HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT
The one genetically distinctive characteristic of this breed is its curly coat; whatever sorts of dogs were crossed with whatever sorts of bitches, the curly coat is the main clue from which the investigator could work. A strong case can obviously be made out for the water dog or water spaniel, which have been recognised canine variations for several centuries; as far back at least as the 17th century writers were praising the sagacity fondness for water, the retrieving power and the quality of endurance of this kind of dog.
It is not easy to determine what other breeds occurred in its development, but it is possible to discern the Old English and the Irish Water Spaniels, the Poodle, one or more breeds of Setter, and the small Newfoundland. It would seem that the balance of evidence shows that these breeds, crossed from time to time with the unidentified and now unknown water dog, produced the Curly Coated Retriever as we know today.
In Australia the record of breeding goes back to the 1800s when Curlies were bred from dogs taken out by immigrants and settlers.
APPEARANCE
The Curly is the largest of the retriever breeds, males standing 68.58cm (27") at the withers and bitches 63.50cm (25"). The Curly is instantly recognisable by his coat which looks like astrakhan and is a mass of close tight curls from the back of the skull to the tip of the tail. The colour is either black or liver.
The head and front legs are free from curls and covered with short smooth hair. The eyes are either black or brown.
CHARACTER
The Curlys' usefulness as a sporting dog comes from a combination of pace, endurance, intelligence and a good nose. With his size and strength he is able to retrieve almost anything shot for him. It is however, in water that he excels usually showing a strong desire to swim from a very early age. He has an excellent nose, especially on runners, and he retrieves quickly to hand. One of his outstanding characteristics is his ability to mark down and memorise the fall of the bird. Different conditions provide different uses for the Curly and he adapts readily to most of them.
The Curly is a slow maturing dog and may take up to three years to reach maturity. Their temperament is kind and great hearted, as is usual in gun dogs, and totally without malice. He bears no resentment for scolding to which he seems to have a philosophical attitude. He likes to be praised, is devoted to his owner and is a family dog to the other members of it.
The Curly is not apt to bark but when required to do so is an excellent protector of family and property. His deep bark alone is enough to stop unwanted intruders in their tracks.
The Curly does have a mind of his own and is capable of using it in his own way. He is obedient but tends to be so in his own time. This independence of mind is one of the traits which the Curly devotees find attractive, for it makes a dog of character and Curlies certainly are that.
CARE
As with all large dogs the Curly needs plenty of exercise to keep him in good., hard condition. Being a keen retriever this can be achieved with minimum effort on the owners' part.
The coat needs to be regularly dampened with water and massaged with a flat, bare hand in a circular motion. This helps keep the coat clean and tight. On no account should a brush or comb be used. The coat is trimmed lightly removing any scraggly curls on the body or head, and trimming a little closer on the tail so as to show the shape and taper from the root to the tip. The ears should be trimmed around the edges.
