Barbet / French Water Dog

Breed history:

It's an old French breed, whose origins are not well known. It is among the ancestors of many breeds that exist today, such as: Griffon, Poodle, Terranova, Briard etc. These dogs had different roles: hunters, leaders of flocks, sailor dogs used to carry ropes or to find lost objects. The breed is named so because of its chin.

Description:

It is a medium-sized, vigurous, strong and slender dog. The head is rather small, with a wide and round skull. It has a short muzzle and a big, square nose which can be black or brown. The eyes are round, dark brown and are covered by the rich hair from the head. The ears are placed low, drooping, wide and covered with dense, curly hair forming fringes. The head is covered with rich and curly hair, forming the whiskers and the beard. The tail is of medium length, with a small hook at the tip and covered with curly hair. The coat consists of long, soft, curly or wavy, thick and waterproof hair. It can be black, white, gray, reddish-brown and sand coloured.

Personality:

It is an intelligent, brave, rough with itself, honest, well-balanced, flexible, sociable and friendly dog. Affectionate and devoted to its master, it is loving and patient with children and strangers will be barked at. It gets along well with other dogs and other household animals.

Grooming:

The coat should be brushed and combed frequently and regularly to avoid the hair getting tangled. The ears will be kept clean.

Living conditions:

It is a dog that easily adapts to apartment life but feels better in a fenced yard where it can move freely. This breed is recommended for a loving, affectionate and active family. It likes long walks, to swim, to play fetch, to run freely without a leash and to always have an occupation because it likes to work. It needs socialization and training.

Training:

It is a dog that is easy to train because it is intelligent, sensitive to the tone of the voice, eager to work and wants to please its master. Still, the training must be consistent and firm enough, while the owner must be authoritative in order to be taken seriously by the dog.

Usefulness:

It is a great hunter in water and an excellent swimmer even in very cold waters. It is a great companion dog.