CLA Game Fair

Keeping cool 

We are back safe and sound from an amazing weekend with the dogs. I have to admit it was very hot especially on the Friday, but as all the dogs love swimming (well they should really!) it was easy to keep them cool, most of the dogs were not so impressed with being put under the water tap but they coped.
This year we managed to have a grand total of 11 Barbets throughout the weekend, and 99% of the time we had a male and female in the pen on display showing the difference not just of the sexes but also coat colour and coat length. The CLA Game Fair attracts people who like the great outdoors, not just those that shoot and work their dogs in the field so the visitors to our stand in the sporting dog pavilion are generally interested in what are Barbets like as a breed .
The most common questions I was asked were:
What is a Barbet like to live with?
Do they require much grooming?
Where do they come from?
What are they like compared to a labrador/Beagle/Spaniel/poodle/Spanish waterdog , the list was endless!

This year was perfect, we only had Barbets on show that have coats maintained by their owners, and having Barbets with different coat lengths was definately a real talking point.

I have to admit that Hallie and Martha were a joy to take, they were definately both tired on Sunday, but three days meeting the public and being stroked by all ages is hard work for youngsters, combined with the heat. In the evening however they would both come to life and letting off steam in the fields with the other Barbets was wonderful for them

Rugby relaxing on a break from pen duty