Curly Coated Retriever
- Origin
- England
- Type
- Gundog
- Size
- Large
- Height
- 58–69 cm (23–27 in)
- Coat
- A mass of tight, crisp curls
- Colors
- Solid black or solid liver
- Life span
- About 12 years
- Status
- Recognised by the FCI and The Kennel Club
The Curly Coated Retriever, often simply called the Curly, is a gundog bred in England for hunting upland birds and waterfowl. It is the tallest of the retrievers, and the coat of tight curls that covers its body makes it easy to tell apart from the others.
History
The Curly Coated Retriever and the Wavy Coated Retriever, now known as the Flat-Coated Retriever, were the first two retriever breeds to be recognised, and were established as early as 1860. The Curly was developed as a gamekeeper’s gun dog, and its build and character still reflect that work. It is used as a bird-hunting companion in many countries today, both on upland game and on waterfowl.
Appearance
This is an active, well-muscled dog, built a little differently from the more common retrievers. It can look slightly leggy, though it is in fact a little longer than it is tall, and it gives an impression of balance, agility, strength and stamina. Show standards ask for males of 64 to 69 cm (25 to 27 in) at the withers and females of 58 to 64 cm (23 to 25 in). The standard in the breed’s home country asks for the top of those ranges: 69 cm (27 in) for males and 64 cm (25 in) for females. In practice sizes vary a good deal, and dogs bred for field work are generally smaller. Weight should be in proportion to height.
The coat is a mass of tight, crisp curls. It sheds water and burrs and protects the dog from the kind of damage that sporting dogs with softer, thinner coats can suffer. Only solid black and solid liver are accepted. A few white hairs are allowed, but large white patches count as a serious fault. Black dogs have black or brown eyes, and liver dogs brown or amber ones. The nose is fully pigmented and matches the coat.
Temperament
The Curly is a working retriever at heart. It is soft-mouthed and handles game with care.
Care and health
A UK study published in 2024 found a life expectancy of 12.2 years for the breed, against an average of 12.7 years for purebred dogs and 12 years for crossbreeds.
Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.