Back in the day when he was ruling France in the 16th century, Henry the IV was hunting with a wooly water dog known as the Griffon d’Arret a Poil Laineux. These days, we call this tremendous breed the Barbet, and yet it remains somewhat rare despite its antiquity. Before the advent of guns, it was the job of this tireless swimmer to retrieve arrows that had fallen into water or swampy land that couldn’t be reached by people. The Barbet is so old that many cynologists believe it was the principle ancestor of the Poodle, Irish Water Spaniel, Newfoundland, Briard and Bichon.

When we first mentioned the breed on these pages, it was listed as an FSS breed with the AKC.  Progress has been made because the Barbet is now a member of the Miscellaneous Class. We predict big things for this breed when more people discover it, but sadly, this is a double edged sword for those who love and protect the breed.

Like many breeds, ownership of an uncommon breed comes with its attendant questions. A common one that Barbet owners are asked is if their dog is a Labradoodle. 🙁 How does one respond to this question when the breed of the dog at the end of their leash is hundreds of years old? 

*As an aside, the breed has contributed to the French language with “étre crotté comme un Barbet” which means to be very, very muddy.

Image courtesy of the #AKC