Curly-coated Retriever E-Book

Nona Kilgore Bauer

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Comprehensive Owner's Guide
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 250

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

The Curly-Coated Retriever is a true specialized hunting dog that can outswim, outrun, and outclass any of the sporting breeds. Prized for his mass of small crisp curls, colored in solid black or liver, the Curly-Coated Retriever is also the dog world's best kept secret, as his devoted fans attest. The breed is not only the oldest of the British gundog breeds, but it is also the most unique, bubbling with confidence, humor, and know-how. More independent than the other retrievers, the Curly is as smart, active, and loyal as anyone could ever desire. Retriever specialist and award-winning author Nona Kilgore Bauer has written this Comprehensive Owner's Guide to introduce the Curly to potential owners, surveying the breed's fascinating but muddy origins, examining the Curly's characteristics and personality, and giving sound advice about selecting, caring, and training this very special sporting dog. New owners will welcome the well-prepared chapter on finding a reputable breeder and selecting a healthy, sound puppy. Chapters on puppy-proofing the home and yard, purchasing the right supplies for the puppy as well as house-training, feeding, and grooming are illustrated with photographs of handsome adults and puppies. In all, there are over 135 full-color photographs in this useful and reliable volume. The author's advice on obedience training will help the reader better mold and train into the most well-mannered dog in the neighborhood. The extensive and lavishly illustrated chapter on healthcare provides up-to-date detailed information on selecting a qualified veterinarian, vaccinations, preventing and dealing with parasites, infectious diseases, and more. Sidebars throughout the text offer helpful hints, covering topics as diverse as historical dogs, breeders, or kennels, toxic plants, first aid, crate training, carsickness, fussy eaters, and parasite control. Fully indexed.

Leseprobe

Physical Characteristics of the Curly-Coated Retriever

(from the American Kennel Club breed standard)

Skull: Flat or nearly flat.

Head: Longer-than-wide wedge, readily distinguishable from that of all other retriever breeds, and of a size in balance with the body.

Eyes: Almond-shaped, rather large but not too prominent.

Nose: Fully pigmented.

Muzzle: Wedge-shaped with no hint of snipiness.

Mouth: Level and never wry.

Jaws: Long and strong. A scissors bite is preferred.

Forequarters: Shoulder blades are very long, well covered with muscle, and are moderately laid back at about a 55 degree angle. The width between shoulder blades is adequate to allow enough flexibility to easily retrieve game. The forelegs are straight with strong, true pasterns.

Feet: Round and compact, with well-arched toes and thick pads.

Ears: Rather small, set on a line slightly above the corner of the eye and lying close to the head.

Neck: Strong and slightly arched, of medium length, free from throatiness and flowing freely into moderately laid-back shoulders.

Body: Chest is decidedly deep and not too wide, oval in cross-section, with brisket reaching elbow. The ribs are well-sprung, neither barrel-shaped nor slab-sided, and extend well back into a deep, powerful loin with a moderate tuck-up of flank.

Hindquarters: Strong and in balance with front angulation. Thighs are powerful with muscling carrying well down into the second thigh. Stifle is of moderate bend. The hocks are strong and true.

Tail: Carried straight or fairly straight, never docked and reaching approximately to the hock.

Coat: The body coat is a thick mass of small, tight, crisp curls, lying close to the skin, resilient, water resistant and of sufficient density to provide protection against weather, water and punishing cover. Curls also extend up the entire neck to the occiput, down the thigh and back leg to at least the hock and over the entire tail. Elsewhere, the coat is short, smooth and straight, including on the forehead, face, front of forelegs and feet.

Color: Black or liver. Either color is correct.

Size: Dogs, 25 to 27 inches; bitches, 23 to 25 inches.

Contents

History of the Curly-Coated Retriever

Discover the origins of this most ancient of retriever breeds, whose origins are submerged in 15th-century Britain. Trace the development of this unique water retriever with tremendous swimming and hunting power from Britain to Australia and New Zealand, where the breed has a significant following, to the US, where the breed is just beginning to establish a stronghold.

