Curly Coated Retriever: the oldest of the retrievers and the most overlooked

In 1860 a retriever covered head to tail in tight curls appeared at a dog show in Birmingham, England, and thirteen years later, in 1873, it was entered in the books of the British Kennel Club. That date makes it the retriever with the oldest official record in the world, older than the Labrador, the Golden, and the Flat-Coated breeds that now dominate the popularity lists. The paradox is that a century and a half later the Curly remains one of the rarest entries in the AKC registry, usually ranking near the bottom of all recognized breeds for annual registrations, while the Labrador has sat at or near the top of AKC popularity for three decades. The Curly carries more than 150 years of documented history, and most people still cannot name it on sight.

If you have ever seen one and failed to identify it, that is understandable. The compact coat of tight curls, black or liver, with none of the wavy or long hair you associate with a textbook retriever, throws people off. Here is everything you need to know before considering life with one.

What the Curly looks like

The Curly-Coated Retriever is a large, athletic dog built to work in the field and in the water for hours. Males stand 25 to 27 in (64 to 69 cm) at the shoulder and weigh roughly 65 to 100 lb (29 to 45 kg); females run a couple of inches shorter and several pounds lighter. The build is slightly longer than tall, with defined muscle that never looks heavy. You can see the work in the way it moves.

The coat is what makes it unmistakable. The entire body, from the back of the skull to the tip of the tail, is covered in small, tight curls lying close to the skin, with no undercoat and no bald patches. The face, by contrast, carries short, smooth hair. That combination is functional: the curled body repels water and shields the skin from branches, reeds, and cold during water retrieves, while the smooth face lets the dog grip game cleanly without hair in the way. The AKC standard recognizes only two colors, solid black and liver (the chocolate shade owners describe in plain terms). Large white patches are a serious fault.

The eyes are oval and slightly slanted, black in black dogs and brown or amber in liver dogs. The ears are medium and drop. The tail, of medium length, is carried straight or slightly curved. The whole picture reads as functional elegance, very different from the rounded, easygoing look of the Labrador or the flowing coat of the Golden.

Temperament of the Curly

This is where most of the misunderstanding starts. Anyone who brings home a Curly expecting the effusive sociability of a Labrador or the unconditional devotion of a Golden is in for a surprise. The Curly is loyal to its family but reserved with strangers. It can seem aloof on first contact with visitors, and it needs more time than other retrievers to warm up to new people. That is not shyness; it is selection. For generations this dog worked alongside a single trusted hunter. Unfiltered friendliness was never part of the job.

At home with its family it lives easily. It is affectionate without being clingy, plays with energy, and enjoys physical contact in the house, yet handles quiet stretches without anxiety. In the field or on the water it transforms: nose active, body tense, retrieve precise. The hunting drive is strong and persistent.

The independence is real. The Curly thinks for itself during a retrieve and makes decisions without waiting for a cue. That makes it excellent in real hunting work, but it can complicate obedience training when the method is repetitive or punitive. In Stanley Coren's intelligence ranking it placed 41st of 131 breeds, putting it in the upper-middle range, with a clear tendency to get bored when training does not vary. Positive reinforcement in short, varied sessions works far better than mechanical drilling.

With children in the family it is tolerant. With small strangers and unfamiliar adults it keeps its distance until they are absorbed into the group. With other dogs it coexists without conflict when socialized from puppyhood. Barking is moderate, more of an alert than a compulsive habit.

Health: what the breed carries

The health record of the Curly is better documented through the UK Kennel Club and the Curly-Coated Retriever Club of America than through any single large dataset, because the breed's population is small everywhere. The conditions to watch for are the following.

Hip dysplasia. Present in most large breeds. In the Curly the exact prevalence is hard to quantify because of the breed's small numbers in screening databases. A certified hip evaluation (OFA) on both parents is the standard expectation before a litter. Intermittent lameness, difficulty rising, or reluctance on stairs are warning signs.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). A hereditary degeneration of the retinal photoreceptors that leads to progressive blindness. A DNA test is available. Responsible breeders screen the parents before breeding. Early diagnosis does not halt the disease, but it lets owners adapt the dog's environment.

