The barbet is a prototypic water dog, with a long, woolly, and curly coat.

They can have hip dysplasia, epilepsy, and like most long-eared dogs are prone to ear infections.

The term barbet gradually became a generic name for any dog with a long, curly, and/or woolly coat.

[7] Barbets are perhaps best-known for being a retriever of hunters' quarry, valued by duck, goose, and other fowl-hunters amongst the marshes, wetlands, estuaries and along the coastal areas of France;[8] this wet and dirty job eventually spawned the term "muddy as a barbet", popularised in the 19th century.

In April 2018, the Barbet became the 220th breed recognized by The Kennel Club of the UK and the Barbet can now be shown in Import Register classes at all UK dog shows held under The Kennel Club rules.

Barbets born in the UK prior to this date were registered in France by the Société Centrale Canine (SCC), a national affiliate of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).

The majority of Barbets in the UK are kept as pets, although a small number are used regularly as gun dogs, agility dogs, and for search-and-rescue work; they can also take part in conformation shows in the UK and in FCI-member countries, with two British Barbets achieving French Champion status in 2014.