Barbet
A shaggy French water dog with a friendly, easygoing nature and a woolly, low-shedding coat.
At a glance
- Size
- Medium
- Height at the withers
- Males 58–65 cm · Females 53–61 cm
- Weight
- Males 18–28 kg · Females 17–24 kg
- Life expectancy
- 12–14 years
- Exercise
- 60–90 min a day
- Grooming
- Regular trips to a groomer
- Coat
- Curly, long
- Colours
- Black, Grey, Brown, Fawn, White, Piebald
- Bred for
- Water work, Retrieving, Flushing game, Companionship
- Country of origin
- France
- FCI
- Group 8, no. 105 · Retrievers, flushing & water dogs
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 5/5 – Very high |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 5/5 – Very high |
| Good with other dogs | 4/5 – High |
| Good with cats | 4/5 – High |
| Open to strangers | 4/5 – High |
| Energy | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Playfulness | 4/5 – High |
| Needs mental stimulation | 4/5 – High |
| Easy to train | 4/5 – High |
| Prey drive | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Watchful and protective | 2/5 – Low |
| Barking | 2/5 – Low |
| Shedding | 1/5 – Very low |
| Grooming effort | 4/5 – High |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Suits apartment living | 2/5 – Low |
| Adaptability | 4/5 – High |
| Copes with being alone | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with heat | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with cold | 4/5 – High |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- want a friendly, low-shedding dog
- enjoy walks by water
- are happy to keep up with coat care
Think twice if you …
- want a dog that stays clean and tidy
- cannot budget for grooming
- need a dog that tolerates long hours alone
Care
Temperament
Friendly, cheerful and gentle, with a sociable attitude to people and dogs. It is sensitive and does best with company.
Exercise
About an hour or more of exercise a day keeps it content. Swimming, retrieving, scent work and agility are good activities.
Grooming
The woolly coat needs thorough brushing several times a week and a trim every couple of months. Ears need regular cleaning.
Training
Bright and willing, learning well with kind, reward-based methods. It can be sensitive, so avoid harsh corrections.
Health
Hip and elbow dysplasia, some eye conditions and ear infections are known in the breed. Ask the breeder for hip and elbow scores and recent eye results.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Hips (HD)
- Elbows (ED)
- Eye examination
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Barbet is an old French water dog, used for centuries to retrieve waterfowl from marshes and rivers. It is linked to the development of several other water breeds, including the Poodle. Numbers fell sharply in the 20th century, and the modern breed was rebuilt by a small group of breeders.
It is a sociable, cheerful and usually calm dog at home, happy to be part of family life. It loves water and mud, which means plenty of drying and cleaning. Its coat does not shed much but mats easily, so regular brushing and trimming are part of daily life with a Barbet.
Did you know?
The name comes from the French word barbe, meaning beard.