Meet the Breed: The Barbet

Riggs & Nikki

I had never heard of the Barbet, or French Water Dog, until Riggs and I met Nikki and her owner on the snowy trails of the Don Valley ravine system. Over the next months, the dogs became best pals, and I came to appreciate all the Barbet had to offer.  

Nikki's breeder, Pam Headon of Willow Creek Waterdogs, agreed to let me help with her book on the breed, called Barbets: The Best Kept Secret of the Dog World.

I really enjoyed working with Pam, and still keep in touch to find out the latest Barbet news.  

She's kindly agreed to share her experience of the Barbet here, for our first Meet the Breed (and Breeder) entry.  

Over to Pam . . . 

  

1.     What made you start breeding dogs? 

True confession:  Once upon a time, I had a purebred Cocker Spaniel that I continue to call the “Spaniel from Hell.”  Tammy was really my son’s pet, and despite my experience with dogs, I failed miserably in housebreaking her.  I sensed that my busy household was too stressful for Tammy, and that she would fare better as the “only child” of a doting couple.  So I convinced my son to let the Humane Society find that perfect home for her. The deal was that if they re-homed Tammy, he could choose a new puppy.

In due course, they found a great placement for Tammy, so we went to check out a litter of what they said were German Shepherd-Collie crosses.  I thought that would be an ideal family dog. There were 13 pups in the litter, and my son selected his favorite, a curly black-and-white pup that was much smaller than the rest.  He named her Oreo. 

I’d owned Shepherds and Collies and crosses thereof, but Oreo didn’t resemble any of them.  Compact, adorable and spunky, she followed me like a shadow.  Still, there was nothing overt to suggest a more exotic pedigree than the typical pound puppy until I took her to a county fair a few months later.  Over the course of the day, three people came up to me separately to ask about my Portuguese Water Dog. 

Curious, I headed to the library to look at some breed books. Sure enough, Oreo did resemble a Portuguese Water Dog, or “Portie.” She had webbed paws, she didn’t shed, and she was maturing to be about the right size.  She also had an intriguing habit of sitting on top of the barbeque to survey the backyard as if she were on the bow of a boat. Even a Portie breeder who met Oreo thought she was likely a purebred.

I had Oreo spayed and that should have been the end of it, but a seed had been sown.  I decided I wanted a purebred Portuguese Water Dog.  There were only a few breeders in Canada at the time, and one lived quite close to me, in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. I visited and told her the story of Oreo. 

Under her mentor-ship, I began breeding Porties myself and it launched a new, happier phase of my life.

2.     How did the Barbet enter the picture?

I bred Porties happily for many years and consider them my first canine “love.” But then I discovered the Barbet. This ancient breed is similar to the Portie in all the best ways, but people who know both breeds well tend to agree that the Barbet is a calmer, easier dog.  In fact, I called one of my first imports “Sanka” because she struck me as a decaffeinated Portuguese Water Dog. 

As a responsible breeder, I have steered many prospective owners away from the Portie because the breed requires a lot of exercise and strong leadership. Happily, I can now steer them toward the Barbet, which is an ideal match for almost anyone. Though bred for hunting and sporting activities, the Barbet is a highly versatile dog that can flourish in rural or urban environments, in houses, cottages or even high-rises, providing their individual exercise needs are met.  Few breeds are so adaptable.

I love how gentle and loving this companion dog is.  I always say a Barbet is “unconditional love in a non-shedding coat.”

This breed is still so rare that it seems like a secret we Barbet-lovers share.  There are not even enough Barbets in the US to be AKC-recognized, although it is getting close. It’s nice to be breeding a dog that has a rich, long history as a purebred dog in France. They say Napoleon owned one!

 

Nikki's pups - typical Barbets

3.    What’s changed in your life since your book, Barbets: The Best-Kept Secret of the Dog World came out? 

I love that more and more families are familiar with the Barbet and know it’s the dog they must have even before they even contact me.  It makes my job easy! 

The book ruffled a few feathers in the breeder community when it was published, but now people seem to recognize that a book on this rare breed raises its profile in a positive way. 

 
 4.    What was your biggest surprise as a breeder?

The vast majority of Barbets are either black or brown, with a few fawn colored dogs in the world. Last fall, a black Barbet, Nikki, surprised me by delivering a light-colored pup with phantom markings.  To my knowledge, this is the only Barbet with this coloring.  If all goes well, I hope to breed this dog, and am super excited to see what kind of pups he’ll produce. 

