Barbet

Its name comes from "barbe", French for beard, a nod to the thick facial furnishings that also gave rise to the word "barbichon", an ancestor name shared with several small companion breeds. Depictions of barbet-type dogs appear in French art and writing back to at least the 16th century, when they worked alongside hunters in the wetlands of regions such as the Camargue and the Sologne, swimming out to fetch downed duck.

Living with a Barbet means living with a genuinely amphibious dog. It loves water at any opportunity and needs regular, vigorous exercise to be settled indoors. Its coat is dense, curly and continues growing, so it needs brushing several times a week and clipping every couple of months to avoid matting, particularly behind the ears and under the legs. It is a sociable, biddable breed that bonds closely with its family and generally gets on well with children and other dogs, though its retrieving instinct means small pets should be introduced carefully.

By the mid-20th century the Barbet had become rare, reduced to a handful of dedicated French breeders, and only careful, documented breeding programmes from the 1980s onward rebuilt numbers. It remains uncommon in Britain, sought mainly by owners wanting a working retriever type with a low-shedding coat, and buyers should expect a wait for a puppy from a health-tested litter.