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Barbet

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Description

The Barbet is a woolly French water dog that's loyal, smart and would make a fantastic hunting companion. This breed of dog is also fun-loving and agile. They were initially bred to retrieve waterfowl for European hunters. The Barbet is perfect for wetland hunting as it is a strong swimmer and has webbed feet. They are also able to withstand the cold effectively.

This article will look at the benefits of getting a barbet dog as a hunting companion and will give details of the breed and a brief history of their origin.

Description of the Dog
The Barbet is a medium sized dog that is a relative of the poodle and has a woolly coat and webbed feet. It's a French water dog that's good at retrieving waterfowl and has gained the nickname mud dog. The barbet dog got its name from barbe, the French word for beard because it has a bearded face.

The Barbet is a very rare dog, and it's thought that there are only about 600 in the world. Around thirty to forty of these live in America. Barbets are medium sized with males measuring between twenty-two and twenty-five inches to the shoulder. Females are slightly smaller and usually measure between twenty and twenty-four inches. The breed weighs in at between 37 and 62 pounds and has a lifespan of between thirteen and fifteen years.

Barbets are smart and loyal dogs that have fantastic retrieving skills. They are also fun-loving and playful and have very intelligent personalities. They are also very agile, especially in water. Barbets are very smart and easy to train; they also have high energy levels, which makes them the perfect working dog.

Barbets are relatively calm dogs that have a lovely temperament and are good with children and other dogs. If a barbet feels threatened, it will bark very loudly, but is unlikely to become aggressive.

A Brief History of the Breed

The Barbet has been used as a hunting dog for hundreds of years as although the breed's popularity has reduced in recent years, they still make fantastic gun dogs.

There are written references to the breed being used as hunting dogs across Europe and particularly in their native France as far back as 1387. It's thought that the breed originates back as far as the eighth century. Barbets were well known across Europe for being excellent retrievers and were able to work in all types of conditions, including swamps, rivers, and estuaries.

The Barbet was used for centuries as a retriever in wetland areas for both royalty and the general public. Barbets were and still are the perfect hunting dog as they are hardy and able to brave cold conditions. They have very thick, waterproof fur.

King Henry IV was a member of the royal family who owned several barbets. There's a story that's been documented that the king's mistress once brought one of his barbets to a church service.

The Barbet also has a significant history in the breeding of many other well-known dog breeds. As well as being a hunting dog, barbets were also used in the past to help sailors and fishermen.

The Appearance of the Breed

The Barbet has a long woolly coat, which is curly as resembles that of a poodle. It's coat is thick and waterproof and varies slightly in how curly it appears. Some Barbets have wavy fur; others appear very curly. Barbets are available in a wide range of colors, including black, gray, brown, and shades of fawn. They are often pale fawn or red fawn, and sometimes even white.

Barbets require regular brushing to keep their coats in good condition. They should be combed daily to reduce the likely hood of mats from appearing. The Barbet's coat can easily pick up burrs and twigs or leaves, especially if they're being used as a working dog and spend much of their lives outside. It's therefore important to either groom them regularly or clip their coats to a shorter, more manageable length.

Conclusion
Barbets are a versatile hunting dog that is hardworking and hardy; they can survive in harsh conditions. Their webbed feet make then the perfect dog for retrieving waterfowl.

Today barbets are considered a rare breed, but their popularity has started to increase slightly, especially in Scandinavian countries where breeders are trying to preserve these hunting dogs.

As well as being a great hunting companion, barbets also make wonderful pets. They don't shed much hair and are therefore a good choice of pet for people who suffer from allergies.

Colors

•  Black
•  Brown
•  Fawn
•  Gray
•  White