Nikki's big reveal

 

5.    What was your favorite moment as a dog breeder? 

Hands down, it was the moment Sarah Leal described so well in my book.  I’ll share her version of the story here.   

Callie

We got Callie for the simple reason of bringing joy into our family.  We have a stressed house:  my daughter Madison is medically fragile, and we don't know day-to-day what's going to happen.  You need to find a way to laugh in between the moments of stress, and Callie helps us do that. 

People thought I was crazy when I said I wanted a dog, but I had an overwhelming urge, and it was the right decision.  Callie is absolutely wonderful.  She loves dogs, our cat, the bus driver, and the nurses who help Madi—everyone. 

I had been interested in a Portuguese Water Dog, because Madison has allergies. Madi also has Cerebral Palsy, and when Pam met us, she suggested that the Barbet might be better fit, because it’s a less energetic breed.  I wanted a dog that would love swimming, and be affectionate and loyal to us, and Pam assured me the Barbet would meet those requirements and more. 

When the puppies were two weeks old, we went back and chose Callie.  Since we live close to Pam, we were able to visit often.  A week before the puppy came home, Pam took a T-shirt Madi had worn to help imprint Callie. When we came to pick up the puppy, Callie acted like she recognized Madi.  She snuggled under Madi’s chin, and it was like she was saying, “Oh there you are—I was looking for you.”  We put down the accessible ramp and Callie followed Madi right up the ramp and into the van.  Pam burst into tears and said, “This is beautiful:  it’s meant to be.”  And it was. 

She’s so loyal and connected with us.  A few weeks ago, Madi had a medical crisis in the night, and the nurse had trouble with the intercom.  I woke up because the dog was making a noise I’d never heard before—it was a pained sound.  Callie clearly knew something was wrong in Madison’s room and was alerting us.  We needed to get in there, and she made it happen. 

Callie is the most intuitive, yet non-intrusive dog I’ve ever encountered.  I’m so glad Pam suggested we meet the Barbet.  It was absolutely the perfect match for us. ~ Sarah Leal

You can learn more about Pam and her work at Willow Creek Waterdogs.   

Please follow the Animal Magnetism blog if you'd like to receive updates as they're posted. If interested in being interviewed, contact rideoutsandy@gmail.com.  Sandy's latest book is Golden Boy: How to raise a dog all wrong and end up all right.

Tips for Amateur Pet Photographers ~ from Karen Weiler of Posh Pets

Once upon a time, I owned a good camera.  I set that camera on the roof of my car after a wedding. While I no longer remember the bride's name, I do recall the crunching sound as I drove off.   
 
I couldn’t justify replacing the camera, and didn’t really miss it, except for this:  two cats passed through my life practically undocumented.  They were both unusually gorgeous . . . and I can’t even prove it!  

Further, I have only half a dozen good shots of Riggs when he was a puppy--something I regretted when it came time to publish Golden Boy.  He may have been a handful, but that pup was adorable! 

About a year ago, I got a new iPhone and started taking pictures.  At first I was embarrassed by my terrible camera skills but eventually my sense of humor prevailed.  So what if I don’t have “an eye”?  I enjoy myself and more important, I have lots of photo memories of my pets. 

One day I may be able to justify investing in a new camera.  When I do, I’ll consult with Karen Weiler of Post Pets Photography because she has plenty of

Posh Riggs

advice for camera-challenged people like me.  I’ve visited the Posh Pets website several times in the past couple of years and made a point of meeting Karen at the SwissRidge Doodle Romp recently.  As in the past, she'd donated a photography session for an auction to raise funds for SwissRidge Dogs for Kids; the proceeds will go to Autism Dog Services.  

Check out the Posh Pets blog on the SwissRidge romp. 

But first, read Karen’s interview below, including the tips she’s kindly offered for amateur photographers who aspire to more.
 
Over to you, Karen . . .


1.    Tell us about Posh Pets Photography.

Photography has always fascinated me. For as long as I can remember, I would pour over photographs and wonder how photographers were able to create such beautiful work. My early snapshots were woefully lacking.  Even as a child, I could see something was not right.

As a young adult, I was always the one with my trusty Canon Rebel (film). I dragged that camera around to any and all outings with my friends.  There were some images I was proud of, but not enough, and eventually, I left photography, concluding it was just some mystery I couldn’t crack.