Cardiac disease. Some lines show a predisposition to dilated cardiomyopathy. Echocardiographic screening from around age four is sensible in dogs with a family history.

Pattern baldness (alopecia). Localized hair loss (flanks, underside, temporal area) with no inflammation. Cosmetic rather than medical in most cases, though a veterinary check is worth doing to rule out endocrine causes.

Bloat (GDV). A risk in all large, deep-chested dogs. Splitting food into two meals, allowing at least 45 minutes of rest after eating, and avoiding hard exercise right after meals all lower the risk. Gastric dilatation-volvulus is a life-threatening emergency: if the abdomen swells and the dog is restless and unable to vomit, treat it as immediate. Prophylactic gastropexy at the time of spay or neuter is worth discussing with your veterinarian.

According to the UK Kennel Club's 2004 health survey, the average lifespan came out at 10.9 years. Cancer was the leading cause of death (30 percent), followed by gastric disease (12.5 percent) and cardiac problems (5 percent).

Grooming the curly coat

Coat care is where most people get it wrong. Despite its dense appearance, the curly coat needs little daily work, but it requires a specific approach that runs against the instincts of anyone who has owned other dogs.

The single most important rule: no slicker brushing and no metal pin brushes. Slicker brushing destroys the curls, and the coat loses the compact texture that defines it. If the coat fluffs up or turns into a shapeless mass of loose hair, the wrong brush is usually the cause.

What works: wet the coat thoroughly when the curls start to loosen or open into clumps, finger-comb to reset the curls, and let it air dry. During seasonal sheds (mainly spring) a soft-bristle brush or a rubber grooming mitt pulls dead hair without breaking the curl structure. A bath every six to eight weeks with a gentle dog shampoo is enough. Bathing more often dries out the skin and weakens the curl.

Dental care three times a week. Weekly ear checks. Monthly nail trims. Shedding runs lower than in double-coated breeds like the Labrador or the Golden, though females in heat and both sexes in spring drop more hair than usual.

Cost of a Curly-Coated Retriever in the US

The short answer: more than a Labrador, because finding a breeder is the first hurdle.

Puppy price: roughly $2,000 to $3,500 from a breeder in good standing with the AKC or the Curly-Coated Retriever Club of America. Active US breeders are few, and in some years there is no litter available at all. The realistic alternative is importing from the UK, Germany, or the Nordic countries, which adds transport, veterinary paperwork, and broker fees. Below $1,500, be cautious of breeding without health certification.

Estimated annual cost for a healthy adult:

• Premium large-breed food: $700 to 1,200.
• Routine veterinary care (vaccines, exams, parasite control): $400 to 800.
• Pet insurance: $500 to 900.
• Accessories, toys, bed, harness: $150 to 300.

Total: $1,750 to 3,200 a year with no unexpected conditions. It is an expensive dog to acquire and a moderate-cost dog to maintain, comparable to any other large retriever.

