Barbet Dog

COUNTRY: France
WEIGHT: 33-55 pounds
HEIGHT: 18-22 inches
COAT: Thick, long, and "tassled"; curly or wavy
COLOR: Black, chestnut, fawn, gray; with or without white markings; white
OTHER NAMES: Griffon d'Arret a Foil Laineux
REGISTRY: FCI
GROUP: Gun Dog

Exact roots of the Barbet dog are forever lost, but most likely they stem from corded sheep dogs from Asia and, possibly, early griffon hounds. Woolly water dogs were found throughout 14th-century Europe, answering to various names, i.e., the wasserhund meaning water dog. Although not the source of all water dogs, the Barbet is very likely closest to the original type. The Barbet dog is most generic of water dogs, with a woolly sheep-dog coat and hair all over, allowing him to withstand hours in water and chilly marshes. The Barbet dog resembles a pointing dog, but is slower and heavier of body, without the keen nose or sleek beauty. Sixteenth-century synologist Fou-illoux dubbed him the Barbet, from barbe, a French designation for beard; his pseudonym, laineux., translates into woolly.
Elizabethan references to shaggy-coated water dogs in France and England describe their use for retrieving and their coat care. Dr. Johannes Caius says personalities were "efficient and playful." Perhaps it is their impishness that entices them to muddy, swampy places, giving them the nickname of "Mud Dog."