These are the Briards that I have lost. They were all loved, and I miss them all. They left me great memories and learning experiences. All are a part of my Briard life.
Amy
1981-1992
My first briard, bought in 1981, was a poorly bred girl from a backyard breeder. Amy was the first Briard I had seen in person, and I fell in love at first sight. The breeder was eager to get rid of her, and glossed over most of what I should have known before getting a Briard. Amy was 4 months old, tawny, malnourished, matted, parasite ridden, totally unsocialized, and I loved her with all my heart. Her life was not easy after her rough start, but she learned not to be afraid of her surroundings, and to enjoy going places. She was forever afraid of men with beards, a holdover from the breeder's husband. I still hate to think of how Amy was raised, and she is the main reason this website is devoted to educating prospective Briard owners, and helping them find ethical, good breeders. Amy died in 1992.
Fozzie Bear
1984-1994
Fozzie came to me from the east coast in 1984. She was my first black Briard, and was a girl with a mind of her own. She and Amy were devoted to each other. Fozzie loved to watch what went on around her, be it a rabbit in a cage, a bird flying around, or just the leaves blowing. She was great friends with my parakeet, and he would spend hours grooming her, riding on her, or just scolding her. I lost Fozzie at age 10.
Howie
Ch. Howzaboutit de Bejaune, CD, TT, CGC, HT.
1992-2005
Howie was my first male, and he was a learning experience. What did I learn? How to say NO and mean it; how it felt to get nipped in the butt over and over; how much fun showing was; and what it felt like to be the center of a Briard's existence. Howie loved to sleep with me at night, and he always had to have his head on my foot or my pillow, to be sure I was there.
Howie ruled the household, and did not believe other males had any place here! Howie was an example of a high energy dog. His greatest joy was to run the fence line, chasing the cars on the other side. Howie was a Briard that could not be trusted with small children. He simply did not recognize them as fragile, and would go right through them if they were in his way. This is not typical, but the Briard is a large dog, and even an accidental bump can knock over a small child. And he didn't care at all.
Howie had no problem finishing his Championship. At the 1995 Rassemblement, Howie was rated excellent. Due to the perseverance of Mary Weir-Anderson, Howie earned his Herding Tested title at age 7. He had so much energy, those watching asked me how old my puppy was! I lost Howie in 2005, at almost 13 years of age. Even at the end, he still had that boundless enthusiasm for life. I will always miss him, and measure other dogs by him. He was a great ambassador for the breed.
Luna
Luna came to me at age 5 1/2, an unsocialized girl who was afraid to be petted, or to go through a door, or relax in a room. Originally from Italy, her US owners had health problems that affected their ability to care for her, and eventually meant she had to find a new home. It took lots of time and persistence, but Luna learned life could be fun! She loved getting up on the furniture, gutting toys, chewing on nylabones, staying with my neighbors, and she really loved puppies. Her puppies, Journey's puppies, any puppies!
Unfortunately, Luna did not love my group of Briards. Eventually, she needed to be somewhere that did not have other dogs competing for attention. She was placed, but came back to me two years later, neglected and severely depressed, in poor physical shape. This girl was a prime example of what can go wrong with a Briard when they are with people who are dishonest and uncaring. Her new owners kept assuring me how well she was doing, right up until they called Briard Rescue claiming Luna had been abandoned that week in their backyard. The Briard community is small, I was told immediately, and brought her home as soon as she was healthy enough to travel. There is a special place in hell for people who would do that to a Briard as loving as Luna. Luna never had the life she deserved, and is a caution to me when placing dogs. And I really do believe that the owners who treated her so badly will go to hell, and I hope they burn there forever. But I know Luna is at the Rainbow Bridge with her son Turbo and her friend Rob, and she is happy and loved, as she always deserved to be.
Turbo
Ch. Lebec's Toulouse-Lautrec
Turbo was a lovely, sweet, Briard, full of energy and enthusiasm. He was a boy with bone, showing substance and style, yet with an ease of movement that was lovely to watch. Turbo lived in a household in San Diego, loved by the Smith family. He was a cuddler, who loved having baths.
Turbo's father bloated, but survived. On a visit to my house, Turbo bloated, and didn't survive. Read more about Turbo and bloat here. Losing Turbo was the worst experience of my Briard life. I will always remember him, and continue to try to educate owners about the risk of Bloat.
| Sassy | Sonnet | Journey | Belle | Caesar |
| Lebec's Young Boys | Lebec's Litters | Lebec's Extended Family | Lebec's Briards of the Past |
Jeanne Lorang
Lebec Briards
Lebec, CA
661-248-6164 H
661-618-8798 M