Thomas Jefferson, who had become friends with General Lafayette, was so impressed  with this hardy intelligent shepherd dog, that he made arrangements to have a bitch in whelp shipped to the United States.

He distributed her 'get' with neighboring farmers and thus began the breed in America.

Not only was the briard a good herding dog and a guardian of his family, but the briard became a working dog using other talents.  In WWI they were used to carry messages to the front lines and to help the medics locate wounded soldiers.  It was said if a briard passed a fallen soldier then he was already gone.

 

The briard has become a very versatile dog, excelling not only in herding venues, but also making themselves know in agility, rally and obedience, police work, carting, therapy dogs, and a beloved family pet.

 

As wonderful as the briard is, he is not for everyone.  The briard is considered a high maintenance dog

They need, or at least are a lot happier, with a lot of exercise, although will adapt to their owners lifestyle,  whatever that may be.  They DO require attention and love.  As long as they can be near their people they are happy.  The briard is a happy and comical dog, loving to make their people laugh, but they can also be stubborn and difficult to handle.  One has to be firm but loving with them. They consider themselves man's equal and don't take kindly to harsh treatment.  They are very intelligent and figure things out very quickly, often finding a 'better' way to do things, always testing us and keeping us on our toes.

 

But if  you have the time for a briard and earn their love and respect, there is nothing in the world that compares with it.