Full breed reference

Block	Item	Value
Identification	Canonical name	Curly-Coated Retriever
	Other names	Curly, CCR
	Geographic origin	England
	First documented show	Birmingham, 1860
	UK Kennel Club registration	1873
	AKC group	Sporting Group
	FCI standard	No. 110
	FCI group	8 (Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs)
	FCI section	1 (Retrievers)
Physical	Male weight	65-100 lb (29-45 kg)
	Female weight	55-70 lb (25-32 kg) approx.
	Male height	25-27 in (64-69 cm)
	Female height	23-25 in (58-64 cm) approx.
	Coat type	Body: small tight curls, no undercoat. Face: short smooth hair
	Accepted colors	Solid black, liver
	Shedding	Moderate (lower than double-coated breeds)
Health	Lifespan	10-12 years
	Documented average lifespan (KC UK 2004)	10.9 years
	Hereditary conditions	Hip dysplasia, PRA, cardiac disease, pattern baldness, bloat
	Recommended parent screening	Hip evaluation (OFA), PRA DNA test, echocardiogram
Temperament	Energy level	High
	Trainability	Medium-high (independence works against mechanical obedience)
	Barking	Moderate
	Reactivity with strangers	High (reserved, needs early socialization)
	With children	Good (within the family)
	With other dogs	Good with socialization
	With cats	Possible if raised together from puppyhood
Lifestyle	Daily exercise	60-90 minutes minimum, with scent or water work
	Apartment suitability	Conditional (needs long outings and space)
	Cold tolerance	High (water-repellent coat)
	Heat tolerance	Medium (watch for heatstroke in summer)
	Grooming frequency	Bath every 6-8 weeks; no slicker brushing
	Professional grooming	Not required except minor trimming for the show ring
US market	Puppy price 2026	$2,000-3,500
	Availability in the US	Very low; importing from the UK or northern Europe is common
	Active US breeders	A handful, concentrated through the CCRCA
	Estimated annual cost	$1,750-3,200

Is the Curly-Coated Retriever for you?

If you want the sociable retriever that greets everyone at the park, gets along with any person from the first minute, and asks for no prior experience with working dogs, the Curly is not your breed. That profile belongs to the Labrador or the Golden.

The Curly fits if you value a functional, capable field dog with a mind of its own, one that bonds deeply with its family without losing its head over every stranger who walks by. It also fits if you have access to water or open country to put its retrieving instinct to use. And it fits if you can accept that finding a puppy in the US will take patience, contact with the CCRCA, and quite possibly an import.

It is not a difficult breed, but it is not a breed for anyone who wants a retriever with the edges sanded off.

FAQ

Is the Curly-Coated Retriever hypoallergenic? No. No dog is hypoallergenic in any strict sense; human allergies react to the Can f 1 protein found in a dog's saliva, urine, and dander, not to hair alone. The Curly sheds less than a Labrador or a Golden because it lacks a double undercoat, which can reduce the amount of loose hair in the home, but it does not eliminate the allergens. If you are allergic to dogs, talk to your doctor before acquiring any breed.

Is it the same as a Labradoodle? They have nothing in common. The Labradoodle is a Labrador and Standard Poodle cross with no AKC or FCI breed standard and no purebred registry. The Curly-Coated Retriever is a purebred with FCI standard No. 110 and records going back to 1873. The two coats can look similar at a glance, but the origin, structure, and temperament are entirely different.

How does it differ from the Labrador and the Golden? Three main differences. First, the coat: tight water-repellent curls versus the Labrador's short hair or the Golden's flowing coat. Second, temperament: more reserved with strangers and more independent at work than either of the other two. Third, availability: the Labrador and the Golden are among the most registered breeds in the world, while the Curly sits near the bottom of the AKC registrations.

Does it bark a lot? Moderately. It alerts when it detects something out of the ordinary, but it does not bark compulsively or react without cause. With early socialization and enough exercise, barking stays within normal ranges for a working breed.

Are there breeders in the US? Few. In some years there is no litter available nationally. The most reliable route for a puppy with health guarantees and verified pedigree is to contact the Curly-Coated Retriever Club of America, which maintains a breeder directory. Importing from the UK, Germany, or Sweden is common among US owners.

Does it need much grooming? Less than it looks. The curly coat does not need frequent brushing, and the biggest mistake is the wrong tool: slicker brushing destroys the curl. A bath every six to eight weeks and finger-combing the coat while wet to reset the curls is enough in most cases.

Is it a good breed for hunting in the US? Yes, especially for waterfowl retrieving in marsh, delta, and wetland country. The curly coat repels water efficiently and tolerates cold and damp better than smooth-coated breeds. Hunters who have worked one consistently praise its stamina and its nose. Working numbers in the US are small, but the dogs that do the job earn their keep.