Comparison: French Water Dog (Barbet) and Spanish Water Dog

French Water Dog (Barbet) and Spanish Water Dog are marked as similar in our database. The table compares only the data we have on the breeds.

French Water Dog (Barbet)
Photo: Pleple2000, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Spanish Water Dog
Photo: Natalia Ricci, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
French Water Dog (Barbet)Spanish Water Dog
FCI group8. Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs8. Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs
Country of originFranceSpain
CategoryLargeMedium
Height at withers53–65 cm40–50 cm
Weight–14–22 kg
Recognition features
  • Long, woolly, curly coat covering the whole body, can form strands
  • Beard on the chin that gave the breed its name
  • Low-set tail with a slight hook at the tip
  • Always curly, woolly coat that may form cords when long
  • White, black, chestnut or bicoloured (white with black or brown)
  • Rustic, rather elongated athletic dog with triangular drooping ears
CoatLong, woolly and curly, can form strands; in its natural state it covers the whole body, an essential characteristic of the breed. May be groomed in a specific manner. Colour solid black, grey, brown, fawn, pale fawn, white or more or less pied.Always curly and woolly; curly when short, may form cords when long. Complete even clipping is accepted. Colours: solid (white, black, chestnut in their shades) or bicoloured (white and black or white and brown); tricolours and black and tan or hazelnut and tan are not admitted.
PurposeA water dog for hunting wildfowl; more than a retriever, it must search for, locate and flush game hiding in water vegetation, then retrieve the shot bird. Very resistant to cold, it goes to water in all weathers.Used as a shepherd dog, hunting dog and assistant to the fisherman.

Breed page: French Water Dog (Barbet) · Breed page: Spanish Water Dog

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The information is indicative. Texts are based on available sources and may contain inaccuracies; for binding details (e.g. for breeding or shows) use the official breed standard.