History

Vigorous and alert, this powerful and agile breed, whose most
common job has been herding, is a native of France.

A Short History of the Briard

AFrench sheepdog of ancient heritage, the Briard is a treasure handed down from the days of Napoleon and Charlemagne; both of which history records as being loyal fanciers of the breed. A noble dog, the Briard loves nothing more than to be with the people he loves and will protect them with his very life. Often described by his fans as "a heart wrapped in fur" the Briard is an intelligent, compassionate breed of dog that considers himself on equal footing with his human companions.

In the French countryside, long before fences there were steep tariffs to pay for sheep found grazing on neighboring lands. Shepherds soon created a gentle, yet fearless breed of dog that could be used as a moveable fence to keep flocks within their rightful boundaries. The Briard excelled at this job and to this day, he loves nothing more than to walk alongside his human companion, bumping knees occasionally with his nose in observance of an imaginary line.

Today's Briard is a big, gloriously handsome dog with an even temperament that is willing to match the moods of his family. Always ready for playtime he will quickly settle down to your pace in the home. Briards do best when they live indoors with their human family. As a breed, they require constant interaction with their people and because of this are not good candidates for living a solitary life outdoors. An incredibly intelligent breed of dog, the correct candidate for Briard ownership is someone, who has room for a large dog, is equally intelligent, is sensitive and has the time to socialize a young dog. This candidate must also be committed to weekly grooming. Today's best Briards are show dogs as well as the beloved companions of their human families.

By far, the greatest job of any Briard is his dedication to the people that he loves. If you think you might have stumbled on to the breed that is perfect for you, explore the information on our site—we'd love to tell you how we stumbled onto the Briard and of course, we're very proud to show you our dogs!

For more information on the Briard click here.