Meet Barbet Breeder Eva Gellert of Chateau Barbets

Originally published here at AKC.org on July 25, 2025 by Melanie Haid

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For Atlanta, Georgia-based breeding program “Chateau Barbets,” their emphasis isn’t on making this newly recognized breed more popular. In fact, owner Eva Gellert hopes that the Barbet‘s numbers don’t rise quickly, but not because of a lack of love for the breed. It’s actually her devotion to the breed that drives her and the Barbet community to be selective about breeding and who the puppies eventually go home to.

Gellert got her start in breeding over 30 years ago, but not with Barbets. She bred Labrador Retrievers for about 20 years, until a chance encounter with a Barbet sparked a decade-plus of breeding, community, and advocacy through Chateau Barbets.

From Labs to Barbets

While Gellert currently resides in Georgia, she was actually born in Hungary. She learned French when she was 13 and moved to the French Caribbean, where she lived until the early 2000s. She got her first Labrador Retriever while living there in 1989, and bred her first litter in 1992. In 2003, she moved to the United States and bred another litter, and then another in 2005. She loved the temperament of the Lab, but worried that the breed was too popular. For 31 years, from 1991 to 2022, the Labrador Retriever was consistently crowned the United States’ most popular breed, according to AKC registration statistics.

She met her first Barbet when she was working in France in the late 1980s, but was still primarily focused on breeding Labradors at the time. But years later, she still never forgot about those friendly little dogs. When she decided to transition from Labs to Barbets, she started her search. She got her first Barbet, a girl, in 2016. “Since then, I haven’t looked anywhere else, and I don’t even have any other breed,” she says.

One of the things she loves most about the breed is how similar it is to Labradors, while still being its own distinct breed. “They have the cheerful, joyful temperament of a Labrador, so they love everybody,” says Gellert. “They get along with older dogs and older pets, they don’t shed much, they’re smaller, and they’re just happy to be around you.”

Breeding With Intention, Not for Popularity

Barbets were recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they didn’t get to show in conformation that first year. Now, Gellert says that the Barbet community is starting to make a name for themselves in the dog sports world post-recognition. That being said, they’re not a breed most people are likely familiar with. “It’s a very, very new breed — it’s only been four years,” says Gellert. “All of us who show are trying to educate people and make the breed better known.”

Having witnessed the popularity of America’s most popular dog breed for three decades firsthand, Gellert hopes Barbets don’t shoot up in the ranks too quickly. “Lots of people are seeing them compete in Orlando, at Thanksgiving, at the Westminster Dog Show, and they’re picking up interest,” she says. And she understands the appeal: Gellert has seven Barbets of her own. “It’s easy to love them and like their temperament. They’re easy to train, and they want to please you. They’re good for families and also go very well with the senior population,” Gellert says. “They don’t have an aggressive bone in their body.”

There aren’t many Barbets in America, with about 150 puppies born each year, according to Gellert. She believes that this isn’t a bad thing — there are only so many dogs and ethical breeders. “That’s the reason they won’t become popular very soon,” she says. “It’s nice, because people are understanding the importance of keeping the breed as healthy as possible.”

The Importance of Health Testing

With only a small number of Barbets in the United States so far, Gellert worries that health concerns and poor breeding practices could arise if the breed has a sudden surge in popularity. “If everyone’s starting to breed them, we could have issues coming into the breed,” Gellert says. “I really hope everybody is still conscientious about it.”

One of the ways the Barbet Club of America emphasizes good breeding, like the majority of breed clubs, is by making certain health tests mandatory. Breeders must test for hip and elbow dysplasia prior to breeding. An eye condition called Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration (PRCD) is also common in the breed. This condition is inherited and can cause vision loss and eventual blindness. “If the dog is affected and bred with another affected dog, the offsprings have a big chance to become blind. So this is something we really try to breed out of the breed,” she says. “That’s one of the main concerns.”

Geller also does thyroid testing, as well as patella X-rays and comprehensive blood work on both the male and female before breeding. “The thyroid will be the beginning of other diseases or illnesses that we can discover,” she adds.

Gellert owns the females that she breeds. “For males, we’re very often going outside of our breeding program and choose a dog from another breeder,” she says. First, they conduct DNA testing, followed by health testing, and then decide whether to proceed with breeding the dogs. Currently, five of Geller’s Barbets are females, and two are male.

Being devoted to a litter is the most important part of being a breeder to Gellert. “I think it’s like when you decide to have a kid. You know, going to get into school, homework, after-school activities … You have to entertain that,” she says. “It’s exactly the same job for the breeder who wants to breed healthy puppies — having a dog is having more children. It’s commitment: it’s financial, emotional, and physical commitment.”

Her older females are no longer being bred, but rather helping set a good example for the new puppies that come along. “They’re a big help to raise the puppies,” she says. “It’s like having three grandmas at home who help you with everything.”

Not for Every Home

Gellert says that breeding Barbets has taught her a lot, especially since the breed doesn’t particularly like to be alone. Despite their friendly demeanor, these dogs require a lot of activity and are prone to developing separation anxiety. Gellert considers this heavily when choosing a home for her litters.

“They can develop separation anxiety very fast because they don’t understand why they are not with you and why they’re staying at home for longer hours,” Gellert says. “They don’t do very well [with] being left behind. So if you cannot come back home every day, this is not the dog you want.”

When speaking with prospective puppy owners, she thinks it’s essential to have an honest conversation about their lifestyle. “If the dog is home 8, 9, or 10 hours a day, alone, you will not be a happy owner.”

For one, Barbets love being outside. Gellert says that active people, regardless of age, make the best owners for this breed. “Someone who loves hiking, who loves to take long walks even in the neighborhood on every day of the week, someone who really wants to have a companion to do things with,” Gellert says.

Once a match is made, Gellert works hard to maintain contact with a dog’s owners and remain in their corner. “Usually I’m keeping a longtime, lifetime relationship with the owners,” she says. “That makes a very nice little community.”

Embracing the Barbet’s Instincts

Barbets don’t just dislike being alone. These active dogs also need something to do, preferably with their person. “They’re a true sporting dog or hunting dog,” Gellert says. Because of this, she starts the puppies in her litters early. “We’re starting obedience training when they are barely walking.” She doesn’t stop at basic obedience either. Her dogs usually compete in conformation, as well as various performance sports.

“They get bored easily, and boredom, just like in humans, can bring in health issues.” Even her older females, when retired from breeding and conformation, still compete in a variety of dog sports. “They just want to be with you. They want to hang out with you, they want to share your life, and they are really loyal.”

And despite not being a hunter herself, Gellert recognizes that that’s what the breed was bred to do. It’s instinctual for them, so giving them an outlet specifically for their original purpose is very important to her. She takes her dogs to a professional hunter two or three times a year so that they can tap into this hunting instinct.

These breeds are definitely more than meets the eye, but all of their quirks are beyond worth it for Gellert. “Training isn’t a breeze, but it’s much easier than certain other breeds because they love mental stimulation and want to please you. They’re extremely smart.” She also notes that their eagerness to please outweighs their drive; “they like to do what you do and go with the flow.”

Mostly, she feels lucky to have been introduced to the breed, especially since she already had experience as a breeder. She hopes that love for the breed will continue to grow responsibly as more people learn about these dogs. “They make me smile every day,” she says.” I’m so thankful to have them be in our lives.”