Briard health: what owners should know

Hip and elbow dysplasia head the list of inherited concerns, followed by bloat, which affects many deep-chested breeds. Briards are also known for congenital stationary night blindness, an inherited eye condition present from birth, as well as progressive retinal atrophy and an underactive thyroid.

Ask the breeder for hip and elbow scores, a DNA result for night blindness and a recent specialist eye exam on both parents. At home, keep your Briard lean, feed smaller meals and learn the signs of bloat by heart. Get emergency help for a swollen abdomen with unproductive retching. See a vet promptly for hesitation in dim light or bumping into things at dusk, lameness lasting more than a couple of days, or weight gain with unusual tiredness.