MyDogBreedsSerbian Mountain Hound is originated from Serbia but Briard is originated from France. Serbian Mountain Hound may grow 19 cm / 7 inches shorter than Briard. Serbian Mountain Hound may weigh 18 kg / 39 pounds lesser than Briard. Both Serbian Mountain Hound and Briard has same life span. Both Serbian Mountain Hound and Briard has almost same litter size. Serbian Mountain Hound requires Low maintenance. But Briard requires High maintenance
Known as the Srpski Planinski Gonic dog and coming from Yugoslavia, the Serbian Mountain Hound is one of two modern hounds that was once known as the Yugoslavian Mountain Hound or Jugoslovenski Planinski Gonic.
There isn't much information on the origins of the dogs. These two dogs are considered similar breeds, only varying in region. Its a hunting dog thought to have descended from Asian search dogs.
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 Serbian Mountain Hound is about 46 to 50cm in height and weighs around 18 to 22 kilograms. This Yugoslavian hound breed has been used in Serbia as a hunting dog and they are thought to be rare outside of Serbia.
The coat of the newer Mountain Hound is fairly short and thick and mainly black with some tan marks around the paws and muzzle. The dog has floppy ears and a long tail.
This is a hardy scent hound that is confident and bold. They are used to hunting on rough terrain in the Balkan region. They are independent dogs and training and socialization will refine them, making the dog obedient and well mannered.
When he isn’t outdoors, he becomes a good-natured, gentle amiable dog that is good with children in the home.
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 Serbian Mountain Hound is such a social, happy, friendly kind of dog that he makes a wonderful family pet.
He learns well, he likes to please, he gets on well with children and dogs in the home, he is independent and not a noisy barker. He is also fairly low maintenance.
Take good care of him and you’re guaranteed to have a wonderful pet and companion.
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.
Nobody wants their dog to be sick and lethargic, after all they are our best friend’s. Some ways to check the status of your dog’s health -
Check his breath, as a bad breath, just like as with a human being, can be a sign of illness. It can also be indicative of dental problems, digestive or kidney problems.
Spread his fur and check that the skin is a healthy color – pink, grey or black. Make sure there is no crusting or itching with red, inflamed areas. Make sure the coat is thick and lustrous – not falling out and thinning.
Make sure the nails aren’t split, flaking and broken and that the paws aren’t cut so that the dog is constantly licking them.
Every dog drinks a lot of water after hectic exercise, but if your dog suddenly becomes very thirsty more than usual, it could be indicating a medical problem, and you will need to discuss it with your vet.
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.
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.