The Barbet, a bit of history

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The Barbet is originally a French hunting dog. It belongs to the water dogs with the Portuguese water dog, the Perro de Agua Epagnol and the Lagotto and others. What they have in common is their passion for water and their curly, little shedding fur. It is difficult to determine exactly when this breed came into being. There are notes on that6th century when the Moors are said to have brought a shaggy dog to Spain and Portugal. in theIn the 14th century this type of dog was found all over Europe, although the name "Barbet" does not appear until the 16th century.

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The barbets probably had an influence, for example, on the breeding of the German Wirehaired Pointer, the Pudelpointer, the Griffon Korthal, the Irish Water Spaniel and the Poodle.

This already shows for which tasks the barbet was originally intended. Noble hunting dogs were reserved for the nobility in old France. The common man who also had to guard his farm, hunted on land as well as in the water, but also a faithful companion and dog for the family needed, found the ideal companion in the Barbet.

Even today, the barbet is versatile. Depending on the individual, it has a more or less strong hunting instinct, happily goes into the water and strikes briefly when strangers approach the house, but then greets them happily. At the same time, he is incredibly affectionate and sensitive. He loves playing with children and conspecifics alike.

In 1894, the Barbet received a breed standard for the first time. Already at the beginning of the 20th century there were not so many barbets left, but then the two world wars had devastating effects for this extraordinary breed. It wasn't until 1970 that the breed began to be revived. 

To date, the barbet is little known. Again and again we are asked whether our dog is an unshorn poodle or, more often, a Labradoodle. However, at the moment there is an increase in breeders and more and more people are getting to know the incomparable charm of a Barbet.

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