The Briard, or Chien Berger de Brie as the breed is known in his native France, has been mowing fields in the dairy region of northern France since the reign of Charlemagne.
Briards are two-in-one canines created by frugal French farmers who wanted a sheepdog with quicksilver agility and a rugged, fearless flock protector that could fend off predators who would steal sheep. The Briard is related to the French pasture breed famed for its dual herding and guarding abilities, the smooth-coated Beauceron. By the 1800s, the Briard had become a beloved institution in France; legend has it that even dog-hating Napoleon was an admirer of the species. In 1865, in Paris, the Briard was proudly displayed at the first French dog exhibition. The Briard had become so ingrained in French culture by the start of World Combat I that the French army designated it as its official combat dog, using it to perform sentry duties, locate injured soldiers, and pull supply carts.
Two imposing figures from the War of Independence appear in the origin legends of Briards in America. After serving as America’s ambassador to France for a protracted period of time, Thomas Jefferson entered the narrative in 1789. The future President purchased Bergère, a pregnant Briard, just before leaving for home (“PD. for a chienne bergere big with the pup, 36 libre,” he noted in his notation book).
At Monticello in Virginia, the home of Thomas Jefferson, Bergère and her puppies showed themselves to be outstanding herders and all-around working dogs. However, as a historian of Monticello put it, “Bergère’s employment was secondary to her role as founder of the American branch of her family.”
Indeed, it is believed that the Briard’s origins in America began with Bergère and her family, who were later supplemented by exports sent from France by Jefferson’s longtime friend and Revolutionary War hero, the Marquis de Lafayette.
Since then, Briard owners all over the world have praised these remarkable dogs in the same way that Thomas Jefferson did: “Their extraordinary sagacity renders them extremely valuable, capable of being taught almost any duty that may be required of them, and the most anxious in the performance of that duty, the most watchful and faithful of all servants.”
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