Barbet – Breed profile and facts of this bearded beauty
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What is a Barbet?
The Friendly, sweet natured Barbet is a medium sized French water dog. Its name “Barbet” is derived from the French word barbe, which means a beard. The Barbet has been used primarily to locate and retrieve birds since the 16th century. It has been said that French Royals hunted with Barbets. The breed is a relative of the Poodle and Briard, and his tenacity for waterfowl has earned him the nickname of ‘Mud Dog’. The Barbet is an all around smart and versatile pooch.
Pros and Cons
- Easy-going personality makes the Barbet ideal for seniors, novices and children
- Minimal shedding. Great for allergy sufferers
- They are smart, loyal, calm, and make an excellent therapy dog
- They love the water, and are excellent at water retrieval. They love boating activity as well.
- They socialize easily and generally do well with other dogs
- Being as smart as they are, they get easily bored and can get destructive
- Barbets like their people. They don't like being left alone and are prone to separation anxiety
- They require extensive grooming
- Their beautiful curly coat tends to get quite dirty and messy
- They are relatively hard to find, and as such, expensive to adopt
Appearance and Size
Group: Sporting (AKC)
Height: 20.5 – 25.5 inches
Weight: 35 – 60 pounds
The Barbet is a medium size and balanced water dog, with a long, dense, woolly, and curly coat. He has a large head, and a long, sweeping tail. The Barbet’s coat is usually black or brown in color with white markings Sometimes, they can appear solid black, fawn, grey or white.
Temperament
The Barbet is a very cheerful, social and loyal breed. His personality has been described as companionable, joyful, goofy, obedient. They are highly intelligent and quick to excel at obedience training. Use positive training methods as the Barbet can be a bit sensitive.
Grooming
The Barbet’s long, whoolly coat grows must be groomed regularly. They require a thorough brushing all the way to the skin, to keep them tangle-free. When clipping the Barbet, experts prefer an all-around trim to around 3 – 5 inches. The Barbet has strong and fast-growing nails, which should be trimmed regularly with a good quality nail clipper or grinder. Like all floppy-eared, wholly dogs, check their ears frequently for wax and debris.
Health
The barbet is a solid and healthy dog overall. Like all dogs though, they have their ailments. They are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, cataracts, progressive renal atrophy, skin allergies, epilepsy, hernias, seizures, and ear infections.
Life Expectancy
A Barbet’s lifespan is around 13-15 years
5 Fun Facts About Barbets
- Their dense, curly coat comes in several shades of black, gray, brown, or fawn, and sometimes contain white markings
- The Barbet is a keen hunter and seemingly tireless swimmer.
- The Barbet has webbed paws that help him when retrieving waterfowl.
- In addition to their hunting skills, the Barbet also ranks as one of the top Agility Breeds of dog.
- The Barbet is a versatile gun dog, believed to have originated in 16th century France.
Environment
The Barbet is an even-tempered, smart and loyal friend that is at his best around water. They have webbed feet, perfect for swimming and would love a large, enclosed yard with a pool. They are great with children, families, and the elderly. A fantastic companion dog overall. This breed’s non-shedding coat makes it a worthwhile consideration for allergy sufferers. The Barbet also knows how to relax, perfectly content lounging around at home. They play well with other dogs, but especially love their people and don’t like being alone for too long.