Characteristics of the Curly-Coated Retriever

Underneath the Curly’s unique coat of crisp, tight curls is a dog equally unique—meet the independent and intelligent Curly-Coated Retriever. Find out about the breed’s personality and trainability as well as its physical characteristics, including the possible hereditary conditions of which all owners should be aware.

Breed Standard for the Curly-Coated Retriever

Learn the requirements of a well-bred Curly-Coated Retriever by studying the description of the breed set forth in the American Kennel Club standard. Both show dogs and pets must possess key characteristics as outlined in the breed standard.

Your Puppy Curly-Coated Retriever

Find out about how to locate a well-bred Curly-Coated Retriever puppy. Discover which questions to ask the breeder and what to expect when visiting the litter. Prepare for your puppy-accessory shopping spree. Also discussed are home safety, the first trip to the vet, socialization and solving basic puppy problems.

Proper Care of Your Curly-Coated Retriever

Cover the specifics of taking care of your Curly-Coated Retriever every day: feeding for all life stages; grooming, including coat care, ears, eyes, nails and bathing; and exercise needs. Also discussed are dog ID and traveling safely with your dog.

Training Your Curly-Coated Retriever

Begin with the basics of training the puppy and adult dog. Learn the principles of house-training the Curly-Coated Retriever, including the use of crates and basic scent instincts. Get started by introducing the pup to his collar and leash and progress to the basic commands. Find out about obedience classes and other activities.

Healthcare of Your Curly-Coated Retriever

By Lowell Ackerman DVM, DACVD

Become your dog’s healthcare advocate and a well-educated canine keeper. Select a skilled and able veterinarian. Discuss pet insurance, vaccinations and infectious diseases, the neuter/spay decision and a sensible, effective plan for parasite control, including fleas, ticks and worms.

Your Senior Curly-Coated Retriever

Know when to consider your Curly-Coated Retriever a senior and what special needs he will have. Learn to recognize the signs of aging in terms of physical and behavioral traits and what your vet can do to optimize your dog’s golden years.

Showing Your Curly-Coated Retriever

Enter the world of showing pure-bred dogs. Acquaint yourself with the basics of AKC conformation showing, including how to get started, how shows are organized and how a dog becomes a champion. Take a leap into other competitive events suitable for the Curly: obedience and agility trials, tracking tests, field trials and hunting events.

KENNEL CLUB BOOKS®CURLY-COATED RETRIEVER

ISBN 13: 978-1-59378-318-1

eISBN 13: 978-1-62187-043-2

Copyright © 2006 • Kennel Club Books® • An Imprint of I-5 Press™ • A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC™3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618 USACover Design Patented: US 6,435,559 B2 • Printed in South Korea

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Photography by Carol Ann Johnson and Michael Traffordwith additional photographs by

John Ashbey, Peter Atkinson, Norvia Behling, Booth by Monica, Paulette Braun, Alan and Sandy Carey, Susan Chow, Isabelle Français, Javan, Bill Jonas, Paul Lepiane, Gary & Mary Meek, Kitten Rodwell, Stewart Event Images, Tatham and Alice van Kempen.

Illustrations by Rénée Low and Patricia Peters.

The publisher wishes to thank all of the owners whose dogs are featured in this book, including Susan Chow, Conrad & Anne Clippert, Yvonne Cooper, Gary & Mary Meek, John Mello, Audrey Nicholls, Hayden & Gladys Phillips, Nicola Phillips-McFarlane and Sue Tokolics.

The Curly-Coated Retriever possesses many unique features in both looks and personality that set him apart from the other retiever breeds.

The Curly-Coated Retriever is considered the most unique of all of the retriever breeds. With his sturdy legs and body covered in a mass of tight shiny curls, he appears more to be a cuddly teddy bear than a capable and courageous hunting dog. He is also the least recognized of the retrievers and is often mistaken for the Poodle or the Irish Water Spaniel, his distant relatives of centuries ago. Although the Curly is a most popular gundog in New Zealand and Australia, where he is prized for his strength, courage and tenacity, the breed is not very well known in the United States and many other parts of the world.

