Do Barbets retrieve?

I am very pleased to say that ''yes'' they do.
We have been having problems with Martha as since we got our pet ducks she has just gone right off doing any retrieving work on birds, rabbits were still ok though!. So yesterday we took the 3 girls and a frozen pheasant up the forest, as it was all a bit last minute! the bird didn't have time to thaw.
Bepop is just as keen as ever, and always does the perfect retrieve to the hand, Martha watched her mate several times and then did a fab retrieve through the water and mud, then Snoop for the very first time on game, took a while to go in the water but eventually decided to dive and delivered the bird very nicely to hand. They all struggled picking up the frozen bird, and Martha found the easiest bit to hold which I suppose shows common-sense. Anyway, I was very pleased as they also watched silently whilst the others were retrieving so we had a wonderful afternoon. .  

The excitement continues...

Netis Jitterbug aka Pi will be mated this week to the lovely boy Novaforesta Eton. So I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed for a nice productive easy mating.

Douai Dog Show June 2016

This year there will be 6 or possibly 7 Barbets from the UK heading to France for confirmation and to take the TAN. Our weekend in Douai is a social trip, and is certainly not about winning a dog show.
Our Barbets will be judged, and then the critique that they get will be used along side their height for confirmation. Although our Barbets born in the UK have pedigrees from France, we still go over to a show for confirmation as that is the French way of working . So at the moment there will be 3 dogs from Hallies litter in 2014, 3 dogs from Marthas litter last year and a French boy who lives in the UK ( who has to go through the French system as he was born in France)

2016 Barbet Birthdays

Firstly, Bepop is officially old as she had her 10th birthday on the 19th March. She hasn't calmed down much which in some ways is nice to see and she can still take the same length of walks that the younger dogs do. We have recently received her mydogdna results which we felt were important to do as she is in the background of many breeding dogs today and I am pleased to say that everything has come back clear.


On the 3rd April we celebrated the very first litter of Barbets in the UK reaching another milestone as they are now 8 years old. So a big Happy 8th Birthday to Novaforesta Denzil (Odo), Novaforesta Dempsey (photo above), Novaforesta Dylan, Novaforesta Delyssa (Nenu) and Novaforesta Dolly.

Then we have the 4th Birthday greeting for the wonderful litter from Julie (Charamese) a staggering 14 pups born on the 4th April 2012, and mother to 11 beautiful pups is our very own  Hallie (Charamese Hermione)in the photo above.



 Then we have Happy 2nd Birthday on the 5th April  to the lovely Pi ( Netis Jitterbug) and her brothers and sisters.

Novaforesta Litter news

We are patiently waiting for Pi (Netis Jitterbug) to come into season, but found this photo today of Novaforesta Eton the chosen husband. Those that have met Martha, this is her Uncle and yes he has the same sweet nature.