Curly Coated Retriever - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) First Retriever
It is very likely, that the Curly Coated Retriever was the first dog breed used for a real retrieving work, which makes him the first real Retriever breed. The Curly was originally developed in England and similar dogs appeared in British art from 300 years ago. The Curly was favourite dog of gamekeepers, especially thanks to its hunting prowess and incredible agility.


2) Ancestry
The breed ancestry is not very well documented, but it is believed, that their main ancestor is the Old English Water Spaniel, the Tweed Water Spaniel, but some other breeds were most likely included in the breeding process as well. It could have been Poodles, Newfoundlands, Irish Water Spaniels or St Johns Water Dogs. The breed has been purebred since the 1900s.


3) Swimmers
As you can probably imagine, this is a highly active breed, that requires daily proper exercise. They are always ready for any adventure, they will love long walks, hikes jogs and especially swims. And you should let them swim from time to time, they just love it. And just like all the retrievers, they love to play fetch, so fetching in water is just the best exercise for this dog.


4) Size
This is a big and strong dog with athletic, muscular, yet graceful body. The average height should be between 58-69 cm, which is 23-27 inch and weight is typically between 29-36 kg, which is 65-80 pounds. Females are little bit smaller than males.


5) Temperament
If you are only familiar with Labs and Goldens, that you might be surprise, that the Curly Coated Retriever can actually be a good watchdog and guard. They are not that extremely friendly with strangers and they can be compared to for example Chesapeake Bay Retriever with their aloofnes around other people. Of course this can be vastly influenced by early socialization. But of course, when they are around their owners and family, they are extremely affectionate, playful, social and lets say even tempered. They do okay with kids or other animals in the family, especially if they are raised with them from the puppyhood.


6) Coat
Of course, the most distinctive feature of this breed is its thick and oily doublecoat which consists of tight and crisp curls. The only acceptable colours for the Curly Coated Retriever are solid black and solid liver. Sometimes they can have few white hair, but the dog should not have large white patches on their body. Only body parts, where the coat is not curly, but straight, are the face and front of the legs. The coat provides great protection from bad weather and chilly waters.


7) Training
The Curly Coated Retriever is an intelligent, eager to please dog that likes to work. If you combine those temperamental traits together, you always have an easily trainable dog. But you should be aware, that Curlies are pretty slow to mature, so it can take some time for them to become completely obedient. Sometimes, they can be stubborn as well, so firm and patient trainer is needed.


8) Puppies
Well, all the retriever puppies are total cuties, but you should be prepare, that all of them, Curly Coated Retrievers including are very hyperactive and they just like to chew and nip. It is natural for them and it is almost impossible to stop them from doing it. It is very likely that they will try to taste everything they find, which can actually be dangerous for them, because they can eat something that could harm them.


9) Maintenance
If we would not consider the exercise, than this is easy to maintain breed. They do not require brushing or trimming and you should bath them only when it is really necesary. The Curly Coated Retriever do shed, so if you want to minimize the shedding you can brush them regularly to remove the dead hair and minimize the shedding. Other than that, you should regularly check their eyes, ears and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.


10) Health
This breed has a lifespan between 10-14 years and sadly, they do suffer from quite a lot hereditary health issues. The most problematic is cancer, bloating, hip and elbow dysplasia, glycogen storage disease. The minor problems include progressive retinal atrophy, entropion, distiachisis or epilepsy.