ORIGIN AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BREED IN ENGLAND

Unlike the histories of the other retriever breeds, few specifics are known about the history and development of the Curly in his native England. However, pre-1800 writings do offer valid evidence of the breed’s existence centuries earlier; references dating back to the 15th century describe “sagacious” curly-coated spaniels and water dogs who possessed outstanding hunting and retrieving ability. Author Phillip Ashburton wrote about Curly-Coated Retrievers used for hunting around 1490 in Lincolnshire and Norfolk, the land of Robin Hood and his merry band. Centuries later, a reference in the Sportsman’s Cabinet in 1803 suggested that the Curly is a descendant of the “Old Water Dog” with the following: “These dogs are exceedingly angular in appearance and most probably derived their origin from the Greenland dog blended with some particular race of their own. The hair of these dogs must be adhering to the body in natural elastic curls, not loose or long and shaggy.”

Subsequent documentation from the mid-1800s offers several other accounts of the Curly’s place in evolution as a gundog in England. Writer John Scott wrote in 1820 in the Sportsman’s Repository, “The original Water Dog of the opposite continent, being long since adopted in this country and in some maritime districts, is still preserved in a state of purity, but the breed is more generally intermixed with the Water Spaniel and Newfoundland Dog.”

The Curly-Coat is an able land and water retriever. Rebel, the only Best in Show Curly in the US also to have earned an AKC hunting title, beautifully embodies the breed’s natural aptitude in the field.

A Curly-Coated Retriever from the early 1900s.

CANIS LUPUS

“Grandma, what big teeth you have!” The gray wolf, a familiar figure in fairy tales and legends, has had its reputation tarnished and its population pummeled over the centuries. Yet it is the descendants of this much-feared creature to which we open our homes and hearts. Our beloved dog, Canis domesticus, derives directly from the gray wolf, a highly social canine that lives in elaborately structured packs. In the wild, the gray wolf can range from 60 to 175 pounds, standing between 25 and 40 inches in height.

Most breed historians assume that the St. John’s Newfoundland, the Tweed Water Spaniel, the Irish Water Spaniel and the Poodle may have contributed to the development of the Curly-Coated Retriever in England. Because all of these breeds were evolving at about the same time, it is also possible that the reverse is true and the Curly is the dominant link behind the development of those other breeds.

Some authorities believe that the Curly-Coated Retriever was crossed with the original Poodle of Germany, with the goal of improving the coat and elegance of the Curly and the staying power and sagacity of the Poodle. Others claim that the mere fact that the Curly-Coated Retriever is the only breed named for its curly coat is an indication that this was the first of all of the curly-coated breeds. Unfortunately, since the hunters and breeders of the mid-1800s did not document their breeding practices or maintain breeding ledgers, there is no written record of breedings or of the people who were involved in the development of today’s Curly to prove any of these theories.

The early Curly-Coated Retriever was frequently referred to as a “meat dog,” a generic term referring to a dog that would find and retrieve the birds regardless of hunting conditions or the gentility of his hunting master. Such was his nose and tenacity that the Curly was often used to find and retrieve birds left in a field already covered by “other breeds” during a driven shoot. Such a dog was an invaluable aid to the common man who hunted birds in order to provide meat for his family’s dinner table.

In 1837, Thomas Bell wrote of the Curly in the British Quadrupeds: “The peculiar qualities and propensities of this dog, its exquisite sense of smell, its sagacity, strength and aquatic habits, have rendered it a most useful and important servant to a particular class of persons of the North of England and Scotland who live principally by shooting waterfowl, in the retrieving of which these dogs exhibit the highest degree of docility and hardihood.” These remarks seem to validate the “meat-dog” Curly and the class of people most inclined to own and utilize the dog for bird work in water and afield.

Despite his murky history, there is definite proof that the Curly-Coated Retriever was the first breed to be classified by The Kennel Club of England as a retriever and was the first retriever to be exhibited in England as a show dog, the latter occurring in 1860. Four years later, The Kennel Club split retrievers into two classes, Retrievers—Curly-Coated and Retrievers—Wavy Coated, offering the Curly official recognition as its own breed. The Curly continued to be shown on the bench but, by the late 1800s, the Labrador Retriever and the Flat-Coated Retriever far outnumbered the Curly-Coat at the shows. The Curly’s popularity waned as the public showed a decided preference for the other retriever breeds.

