Greyhound vs Barbet - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Barbet is an ancient European waterdog, with the first references to it coming way back from 1387. This breed is thought to serve as a common ancestor for several other waterdogs, and these include the poodle. The breed was used to retrieve water fowl from water, and today it is used as a gundog and as a companion.

The name ‘Barbet’ comes from the French word for beard, which is ‘barbe’. The Kennel Club has announced that this dog is to be described as being in a class of its own, and it has become the 220th pedigree breed.

The Greyhound belongs to a group of dogs known as sighthounds. This is an ancient sighthound breed dating back a few thousands years.

The dog has been bred for racing but today is also a popular pet. They’ve also been used for hunting too because of their keen eyesight and sense of smell.

In the United States there are Greyhounds registered with the American Kennel Club as well as those registered with the National Greyhound Association.

The Barbet is a medium-sized breed of French water dog, measuring anything between 52–66cm in height. The dog is known for his thick, curly textured coat and even the head and tail are covered with this dense hair. His coat is waterproof.

The coat can vary in color and these colors can be brown, grey, white, fawn or black. The dog isn’t a heavy shedder. The Barbet’s tail is long and somewhat raised but not erect. He has long, wide pendant ears set at eye height, the skull is broad and the neck short and strong.

A Kindly Expression

With his kind brown eyes, it simply adds to the kindly expression of this attractive gun dog. He is a friendly, fun-loving dog, and makes a great family pet. He loves to swim and in fact has webbed paws to assist him with his swimming. Some dog owners say that this intelligent active breed can be a great watchdog, while others say the being a guard dog isn’t a particularly strong characteristic.

The Greyhound is a tall, muscled, long-legged, slender dog with a flexible spine, a deep chest and exceptional eye sight.

The Males are usually about 71 to 76 cm in height with the females being slightly smaller. The dogs weigh in the region of 27 to 40 kg. The coat of the dog is short and smooth and is found in an assortment of colors, from fawn to white, tan, black and brindle.As far as grooming goes, he is looked upon as a low maintenance breed.

He has a long narrow muzzle, semi-erect/semi-floppy short ears and a long slender tail.

Sometimes referred to as being hypoallergenic, you need to allow your Greyhound indoors as the dog doesn't have an undercoat. He is therefore more susceptible to extreme temperatures. The face is long, narrow and pointed, the ears short and half-erect-half-floppy with a long, thin, whip-like tail.

Temperament:

Intelligent and gentle, the Greyhound is described by those who have owned them as wonderful pet. They are somewhat aloof around strangers but love their own human family. This is a non-aggressive, gentle, docile, calm dog. They are loving and get on well with their entire family, whether human beings or pets.

They’re sensitive dogs who appreciate quiet, calm environments. They may be quiet, but they are still social, loving the company of their family. They’re not great barkers and because they are non-aggressive, they don’t make wonderful guard dogs.

Most Barbets do superbly well with children and are naturally gentle with them. It is always important to teach children to respect animals and to be kind towards them. Even a gentle dog like the Barbet can turn aggressive if taunted beyond their endurance.

Barbets are social, good mixers and they get on well with other pets in the family, more so when they have been properly socialized. As a Sporting breed, the Barbet is energetic and loves to be involved in games and activities. He is such a versatile dog – gentle and friendly and he makes a wonderful devoted pet. Of course, he is also suited for use as a working dog, after all this breed was originally used for hunting waterfowl.

Treat him well and the thanks you’ll get will is unconditional friendship and loyalty.

The Greyhound, forgetting about the racing part, makes a superb pet too. He won't do well in a household where there are screaming, noisy children and adults as he wants a quiet home to live in.

He can get on well with kind, gentle, respectful children as well as with pets in the home. Just like any dog, he will also need training and socialization as this can build up his confidence and then he knows how to please his owners and what they expect.

The Greyhound will require a gentle, fair, kind owner who understands his need for peace and quiet, and then he becomes a most wonderful devoted, loyal and loving pet.

The Barbet is a rare breed and therefore not much is known about particular health issues affecting him. Some health issues that you will need to be alert about with your Barbet are ear infections, hernias and hip dysplasia.

A veterinarian should be consulted if your dog shows signs of these ailments. The risk of a Barbet developing any health condition can always be significantly reduced by making sure you buy your Barbet from a reputable breeder. If he is fed well and taken to the vet when he does get sick, he can live to be 13 to 15 years of age.

Greyhounds are a wonderfully healthy dog breed and with good care can reach 14 years of age. They aren't prone to many genetic illnesses and unlike so many other dog breeds, this is one dog that doesn't battle with hip dysplasia – in fact it is almost unknown among this tall, slim dog breed.

The Greyhound does however, have a deep chest and this is what makes him vulnerable to bloat or gastric torsion. You have to take action quickly if you detect bloat – the stomach swells up – as this is a life-threatening condition that can occur quickly when air is trapped in the stomach. The stomach can become twisted.

Make sure your Greyhound doesn't gobble his food too quickly and preferably give him smaller meals as opposed to one or two large bowls of food.

Grooming

The Barbet’s coat is longish and curly, much like a poodle, and long, wooly coat This being the case, moderate maintenance is required. Brushing and grooming twice a week will be necessary to keep the coat from matting too much. In fact, some Barbet owners prefer to keep their Barbets professionally groomed so that the thick hair is fairly short all over.

The dog’s ears will also need to be kept clean and dry.

Food/Diet

If your Barbet is a farm dog, used for hunting or working purposes, make sure to buy dog food formulated for active dogs. Your Barbet puppy up to the age of 3 months will require 4 meals a day. When your Barbet reaches a year of age he can be fed one or two bowls of food. Speak to your veterinarian about top-quality wet- and dry foods. Every dog will require raw meat added into their food once in a while.

Make sure there is a constant supply of cool, fresh water and also wash his food and water bowls regularly.

Training

The Barbet is an intelligent breed and therefore trainable. Dog owners who care for their pets, see to it that they are trained and have been socialized. This makes dogs much nicer to live with as they get on well with children and other pets and they don’t bark incessantly.

Exercise

The Barbet is a working breed so you can’t just leave him in your back garden day after day. To stay healthy and happy, he will need to be played with, taken for walks and exercised regularly.

Diet:

Your Greyhound’s breeder will be the best guide for the type of- and the amount of dog food your hound will need. Of course, a growing puppy has different nutritional needs from a mature or senior Greyhound.

Growing puppies and young dogs use a lot of energy so they will require a diet rich in protein. According to Greyhound experts, an adult Greyhound dog will need an average daily caloric intake of 1740 calories.

Older dogs and those that have been spayed or neutered will need less. Apart from the very best quality kibble, your Greyhound will most certainly require raw meat from time to time. You can also give him some cooked chicken, vegetables and brown rice. He should have access to a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

The Greyhound's coat is smooth and short and he sheds very little so he will only need a gentle brush-down once or twice a week.

Exercise:

Having a relaxed lifestyle is what your Greyhound will love. He is a dog that needs to spend time indoors. When outdoors, whether you live in the city or the country, he will need daily walks and a run in the park regularly.

Just because he is a sprinter, it isn't wise to take him with you with cycling or jogging as he is geared for a short burst of speed as opposed to a long run.