Appearance
– Active, well-muscled dog bred for upland bird and waterfowl hunting
– Slightly leggy, but slightly longer than tall
– Balanced, agile, with endurance, strength, and grace
– Soft-mouthed, handles game with care
– Show standards: males 25-27 inches, females 23-25 inches, but wide range of sizes occur
Temperament
– Originally developed as a gamekeeper’s gun dog
– Calm and steady disposition, not overly-energetic
– Can be aloof with strangers, but loyal and affectionate with owners
– Intelligent, but training can be difficult due to boredom with repetitive training
– Should never be nervous or aggressive
Care and maintenance
– Coat
– Single coated breed with no undercoat
– Show-standard dogs have small tight curls, easy to maintain
– Shedding occurs, especially during heat cycles and spring
– Bathing as needed using dog shampoo
– Trimming of feathering is common in show ring exhibitions
– Exercise
– Bred for athleticism and endurance in the field
– Requires adequate exercise, mental stimulation, and play
– Great for active sports such as hunt tests, flyball, and agility trials
– Calm house dog indoors
– Loves swimming and makes a valuable retriever
Health
– Life expectancy
– Average life expectancy is 9-14 years
– Instances of Curlies living to 15-17 years of age
Not applicablehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curly_Coated_Retriever