The Briard is a very ancient breed. Famous people like Charlemagne, Lafayette, Napoleon and Thomas Jefferson all owned Briards. This old guardian and herder of sheep was used by the French Army as a messenger, a sentry and to search for injured soldiers.
In 1863, after the Paris dog show, the breed became more and more popular. This dog comes from crosses between the Beauceron and the Barbet. The Briard was named for Aubry of Montdidier, a man that since owned a Briard, or for Brie, the French province.