Then came the digital age, with its associated benefit: immediate feedback. The ability to instantly see what your image looked like encouraged me up to try my hand at photography again. I clearly remember the day I bought my first DSLR.  After that I quickly saw improvement.

Originally, I thought that I would like to photograph weddings.  One day, I found myself at my friend’s house as she was getting ready on her wedding day. I spied her mother’s dog who was looking for attention. I took four photographs of the dog, and that is when it hit me: this is what I want to do. I knew that photographing an animal would bring me far more joy than any other subject in the world, and I set out to make it happen.

2.    What are some of your most memorable moments as a pet photographer?

I like to attend pet-related events in the city, and if photography is allowed, I will often bring my camera so that I can blog about it later. I have a Canon DSLR and professional lenses that are easily recognizable by the fact that they are white in colour. More than once I’ve been ushered into “press” areas because event staff assume I represent a media outlet. It’s great for getting awesome images!

3.    What tips can you give the amateur pet photographer, who may often be using a phone to capture a moment with a pet?

Three simple ideas to improve your imagery:

Find the light: Beautiful light is the difference between a snapshot and a portrait. The human eye will always be drawn to the brightest part of your photograph, so initially at least, that means the light should be on your pet. Look for “soft” light that falls on your pet’s face. And focus on the animal’s eyes.

Simplify your background: Try for simple, clean backgrounds. If you want to photograph your pet in your home, it really pays to neaten the room up a little. The subject of your image is most likely your pet, so be sure that the viewer’s eyes are able to focus on the pet and not be distracted any clutter. If you are outside, you cannot very well move a tree or a fence, so you have to move yourself or your pet.
 
Get Perspective: Try getting down to the level of your pet. Too many images I see are taken between the eye and chest level of an average human. Get down low – it’ll give a fresh new perspective to your images!

These are just guidelines. There will be times when you are simply capturing a memory and you have no time to change the light, background or perspective. In that case, take the shot! The moment is worth capturing.

4.    If an owner with modest skills wanted to improve, what would you recommend? 

If you want to start taking more professional looking images, eventually you will want to buy a camera. Almost every camera on the market today is an amazing piece of technology and its features are beyond the average consumer. I encourage you to go into your local camera store and try these cameras out. Some will feel awkward in your hands; others will feel natural. Pick one that feels good! And then, read the manual. Learn what all of those buttons and menus do. Above all, don’t be afraid to experiment; you really cannot “break” your camera by pushing a button.

There are lots of free resources for those who would like to learn photography. Google almost any subject and there will be an article or a video on it.  Creative Live (www.creativelive.com) offers tons of courses that you can watch for free when they are recording live. Your local library will have myriad of books on photography.

If you are looking to invest in courses, you can find basic ones at your local college. Many photographers, myself included, offer one-on-one mentoring sessions for those who need personalized, hands-on instruction. And for those who would like to combine vacation and learning, there are multi-day workshops in exotic locales around the world.

Very Posh Monty

5.     What’s your best overall advice to pet owners about photography?

The sad truth is that we will most likely outlive our pets. That is why I think it is so important to get images of your furry faces, at all stages of their lives. Those are the memories we hold onto, long after they’re gone.
 
As a professional photographer, I believe it is vitally important to have physical prints of your images. Not only because you can hang them on your walls to enjoy, or because there is something exquisitely beautiful about tangible art, but also because they last. Hard drives fail, computers die, and too many images are lost because someone did not have a backup. Every single one of my clients purchases physical images of their pets, and they frequently shed tears of happiness the first time they see them.
 
Professional photography is an investment in time and resources. But when it all comes together—the light is gorgeous, the dog is groomed, the humans look good and the setting has meaning for the family—it is all worth it. 

• Karen Weiler of Posh Pets Photography is a contemporary fine art pet photographer who specializes in custom portrait sessions for discerning dogs and cats along with the people they share their lives with. You can connect with her at: web: poshpetsphoto.com; IG: @dogphotographer Twitter: @PoshPetsPhoto

Please follow the Animal Magnetism blog if you'd like to receive updates as they're posted. If interested in being interviewed, contact rideoutsandy@gmail.com.  And if you haven't read Golden Boy: How to raise a dog all wrong and end up all right, what are you waiting for?!