Barbet

Patronage: France
Classification:

• FCI Group 8: retrievers - search dogs - water dogs
• Section 3: Water Dogs

• Males 58 to 65 cm
• bitches 53 to 61 cm

One of the oldest European water dogs, the medium-sized "Barbet" may have been an ancestor of the poodle. In the 6th century, the Moors are said to have brought his ancestors to Spain and Portugal, from where he is said to have spread very quickly throughout Europe. In Portugal, a water dog (Cão de Agua Português) is mentioned very early on, which has all the characteristics of the barbet. In the 14th century the water dog was found all over Europe and it was not until the 16th century that he was given the name "Barbet". Interest in this breed only waned towards the end of the 19th century. It was not until the 1970s that the dog breed regained popularity. In Germany, however, this dog breed is still rarely kept.

This breed has influenced a number of hunting dog breeds that exist today. These include the German Wirehaired Pointer, the Pointer, the Korthals Griffon and the Irish Water Spaniel.

The Barbet's waterproof coat - similar to that of the Irish Water Spaniel, which provides excellent thermal protection even in the iciest water. The hair is long, curly, woolly and, as a special feature of hunting dogs, forms cords. Many coat colors are permitted: solid black, gray, chestnut, fawn, sandy, white or more or less piebald.

The shades of color range from fawn to sandy, the hair on the head must fall to the bridge of the nose. The barbet has a long beard and a luxuriant mustache and its ears are set low, hanging long and covered with long hair.

The Barbet is a water dog for hunting birds, not just for retrieval. He is a medium-sized dog with a thick, woolly coat, which reliably protects him from the cold and damp.

He is also an excellent swimmer. On the other hand, the care of the woolly, curly coat is relatively time-consuming. Today the Barbet is rather rare, it is estimated that there are only 400 to 500 dogs worldwide. However, it is increasingly being kept as an adaptable and extremely lovable family dog.