Not all curls are alike. For a long time, only one KRT71 hair-gene variant was known to cause curly coats in dogs, yet the Curly Coated Retriever lacks it. Instead, the breed carries a second variant of its own, found by researchers in all 125 Curlies examined (Bauer et al. 2019).
| FCI | Group 8 (Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs), Section 1 Retrievers, Standard No. 110, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Great Britain |
| Size (height at the withers) | ideal males 69 cm, females 64 cm |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | median 12.2 years in a UK analysis of 584,734 dogs, including 152 Curly Coated Retrievers (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | a dense mass of small, tight, crisp curls close to the skin, from occiput to tail tip, without undercoat or bare patches; smooth hair elsewhere |
| Colours in the standard | black or liver; all other colours undesirable |
Powerful and independent-minded
The standard requires a strong, upstanding dog with some elegance, describing intelligence, calm, reliability, courage, friendliness, self-confidence and independence. One honest addition: the dog may seem aloof. Rather than greeting every visitor enthusiastically, a Curly often watches first. The standard contains no historical account; Great Britain is the country of origin, and definitive FCI recognition came in 1954.
Retrieving, swimming and sustained running
Bred as a retriever, the dog should move effortlessly and powerfully, covering ground well. Several hours of daily exercise and mental work are needed, such as dummy training, water work and tracking. Relatives in the encyclopedia include the Flat Coated Retriever, Labrador Retriever and Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Caring for curls without a brush
Without undercoat, grooming is comparatively straightforward. Frequent brushing separates the curls and makes them frizzy. Usually, wetting the coat when needed, loosening dead hair with your fingers and allowing it to air-dry is enough. Check ears after swimming.
What health studies show
Curly Coated Retrievers reached a median of 12.2 years in the UK longevity study, versus 12.0 for crossbreeds (McMillan et al. 2024). The coat reveals a breed-related weakness: a UK and Swedish breed-club survey found that 39 of 90 dogs had experienced symmetrical, non-itchy hair loss or frizzy coat, usually before 18 months on thighs, armpits, back and neck; examination identified follicular dysplasia (Bond et al. 2016). Inherited glycogen storage disease type IIIa causes poor stamina and collapse; a carrier test exists (Gregory et al. 2007). The DNM1 variant associated with exercise-induced collapse has also been found in Curlies (Minor et al. 2011).
A Curly suits you if...
you are active, enjoy working outdoors and by water, and appreciate a friendly independent dog who does not seek everyone’s attention. Families with older children and time for training can do well.
Less suitable if...
you want a dog eager to please everyone without training or have little exercise time. Before buying, ask about the parents’ GSD IIIa and DNM1 genetic tests, plus hip and elbow results.
Explore whether an independent retriever suits your life in the breed quiz; read more in our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German). If a puppy is arriving, the free Puppy Starter Pack helps. To bring those black or liver curls to your wall, explore dog portraits from your own photo or your Curly as a downloadable digital artwork.
Further reading
- Labrador Retriever: why a quarter are always hungry
- Calculating your dog’s food portions: how much your dog really needs
- Leaving your dog alone: a step-by-step plan without drama
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 110 Curly Coated Retriever (fci.be, English version dated 06.10.2026, valid standard published on 08.09.2026, no German version); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Bauer A et al., A second KRT71 allele in curly coated dogs, Animal Genetics 2019; Bond R et al., Clinical and pathological features of hair coat abnormalities in curly coated retrievers from UK and Sweden, Journal of Small Animal Practice 2016; Gregory BL et al., Glycogen storage disease type IIIa in curly-coated retrievers, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2007; Minor KM et al., Presence and impact of the exercise-induced collapse associated DNM1 mutation in Labrador retrievers and other breeds, Veterinary Journal 2011.
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