Additonal Breeds Starting
With Letter:
Pet Sites
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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
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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."
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