Times flies..

BARBET, Barbets en Bresse, Breed threatened with extinction, HERCULE di Barbochos Reiau de Prouvenco, Old line from Mrs Pêtre, , , ,

I had not realized there had not been any posts for so long.. I am still every day doing “Barbet” but not always here!

Dylan Da Capo ( 14 years old) from Germany Nancy Sinatra de la serve de la chapelle d’Alexandre ( 3 years old)

I have something extraordinary to share with you. This is a photo taken last weekend in Finland. This is what dreams are made of. I had hoped for a long time that a picture could be taken of 2 Vieux Griffon Barbets of 2 different breeders…Just to show you they did exist before they all started looking like BIIIIIIIIIG POODLES  .. Working on keeping an old breed alive is not a money making venture, that is why you see so few. They are near extinction.

This is proof again, that the man on the moon did not just fall there and that a Barbet Modern has nothing to do with a Vieux Barbet/Authentic Barbet/ Vieux Griffon Barbet.

 

 

 

Lucky 13, birthday boys…and girls!

BARBET, Barbets en Bresse, Breed threatened with extinction, Coccolina, , , , , ,

Ch- Compay II ( Segundo), like the singer, is celebrating 13 years of a nice healthy fulfilled life surrounded by his mom, Coccolina ( 15 1/2) his progeny and our 5th generation. What more can you ask for? Rejoice and dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBd4CWNPJ-I

Happy birthday wishes to his sisters Che and Cori, whom I see as often and possible. ChiChi and Colleen in Scandinavia. Caya in Le Havre France.

And a special thought to Cooper and Charly who are up there looking at us…

..and Cooldady who is now a retired Guide dog from the Lyon school.

The Vieux Griffon Barbet is threatened with extinction and not to be confused with a Barbet Moderne.

My 3 musketeers 3 years later

BARBET, Barbets en Bresse, Breed threatened with extinction, Coccolina, Old line from Mrs Pêtre, , , , , ,

Here’s the short version of the 3 lil’ musketeers who grew up happily.. well, 2 of them since the 3rd disappeared off the radar.  Everyone is happy to get their pup and so happy to have a real Barbet of the old line.. and Barbet 2 on D-day starts to negotiate the price..so, she won a few€ for her pleasure and off she went. A few weeks later, I get a call at 9.30pm..her vet said a testicle was not there and blablabla (not true).. and I said,  “well, I’d have to see it.” And off the radar she went. So, morale of the story? If someone does it now? I send them straight to our professional breeders who will sell by color, and a female if you want. No no, no go with me. I get these calls regularly and off they go to get a dog by the name of Barbet Moderne. Ladida. I ask them and do not even spend time answering. And yes, I do understand that they have not a clue beyond the word “Barbet”..and the name is all they want. Not for me.


Just a barbet..

BARBET, Barbets en Bresse, Breed threatened with extinction, Coccolina, , ,

 

The Vieux Griffon Barbet situation in the world..has nothing to do with the Barbet Moderne, which is a bottomless pit of renewing itself and stock.  When people contact me because they want a Barbet(just a Barbet)..I tell them I do not make “barbet”, I am working on /with what is left of a centuries’ old breed for the people around me who can appreciate the breed and not look for financial gain in the dog they may get. It’s a lot of hard work, sacrifices and research to do the job and yes, it’s going to cost a bit more than just a barbet. People who call me and ask for the price before engaging in a conversation can generally go to the merchants who are more likeky to negotiate. There are many and they are generally a dime a dozen.  If it’s just the name of the breed..pass your way. Socutesonice.

Trucking along… wonderful Coccolina!

BARBET, Barbets en Bresse, Breed threatened with extinction, Coccolina, Old line from Mrs Pêtre, , , , , ,

She is happy, aware, eating well. So far, so good. I hope she makes it to 15 1/2..and beyond. She is in the pedigree of nearly 3000  dogs todate. I’d venture to say she is the biggest contributor to the old breed/Vieux Grifffon Barbet..alive today. The old breed will die, but it won’t be for her not contributing, but from very improper selection ( just to refresh Poodle blood).

May Day..May Day.

BARBET, Barbets en Bresse, Breed threatened with extinction, Coccolina, CONSERVATOIRE DU BARBET, Hunting/retrieving work, Old line from Mrs Pêtre, , , ,

One of the pictures  was found on the net, on a public page. It is so sad to see what people do to breeds. It has left me speechless ( not for long, tho). I happen to know all the pedigrees in the breedS ( Vieux Griffon Barbet/Barbet Moderne). When I see a strange picture, I start wondering how the dog came about. I can visualize the dogs in the pedigrees. This is 15 years of work and archives to study.

If more worried about what they were producing and selling, it would not be such a mess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the right Ashley and my Coccolina. They both measure 50cms. The curly black and white male on the left is Ashley’s son. He is on the small side and the light structure comes out in the picture at the top  (another male, with Coccolina in the pedigree). If you do not know what you are working with, you end up with these catastrophes and the breed degenerates. Then, it all goes haywire. After 5 generations of selection and work for the old/Vieux Griffon Barbet, I can sort of say.. I do not need a database to know what is going on. Why are people not more interested in facts?