Briard is originated from France but Mudhol Hound is originated from India. Both Briard and Mudhol Hound are having almost same height. Briard may weigh 13 kg / 29 pounds more than Mudhol Hound. Both Briard and Mudhol Hound has almost same life span. Both Briard and Mudhol Hound has almost same litter size. Briard requires High Maintenance. But Mudhol Hound requires Moderate Maintenance
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.
This seems to be the breed of many names. The Mudhol Hound comes from India and has been called the Caravan Hound, the Pashmi, the Karvanit, the Karwaani and the Pisuri Hound. Like so many other Indian breeds, the Mudhol Hound bears a strong look of the Greyhound. He is a sight hound and as such is lean and fast. He is ancient, healthy and loves his people.
The ancestors of the Mudhol include the hounds bred by the tribes of Bedar near Mudhol and Halagali. In Maharashtra the Maratha warriors were also breeding hounds which are included in the Mudhol Hound lineage. It is believed that there is Tazi and Saluki heritage in the Mudhol as well.
All of these Indian hounds were good at guarding, hunting and as companions. Then the King of Mudhol began to breed them specially for hunting and succeeded in developing a sleek, slender dog. The King of England at the time, George V, was so impressed he dubbed them the Hounds of Mudhol.
The Mudhol Hound hunts rabbits and other small animals with their incredible sight. No matter if the breed was on a postage stamp in 2005 and is a great family companion, it is first and foremost a working dog. He was specifically bred for the tough working conditions in the mountains of India. They are courageous, loyal and graceful. They are committed to their people but a little standoffish with anyone else and make good guard dogs.
They were used by the Indian Army as border protection and surveillance dogs. They use them for testing of their veterinary corps. They have been deployed by the Army in Kashmir and Jammu in 2017, just as they were centuries ago. They were effective at taking down soldiers and horses alike.
They were also chosen for breeding at the Canine Research and Information Centre, part of the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University in Bidar. With a very high prey drive they can get along with other dogs their size but cannot be trusted with smaller pets.
The Indian National Kennel Club lists them as the Mudhol Hound while the Kennel Club of India recognizes them as the Caravan Hound.
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 Mudhol Hound is a good looking sight hound. Slender, sleek, muscular. They have narrow, long heads with a muzzle that tapers. They have long and powerful jaws with a large black nose. Their eyes are oval, large and brown with a look that pierces, and they have long, muscular, and clean shoulders. The legs are straight, long and strong with a broad, muscular, long back. Like most sight hounds when you seen them coming at you straight on, they have the appearance of being one dimensional.
There are two types of coat and many acceptable colors. The coat can be silky on the tail, legs and ears or it can be completely smooth from head to toe. The coat can be grey, black, cream, red, fallow, and fawn. It can also be one of these colors and a small amount of shite blended it.
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.
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.
Like so many of the old breeds raised in a lot of isolation, the Mudhol is a very healthy breed. There are no genetic illnesses and they have a long line of dogs able to deal with the weather in India and avoid any sickness. However, they do have a few conditions they are prone to.
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.
The Mudhol puppy needs a high quality dry food. They should eat three to four times a day in smaller portions. A total of 3 to 3.5 cups per day.
The adult Mudhol should eat about two and a half cups of high quality dry food twice a day. Do not overfeed the Mudhol and don’t let him run right after eating.
Outstanding speed and stamina
This is a high energy, active dog that needs a lot of space and exercise. She needs to be able to run freely as long as she wants at least a couple times a day. He has incredible endurance and a very high prey drive. They must be in a fenced area unless on a leash. They are great at lure coursing, fly ball and agility.