogs into your home, he’ll be a loving, loyal friend.
As mentioned previously the Briard is intelligent and independent. They are also loyal, rugged, protective and bond intensely with their humans. They are often aloof when it comes to strangers or even when new furniture is introduced into the household. They have to learn that anything new into the family environment is friendly and good. They are great with children and susceptible to separation anxiety because of their deep affection for their people. Socialization for puppies is a must. This will let them know that people and children, other dogs in general are not harmful to their families. They have great memories and once they learn something – right or wrong – it is almost impossible to change it. They were bred to be independent thinkers who acted on their own conclusions. This is still true of the breed today, making them appear to be stubborn.
They are great watchdogs, fearless and brave; willing to learn, eager to make you happy. They are basically gentle but that always runs up against their protective nature. A strong alpha leader is needed to handle this hard-working dog.
Your Scottie is looked upon as being a generally healthy dog breed, but as with any other healthy dogs, he can succumb to some of the conditions and diseases that dogs get -
This is an inherited blood disorder where the blood doesn’t clot properly. The dog will bleed excessively after an injury. Fortunately, while there isn’t a cure, dogs can lead normal lives.
Scottish Terriers are more prone to developing cancer than other dogs. Bladder cancer, lymphosarcoma and malignant melanoma are just some of the cancers they can get. Some cancers are treatable and there is a good success rate in dogs receiving chemotherapy.
When you brush your Scottie, look out for new, unusual lumps that could be indicative of cancer.
Scotty Cramp isn’t serious but uncomfortable for your pet. When your dog becomes worked up, you’ll see him arching his spine and he walks around for a few minutes with a stiff unnatural gait.
Obesity is regarded as a serious disease as it puts strain on the dogs joints and also creates back pain and digestive disorders.
Being a large breed, the Briard shares many of the same health concerns as other large breeds. They have a few of their own as well. Typical issues for a Briard might include:
Progressive Retinal Atrophy/Degeneration –degeneration of the photoreceptors and retina.
Scotties were once bred as working dogs, and they will certainly require daily exercise and stimulation. He will love a walk but you can’t expect him to run with you as he has short legs.
The Scottie sheds, so he will need to be brushed at least twice weekly. He will require quite a bit of grooming in terms of having the coat professionally trimmed and clipped.
His eyes and ears will need to be checked as well as his teeth. He can’t tell you if he has terrible toothache and while brushing him, check the teeth. Trim his nails too.
It is always recommended that you feed dogs according to size, age and activity levels. Dogs are individuals and they don’t all need the same food.
The quality of the dog food you provide makes a huge difference on your dog’s health. It always pays to go with the better quality kibble available to dogs. Your Scottish Terrier will be depending on your for quality kibble with the right blend of vitamins and minerals.
Dogs thrive on simplicity and consistency and you want to provide him with some home-made food too that gels well with his digestive system. A little bit of raw meat occasionally can also do him the world of good.
Make sure he always has cool, fresh water to drink.
It is best to feed the Briard smaller meals 2-3 times a day to prevent bloat. Feed 3-4 cups total for the day of a dry dog food that is high quality and made for large breeds.
Stationary Night Blindness – Congenital limited vision in the dark can vary from slight difficulty moving to complete inability to see in the dark.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy/Degeneration – Can lead to night blindness, limited or total blindness. Puppies with the disease can be blind before their first birthday.
Bloat (Gastric Torsion) – Stomach is distended and twists. Fatal if not treated quickly. Caused by eating a large meal quickly and either exercise immediately or drink a large amount of water right after eating.
Von Willebrand’s Disease – Blood clotting disorder leads to excessive bleeding. There is no cure, but it is manageable.
The Briard is a working dog and as such needs a job. They excel at agility, flyball, herding, obedience, confirmation and tracking. They need exercise and make excellent service dogs for people with disabilities and therapy dogs for those in emotional need.