It is very difficult to find studs... that correspond to what one has set as an idea of what a Barbet is, many having such diverse ideas, I always ask people who contact me what their objective is, meaning breeding plan? I know that is a futile word, but important to me.
I am always on thin ice and anything I say and do is held against me.
France has no breeding plan or comité, so we people do our own with several countries.

The questions I ask are shocking to some, but they are MY questions.

My wish is to make dogs that look alike, that people are happy with and that of course are healthy! No scoop. I know where I am going along with several people with whom I share ideas. No scoop.

Interpretations of given information are very different and so is wording. I am not a matchmaker as we have a person in our club who is alledgedly doing it.

However when asked:
It's important to see the raw dog( not shaved, but wet and to know if he can swim...?) and not see an over-groomed poofed out poodle or bichon type groomed lass, which hides everything and most defects.

Then: a champion is not any indication that the dog is or not a good stud. We know that.In some areas all dogs are champions.
So, hard to say!

Tail set, morphology,angulations( especially the back legs),low ears, short nose,short neck, straight back, coat type, teeth, character,size, weight,color, health( that is an issue in all breeds, all real breeders know that)and finally what about...natural ability? The Barbet is a Griffon....
What about:
Hips?
Have they done eyes?
What testing has been done.
Some do have thyroid problems or are carriers of genetic problems.
An intelligent breeder( in any breed) works with all parameters.

Of course how far they are willing to drive/fly to get new blood.

Then, ...you want to be sure the dog doesn't end up making another breed "by mistake".

The Barbet being a rare breed and not real pure, we have to be really careful with who mates who.

The % of inbreeding is a lethal weapon for most.If you don't have the correct information, then you get the wrong % of inbreeding.
Calculating it with a pencil and paper is wiser than a wrong pre-digested %. This lady's webpage is a start. She was the secretary of the club and at the club for 20 years when it was only for the Barbet. She knew a lot( still does) and she worked for a JCH Barbet moderne.
Her website is full of facts and basic good sense.

http://www.barbet.org/coef.htm

I also try to send people to older dogs who have not been used or rarely. I don't believe in a dog being "used up" at age 2.

I will not help anyone who wants to mate a female under 2 years of age.That is against my beliefs. A dog is not a machine.That's why I'd make a bad breeder if I were a "real" one.

I have seen some sad matings and feel bad for the owners. I hope people spread the good word about the breed, not the fact that they had to shave the dog because they couldn't manage the coat or that the dog finally was not a nice dog and barked all the time or was hi-strung and agressive.

We can't hide everything we do behind the genetic diversity factor.

Many countries have a breeding comité, some like France don't.
Many don't really have a full deck of cards to play with as there is not enough information circulating.

Mating is not a haphazard activity where you use one's stud because his or her is your buddy.
Matings can work most of the time and some don't.

Also, it is not a money-making activity when you look at the bottom line. In France we( meaning non professional breeders) can do 1 litter per year, only. That covers expenses as far as I am concerned ( shows and food are at east covered along with law suits to amortize.)

A breeder can use a female several times in a row( every heat) and get her fixed and place her.
Others will want to know how the litter develops, THEN decide what to do.There are 2 well defined schools.

If you live far away from the next dog and plan on mating, remember that YOU will have to drive or fly to get your female mated. Envisage getting a male...?

There are some sterile females around.( probably males, too)
Some females refuse to be mated!You can invest for no return, but a lot of hassel.

A female cannot be inseminated in lieu of a real mating THE FIRST TIME. FCI rules
If you own a male and he is to be used for an insemination, ALWAYS have the sperm checked and documented on paper by a vet to avoid "problems". The male is generally blamed.

Health? Ask the owner of the stud.All breeds have issues.

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Now that I have started this do's and don't list, if you feel you can contribute to it, please let me know.It serves everyone.
I will be happy to add to it.This information like everything else I do and post is for everyone and not just me.
I can speak from experience in many cases.

If you are worried and cannot handle the stress of working for the breed, then stop immediately and go to a popular breed like a Labrador or Golden retriever,Cocker?

A breed that is as small as ours is not "easy" to work with.

I speak from experience.