Barbet

Barbet dog retrieving from the water, medium size, efficient, with a characteristic curly waterproof hair. Intelligent, cheerful, patient with children, with quite a high temperament. Non-aggressive.

Nature

Barbet is a balanced, calm dog, gentle to people and other animals. Cheerful by nature, he values ​​human company very much, he is extremely attached to man. Although he is strong and full of energy, he is not overly active. It is resistant to moisture and cold, but it does not tolerate heat very well.

Skills

Barbet is called float – he jumps into the water in any weather. He has a good sense of smell and is still successfully used as a dog for hunting waterfowl. He not only retrieves, but also throws out animals. Currently, most barbets are companion dogs. They are great at agility.

Barbet. Training and education

Barbet is intelligent, learns quickly and willingly. His upbringing is not particularly difficult. As with any dog, you should be consistent and set clear boundaries.

Who is this race for?

Barbet can live in the city, but requires regular walks. Most people will cope with his upbringing, but it is not recommended for people who stay away from home for a long time.

Barbet. Advantages and disadvantages

Disadvantages

• needs a lot of movement and activity
• he doesn’t like loneliness
• the coat requires time-consuming care

Advantages

• a very nice family dog
• friendly towards children
• tolerant of other dogs
• susceptible to training
• excellent retriever
• suitable for dog sports

Health

Due to the small number, learning about health problems is not easy. The breed is generally not heavily burdened with hereditary diseases. X-rays of livestock for hip and elbow dysplasia are recommended, as well as annual eye examinations. Very rare cases of epilepsy are also known.

Feeding

Barb’s nutrition does not differ from other dogs’ nutrition, you can successfully use both diet and food.

Care

Barbet is demanding when it comes to coat care. He doesn’t molt, but his fur felts easily, especially if the dog often swims. For proper hair development, it is recommended to shave the puppy completely 4-6 months old.

The display barb should have a thick, woolly, full-bodied coat. It does not have to have a specific length. No fancy hairstyle is required at the exhibition.

Attention requires barb ears, which tend to be infected and inflamed.

History

Barbet is a very old breed, although in the past there was no question of “pure breed” in today’s understanding of the word. Although today barbas, lagotto romagnolo, Portuguese and Spanish water dogs are separate breeds, they have a common origin.

It is known that “water dogs” with woolly, twisted or half-wavy hair already existed in the early Middle Ages. They were known in the area including Portugal, Spain, southern France and western Italy. There are several theories about their origin. One of them says that they came with the Moors, another says with the Romans.

Maybe they come from Asia. Their relationship with the Tibetan terrier and the shaggy shepherd dogs is supported by the fact that these dogs were often initially shepherds. However, the suitability of their oily, waterproof robe for work in water was quickly noticed.

In the sixteenth-century French sources, we find the name “barb”. It can be translated as a “bearded man” (“la barbe” is a French beard). During this time, the barbets gained recognition at the French royal court. King Henry IV and later Louis XV hunted with them. They were used to hunt waterfowl.

Barbs gave rise pudlom, also had their part in the uprising biszonów, Griffon, water spaniels and perhaps Newfoundland and Briard. Over time, the barbets were replaced by poodles and other newer breeds. At the end of the 19th century they were very rare in France.

Currently, they are not in danger of extinction, but even in their homeland, they do not belong to popular breeds. A pity, because in many respects these are trouble-free dogs.

There are two types in the breed, “vieux barbet” or lines derived from old French kennels and the “modern” line derived from dogs introduced to the breed in the 1980s. Old lines are quite rare.

Template

Barbet (French Water Dog) – Group VIII FCI, Section 3, Model No. 105

• Country of origin: France
• Character: balanced, gentle, very devoted to the owner.
  He likes water very much
• Size: minimum height: dogs 58 cm, bitches 53 cm
• Weight: not specified in the standard, approx. 20-25 kg
• Coat: long, woolly, wavy, create strings (but not full
  – like a poodle or Bergamasco). Generous, it completely
  covers the dog’s body in its natural state. However, since time immemorial, barbs have been sheared
  to facilitate their work
• Color: black, gray, chestnut, red, fawn, white or pinto
• Lifespan: approx. 12 years
• Vulnerability to training: high
• Activity: medium, requires regular walks, but
  tolerates city life well
• Resistance / susceptibility to diseases: very resistant to cold
• and humidity, it does not tolerate heat very well

Interesting facts

Probably it was the barb that was the first animal to carry out the first successful artificial insemination in modern history! This was done in 1780 by the Italian scientist Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729-1799).

He took dog seed from a freshly coated bitch and applied it to the other bitch. Two months later she gave birth to three puppies.