Curly-Coated Retriever, or curls, as affectionately called by their enthusiasts, is the most exotic of retrievers. It's a tall, graceful dog with characteristic curly fur, reminiscent of a poodle's coat. The chest is deep. Muscular limbs and a sturdy, square-shaped body give the dog a substantial appearance. The eyes are large, brown, or black. The coat is black or dark brown (liver). Very harmonious, elegant, and simultaneously powerful, the tallest among retrievers, curls confidently and firmly stand on quite high legs. Their allure on the move is beautiful and unusual, characterized by soft and wide movements. Curls also have a very distinctive elongated muzzle, similar to that of a thoroughbred racehorse.
Another characteristic of this breed is a certain detachment from the surrounding hustle and a great sense of self-worth. But of course, the main distinguishing feature of the breed is the unique coat without an undercoat, consisting of small tight curls. Dogs shed, males once a year, and females twice, so no trimming or clipping is required. It's only useful to slightly tidy up protruding curls and excess hair behind the ears before a show, as well as shaping the tail. This takes no more than 15 minutes. Among all shedding dogs, curls are one of the most suitable for allergy sufferers due to the lack of odor and flying fur around the house. The coat is very pleasant to the touch.
People use curly-coated retrievers predominantly as they would any other retriever. You can find curls as rescuers, guide dogs for the blind, search dogs at customs... Curls are quite calm and cautious; it takes a lot to engage with them because you always need to explain why to do this or that action.
If you try to describe the main characteristics of curls in three words, these words would be balance, thoughtfulness, and loyalty. These wonderful qualities also have their flip side. To execute an action flawlessly, curls usually need longer training, as each command must be meaningful to your dog.
The curly-coated retriever is loyal to its owner's family. Trained and well-behaved, intellectually developed, it requires interesting activities to be found for it. The only thing these dogs don't like is the monotony of repetitions during training; they quickly get tired of repeatedly performing commands they have already successfully learned.
In the dog community, curls behave completely independently, showing no excessive leadership tendencies but also not allowing the possibility of subordination. At the same time, on equal terms, dogs can work together excellently and, of course, play. Keeping curly-coated retrievers and showing them in the ring is a real pleasure because these versatile dogs love to participate in any activities, whether it's hunting, shows, obedience competitions, agility, or just walks with their owner.
