The Barbet, also known as the French water dog, is a breed that became officially recognized by the American Kennel Club very recently, in January 2020. This fun-loving breed is a gundog, or retriever, that is quite athletic and intelligent. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about adding a Barbet to your family.
Characteristics of Barbets
The Barbet (pronounced bar-bay) is a rare breed. The average barbet size is between 21 to 25 inches (58 to 65 centimeters) in height for males and 20 to 23 inches (52 to 61 centimeters) for females, making it a medium-sized dog. Males weigh between 40 and 60 pounds (18 to 27 kilograms) and females weigh between 30 and 50 pounds (13.5 to 23 kilograms).
This breed has a slightly rectangular build with a large head, a long, bushy tail, and a very distinctive coat. This dog has a long, dense coat of curly hair and a beard on its chin and neck. In fact, this dog gets its name because of its beard, as the word “barbe” is French for beard. The curls run from the top of its head all the way to the tail, which is quite fluffy. The barbet’s coat can be a number of colors but is usually gray, brown, fawn, or black. Its curly, shaggy coat makes it seem like a puppet that has come to life.
Some barbet characteristics are loyalty, friendliness, and cleverness. This dog is very devoted to its owner but is also quite social. Since this dog is quite smart, it needs plenty of mental stimulation in order to avoid boredom. Typical barbet temperament makes this dog is really good-natured and sweet, especially with its family.
The average barbet lifespan is over 10 years, with many dogs living between 12 to 14 years. Considering this is a rare breed from a small gene pool, the barbet is actually quite healthy due to very careful breeding practices.
Caring for Barbets
The barbet’s very distinctive coat needs a lot of care and regular grooming. Without regular brushing and care, your dog’s coat can become matted or it may lose small tufts of hair. To care for your dog’s curly coat, you need to completely brush it out and comb it through to the skin, followed by a bath. Their coat tends to grow long, so when your dog needs grooming, its hair should be trimmed to between three and five inches in length so that it can show off your dog’s body shape. Once the hair has been trimmed, your dog’s coat needs to be wet again and left to air-dry so that its curls can take shape.
Barbet nails grow pretty quickly, so you’ll need to trim them regularly to avoid cracking, splitting, or growing too long. You can use a nail clipper or grinder to do so. Brushing your dog’s teeth every day or two helps to keep teeth clean and to prevent potential health problems. Using toothpaste specifically for dogs, lift up your dog’s upper and lower lips and gently brush in circles, focusing on the gum line. It’s not necessary to have your dog’s mouth open completely.
When you get your barbet, your pet will need vaccinations to help protect against various illnesses. During the first year, your barbet will need these vet-recommended vaccinations:
- Distemper
- Parvovirus
- Adenovirus
- Parainfluenza
- Rabies
There are other optional vaccines that your vet might recommend to you. These include:
- Influenza
- Bordetella
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme disease
- Coronavirus
Your dog will need several rounds of these vaccinations within its first year, followed by booster shots every one to three years.
When it comes to protecting your Barbet against heartworm, there are a few different options. Some of them are chewable pills or topical treatments. Your dog could also get an injectable medication that is administered by prescription every 6 to 12 months. Some heartworm medications also help to protect your Barbet from other common parasites, like fleas and ticks.
If your Barbet does get a heartworm infection, there is a medication that is available to treat it. This medication, called melarsomine, is approved by the FDA and given by injection by your vet. Through this treatment, most heartworms die and clear up within one to three months. During this time, your dog should be on cage rest with reduced exercise time to lower the chances of any complications from the medication. However, it is far more important to prevent heartworms. Once a dog has heartworms, the damage they have caused is not reversible.
Fleas and ticks are a pesky problem when it comes to dogs. Luckily, there are several things that you can do to help prevent and treat them. You should regularly check your barbet for fleas and ticks, especially when the dog comes in from being outside. You can use a flea comb to check for pests, along with using preventative products like sprays, shampoos, and flea collars. Another option is an oral medication, or flea pills. Your vet may recommend this for your dog since oral medication helps to treat, prevent, and control flea infestations. There are several types available on the market that have different active ingredients.
The barbet is a working dog and needs regular exercise to stay fit. This breed is very athletic and will jump at any chance to be in the water. These dogs have a history of being bred to retrieve birds and fowl from marshes and swamps, so they love to swim in all kinds of bodies of water, including the sea, lakes, and rivers. Barbets love swimming so much that they even have webbed paws.
If you don’t have water nearby, you can take your dog out for several walks a day, or do some playtime in the yard. Your barbet isn’t a good jogging buddy, though, since their thick coat tends to make their body overheat really quickly. However, that same curly coat will keep your dog warm throughout the winter.
Feed your barbet a diet of high-quality dog food, either store-bought or homemade. They don’t usually have a large appetite, but treats are very helpful when it comes to training. Be careful not to indulge your dog too much, since too many snacks can lead to obesity.
Health Problems to Watch for With Barbets
As mentioned, the barbet is a rare breed. So much so that it’s estimated that there are only about 500 of these dogs in the U.S. Because of this, not much is known about any long-term barbet health issues. Experts and researchers in France are continuing to study the barbet for any health problems that this breed might have over time.
The most common health problem with this breed is ear infections, as with most other kinds of water dogs. You can help your barbet avoid ear infections by properly taking care of their ears. Check ears regularly for cleanliness and to make sure that no hair or debris is stuck there.
Some signs of ear infections include:
- Odor
- Pain
- Itchiness
- Scratching the ear or shaking its head
- Discharge
- Redness or swelling in the ear canal
- Crusty scabs in your dog’s ear
Talk to your vet right away if you suspect that your barbet might have an ear infection.
Special Considerations for Barbets
The barbet is very good-natured and has a very joyful, happy personality. They are also very obedient and quick to learn, and do very well with continued training throughout their lifetime. This breed is known for loyalty and actually prefers to be in the same room as their family whenever possible. Because the barbet is so friendly and loyal, this dog gets along well with children, the elderly, and usually with other dogs.
While the barbet can adapt to different environments, they might not be the best dog for city or apartment dwellers. As noted, this dog is athletic and loves water, so ideally, you should have a body of water nearby. If not, you can let your dog out to play in a properly fenced-in yard. The barbet loves to play with other dogs or people but doesn’t mind being inside with you. You can play stimulating games inside, like rolling a ball on the floor or training your barbet to do some new tricks.
The barbet is a vocal dog and will bark at approaching strangers, but will settle down pretty quickly after realizing there isn't any danger. Barbets are also known to whine or make groaning noises. However, this breed doesn’t drool or shed very much, and could be a good option for people with dog allergies.
History of Barbets
Even though the barbet is a rare breed today, it has historical significance. This French water dog goes all the way back to the 16th century, when it was used to flush, locate, and retrieve birds from marshes and swamps on hunts. Variations of this dog were found across Europe with some small differences depending on the climate and terrain. The barbet was adapted to the French marshland, as at the time there were many lakes and wetlands.
During World War I and World War II, the number of barbets dropped significantly, leaving the breed almost extinct. However, in the late 20th century this dog saw a rise in popularity and, with the work of a few dedicated breeders, the barbet made a comeback. The barbet arrived in the U.S. in 1994 and it’s believed that there are now about 2,000 of these dogs across the North American continent. They are mainly found in the Midwest and New England.
The barbet is an important breed because it helped to develop other breeds of dogs, like:
- Poodle
- Bichon Frise
- Newfoundland
- Korthals Griffon
While numbers remain low, this dog is growing in popularity in the U.S., the U.K., Scandinavia, and other parts of Europe.
