Briard

Briards can be very intelligent, hard working and alert. Along with their endurance, these traits make Briards good herding dogs. Because the Briard like other herding breeds has a lot of energy, they require physical and mental stimulation in the family environment. The Briard is also a good jogging companion and generally a good swimmer. In addition, Briards bond well with people in animal-assisted therapy and their acute hearing makes them useful in law enforcement and search and rescue after disasters including avalanches.

Briard History:

The Briard is a fairly ancient breed owned throughout history by famous names like Napoleon, Charlemagne and Thomas Jefferson. The exact year of the Briards origins is not known but most speculate that it could be as early as the seventh or eighth century. It is known that the Briard derived from the guard dogs of Europe and the shepherds of the Orient. The breed quickly became the hunting and guard dog of choice among the French aristocracy and was often given as a gift to friends by Charlemagne. In the 1850s, the Briard was crossed with the Barbet and the Beauceron, which led to the Briards that we know today. Briards were used as war dogs during World War I by the French, where the dogs not only carried supplies and ammunition but were also used to determine which soldiers needed medical assistance and which were nearly dying. The dogs would seek out the former and pass by the later, letting medical personnel know which person to attend to. The American soldiers were extremely impressed with the breed and began importing them after the end of the war.