The Briard /briːɑːrd/ is an ancient breed of large herding dog, originally from France. During the First World War, the Briard was used, almost to the point of extinction, by the French army as a sentry and messenger, and to search for wounded soldiers. The Briard's modern-day roles include police, military, and search-and-rescue work, as well as companion dog. Those breeds that just guard are usually larger and heavier. Briards were used in all types of herding situations, having the ability to learn many commands and fulfill the jobs expected of them. The Briard was most commonly used as a farm dog in the more crowded farming valleys of France, where row crops were grown. Sheep were allowed to graze the grass strips between crops and Briards were responsible for keeping the sheep moving along these strips, and preventing the sheep from eating the crops. The Briard moved the sheep daily from the farm to the graze areas and back again at night.