Barbet

The Barbet is a medium-sized French water dog, an old gundog type used to find and retrieve waterfowl in marshes and ponds. Its name is linked to the French word barbe, or beard, and the breed is easily recognized by a shaggy muzzle, long ears hidden in curls, and a dense, woolly coat. Modern Barbets are sturdy, squarely built dogs with webbed feet, a strong nose, and coat colors that may include black, brown, fawn, gray, or white markings depending on the registry.

Daily life with a Barbet works best when the dog has regular outdoor exercise, training, and some sort of retrieving or scent work. The coat is practical in water but not low maintenance; it mats if it is not combed to the skin, and many owners keep a shorter working trim. Ears need attention after swimming. Buyers usually ask about hip, eye, and genetic testing, along with how much working drive is present in the line.

Colors: Apricot, Bicolor, Black, Black and Tan, Black and White, Black Mask, Blue, Blue and Tan, Blue Merle, Blue Roan, Blue Tick, Brindle, Brown, Brown and Tan, Brown and White, Chocolate, Cream, Dapple, Domino, Fawn, Fawn and White, Gold, Gray, Harlequin, Irish Marked, Liver, Liver Mask, Mantle, Mask, Merle, Mottled, Parti-Color, Piebald, Red, Red and White, Red Merle, Red Roan, Red Tick, Reverse Brindle, Roan, Sable, Saddle, Silver, Speckled, Spotted, Tan, Ticked, Tricolor, Tuxedo, White, White and Black, White and Brown, Yellow