By Heidi Clayton
While the Labrador and Golden Retrievers occupy the No. 2 and No. 3 spots on the American Kennel Club’s list of most popular breeds, there are a few other retrieving dogs that do not get the love that I feel they should! One of my favorite retrievers is the lesser-known Curly-Coated Retriever, which, in my experience, is just a little less needy than their cousins in the Sporting group.
The specific dates of the origin of the Curly-Coated Retriever are somewhat unknown, other than they are one of the oldest retrieving breeds from England. The Curly-Coated Retriever Club of England points out that in the 1700s and 1800s, dogs were kept for a purpose, not as pets. Hunting and retrieving were the primary purpose of most retrieving breeds. That led to breeding dogs that would hunt all day, could swim well, and had coats that could withstand the elements. There may have been, at one point, the introduction of the Standard Poodle to a retrieving line, which produced the signature tight curly coat. This was helpful because the coat is water-resistant and enabled them to go into thorny bushes to retrieve game. The Curly-Coated Retriever gained popularity for its desire to hunt and retrieve, its independent temperament, and their devotion to their families without being overly needy. They were first officially shown in England in 1860. The official breed standard in England was developed in 1896. Both of the wars in Europe resulted in the breed almost becoming extinct. However, dedicated groups have kept them alive, and they remain today a hidden gem among the Sporting dogs.
The signature look of the Curly-Coated Retriever is, of course, their curls. These curls appear naturally and are small and tight to the skin. They come in only two colors: black or liver. These signature curls will require routine brushing because, like with Labs or Goldens who grow fur constantly, the dead hair will need to be stripped probably once a week or so. Their curls can also grow into dreadlocks or mat around the ears, so you will need to pay attention to those areas. Their coat is not as thick and dense as the Golden, so they may not leave as much hair around the house. Curlies are about the same size as the Golden Retriever. Females weigh about 60 pounds or so, and males can weigh as much as 90 pounds. However, they are also very active and athletic, so they should always be fit and trim.
The Curly is not as needy for attention as the Lab or Golden. They were popular among the English gamekeepers because as long as there was a job to be completed, they never quit. These dogs were bred to have more of an independent temperament while retaining the innate love of their people that most retrievers have. That being said, the Curly is a dog that loves “their” people but may be aloof with strangers. The Curly-Coated Retriever Club of America says that “bored, underemployed Curlies are a handful!”
The Curly-Coated Retriever of today has truly retained its original purpose; They are still excellent retrievers for those who hunt. I think they are also very pretty dogs to look at. They also excel at performance sports and make an excellent, loyal companion to any family looking to bring a retriever into their life that sometimes just relaxes and chills on their own!
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
