The Curly Coated Retriever was originally bred in England for upland bird and waterfowl hunting. It is the tallest of the retrievers and is easily distinguishable by the mass of tight curls covering its body. Curly Coated and Wavy Coated (now known as the Flat-Coated Retriever) were the first two recognised retriever breeds, established as the breed we know today as early as 1860.

Appearance

The Curly is an active, well-muscled dog, the tallest and the largest of the six retriever breeds. The Curly is slightly longer than it is tall. It should give the general appearance of being a strong, upstanding dog with a degree of elegance. Contrary to rumours spread a number of years ago, Curlies are soft-mouthed and will handle game with care. In its native UK, the breed standard calls for males to be 27 inches (69cm) at the withers, and for females to be 25 inches (64cm).  Having said that, a wide range of sizes occur. In the USA, the American Kennel Club allows for a size variation, stating 25-27″ for dogs and 23-25″ for bitches.

The trademark coat of tight crisp curls is unparalleled. The tight curled coat of the Curly repels water, burrs, and prevents damage that other ground and water-hunting dogs with softer, thinner coats cannot escape. There are only two acceptable colours for the Curly Coated Retriever which are solid black and solid liver. Occasional white hairs are permissible, but large white patches, whilst beautiful, will be penalised in the show ring. Eyes should be either black or brown in black dogs, and brown or dark amber in liver dogs. The nose should be fully pigmented, and should match the coat colour.

Temperament

The Curly Coated Retriever was originally developed as a gundog for gamekeepers and its temperament and conformation reflect this. Curlies are still used in many countries as bird hunting companions. Curlies make excellent family dogs, as generally they have a calm and steady disposition and are not as overly-energetic as some other retriever types. However they still require a decent amount of exercise and mental stimulation.

The Curly can sometimes be aloof with strangers but is usually very loyal and affectionate with its owners and family which reflects their origin as they helped act as a guard dog for the Victorian gamekeepers in a time when poachers could potentially be violent. ‘Aloofness’ should never be confused with nervousness or aggression. Curlies are extremely intelligent in general, but training can sometimes be difficult as they might easily get bored with repetitive training.

Care and maintenance

Coat

Curlies are a single coated breed with no undercoat, and the small tight curls of a show specimen are easy to maintain. A Curly kept as a companion and/or hunting animal need not be elaborately groomed but needs to be kept clean and free of mats for the health of the dog. Despite many publications saying that a male Curly will moult once a year and in the case of bitches, twice a year to coincide with their seasons, all Curlies shed throughout the year although maybe not to the degree that dogs with undercoats do. Bitches will usually shed more heavily during their seasons and following whelping. Both dogs and bitches may also shed more in the spring, and depending on the heating in your home, may also shed more during the winter months.

The Curly is very much a ‘wash and go’ type of dog. Depending on where you purchase your Curly, you may be lucky in that he may need very little body coat trimming but may only need to have his, ears, feet, neck, throat and tail tidied. If he does require his body coat trimming, first bath in a good quality dog shampoo and allow to dry naturally before trimming. To determine the length required, place your hand flat onto the dogs body and trim off anything which extends over the width of your fingers.

Exercise

The Curly Coated Retriever likes exercise; it was bred for endurance in the field. A Curly is an intelligent dog and is happiest when it has adequate exercise, mental stimulation and play. As an adult, Curlies love activities such as gundog work, flyball and dog agility as they love the outdoors and being with their people. As a puppy, serious exercise should be restricted. While active outside, at play or in the field, the adult Curly is generally a calm house dog and knows how to relax.

Life expectancy

Average life expectancy is 9 to 12 years, although there are occasional instances of Curlies living to 15 to 17 years of age.

Possible medical issues

• Cancers
• Epilepsy & Seizures
• Gastric dilatation volvulus (bloat/torsion)
• Exercise-induced collapse
• Eye problems such as PRA, cataracts, distichiasis, entropion, or ectropion.
• Glycogen storage disease (GSD)

For more information on these conditions, please see the Health pages.