Curley-Coated Retriever

Written by Doris Donnerman (last updated April 3, 2009)

The Curly-coated Retriever has both performance and good looks going for it. Still, for some reason this breed has never widely caught on, even with his great water ability. He is, however, quite popular in New Zealand where he is greatly preferred. Several times there have been attempts made to make the Curly-coated Retriever popular, the first being just before the Civil War. This is when his working ability was first noticed.

The Curly-coated Retriever breed beginning is not known for sure. The first reference to the breed occurred in the Sportsmen's Cabinet in 1803. There have been many suggestions as to where the Curly-coated Retriever came from. Some have suggested that they were crosses with the English-water Spaniel, the Poodle, and even the Gordon Setter. Undoubtedly these crosses were tried, but the final influence is not known.

The coat of the Curly-coated Retriever is compared with that of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and is superior to the Irish-water Spaniel. He is a mass of tight crisp curls from the crest of his head to the end of his tail. The dog stands about twenty-four inches tall at the shoulder. The color is either black or a dark liver color.

In general appearance the dog is strong, upstanding, has great endurance and is an intelligent dog. The dog is considered to be easy to train and has a very sweet temper. He is a little slow in field trail work yet very competent. In water he is considered to be very fast. The outstanding characteristics of the breed are water-going eagerness and stamina in cold water. The dogs will dive continuously after crippled ducks. They are good markers and have excellent memories. Most of them are good land workers, and are said to stand out in locating "runners."

Additional information on the Curly-coated Retriever can be found at the website for the American Kennel Club.

Author Bio

Doris Donnerman

Doris is a jack of all trades, writing on a variety of topics. Her articles have helped enlighten and entertain thousands over the years. ...

MORE FROM DORIS

Remove Pet Hair from Your Couch

When pets shed, it can be really annoying, and often there's nothing you can do about it. While sometimes you may be at a ...

Discover More

Choosing Hair Care Products

With so many hair care products available, how do you decide which product is best for you? By using these simple ...

Discover More

Cleaning Paint Off of Linoleum

Latex paint and linoleum are both things that can be found in homes across the country. As such, it is only common that ...

Discover More
More Pet Tips

Weimaraner

Extremely versatile, the Weimaraner is very rare and sought after. He is lively, kind, obedient and fearless in nature.

Discover More

English Springer Spaniel

A favorite for hunting, the English Springer Spaniel is active and built for endurance. He is easily trained and skilled ...

Discover More

Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever's loyal and trustworthy nature has made him a favorite in the West. He is an intelligent dog with ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 8 - 5?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)