First Angevin Litters

Written by Linda Shove

June 1978 was an exciting time with the arrival of the first two Angevin litters. Abi and Michelle had both been mated to Kaid and were due to wgelp on the same day. David and i had read up all we could find about dog-breeding and puppy rearing but still faced our first whelping with considerable trepidation - plus a lot of excitement!!!

Angevin J2 litter born 5/10/1991
Renoir Dor d'Angevin (Reno)/Therese Noire d'Angevin (Holly)

Michelle started first - at 2 in the morning ( I have found over the years taht this is a much favoured time-spot!!!). By 8a.m. she'd finished having her 7 black puppies - no problems - all went to plan. I jusy had some time for breakfast before Abi made it clear that she didn't want to miss out and had her first (ENORMOUS) puppy at 10a.m. briards usally pop puppies out as easily as shelling peas - but Abi had to really work for her first one.

When i finally emerged I could see why it was almost twice the average birth weight for a briard puppy!! This first puppy turned out to be the only fawn bitch from the two litters so of course we had to keep her. She was "Nicki" (Angevin Badine Doree) who went on to become the first Angevin Champion. Later ( when she was about 4 years old) she went to live with Greg Kerr (he already had a French Peugeot car and felt that a French Briard would go nicely with it!!)- and he and wife Viv have had at least one Briard ever since.