The Portuguese Water Dog derives from the same stock as most of the water-dog breeds.

As happened with most other large breeds, the two World Wars decimated breed numbers and in 1919 only five Curlies were registered with England’s Kennel Club. The road back was long and slow, and after a brief surge in popularity during the late 1930s, numbers plummeted again, with only 13 registered in 1942 and 1943. The next few years were still lean, but a bit more promising, with 90 Curly registrations by 1947.

ORIGINAL RETRIEVER

The Curly-Coated Retriever is considered to be the oldest of all of the retriever breeds.

As there were so few Curly breeders during the early 1900s, the few predominant kennel prefixes of that time can be found in most modern Curly pedigrees if they were to be traced back many generations. Names most commonly known were those of Preston, Penworthan, Knysna, Notlaw and Coombehurst.

By the early 1930s, the Darelyn and Snaphill Curly kennels were producing noteworthy Curlies, but their progress was interrupted by World War II. Darelyn, however, was revived during the 1940s with their foundation stock, Delilah of Darelyn and Dru of Darelyn. Their progeny continued into the 1950s, along with that of the Akrow kennels, who gave us the important Turkamann and Sorona stock during that decade.

The Curly finally gained real prominence during the 1950s and 1960s, and breeders in Australia, New Zealand and the United States began to import Curly breeding stock from England. Darelyn Aristocrat, Irishit Straight Line and Prince of Knocksginan were imported into Australia to greatly influence the breed in that country.

In England, several other new kennels joined Darelyn in active breeding. Harkaway, Grinkle, Banworth, Burtoncurl, Siccawei, Renniston and Charcol all became important in the establishment of the breed as the Curly entered the second half of the 20th century.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, facing the growing popularity of the Labrador and Flat-Coated Retrievers, the Curly’s numbers continued to grow at a slow but steady rate. In historic moments for the breed, during the 1980s Ch. Darelyn Rifleman earned Best in Show wins over entries of 16,315 and 23,627 at England’s largest dog shows. Not surprisingly, he became a dominant producer of important Curlies in England, Australia, the United States and continental Europe. Rifleman and his progeny can be found today in almost every Curly pedigree throughout those countries.

THE CURLY IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

For over a century, Australians have prized the Curly-Coated Retriever as a brave, intelligent and agile hunting dog. The sturdy Curly is often used to retrieve waterfowl as large as swans. Curlies have also been known to hunt Australian kangaroo, a feat that requires great courage as well as speed and natural hunting ability.

Most of the Curlies in Australia and New Zealand today date back to the breeding of native Curlies to English imports. The very important dog, NZ and GFTCh. Dual Ch. Waitoki Tamatakapua, who is behind many modern Australian and New Zealand bloodlines, was the product of a New Zealand field-trial champion and an English import bitch. Another significant pairing was that of English import Nelson Prince and his Australian-born daughter, Nelson Beauty. This breeding produced the important Australian Curly, Black Prince. Australian breeder Olaf Michelson of Victoria and his imported Tablik Curlies were the foundation of many of the country’s home-bred Curly-Coated Retrievers.

THE COMMONER’S CURLY

The Curly in its native England was originally known as the commoner’s, or “blue-collar,” dog, because the breed was more often owned by English gamekeepers or poachers than by the gentry or wealthy aristocrats.

Hailing from the breed’s homeland, Eng. Ch. Gladrags Jackaranda is an excellent representative of what judges seek in the show ring for the Curly-Coated Retriever. In the UK, a Curly must win in both the field and the show ring to earn a full championship.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Australian breeders imported Darelyn Aristocrat from England, along with Sarona Simon, Banworth Simon, Banworth Athene and Pegasus, dogs who are behind over three-quarters of modern Curly bloodlines. The accomplished New Zealand import, Ch. Waitoki Tuhora, QC, is also behind many of Australia’s Curlies.

PURE-BRED PURPOSE

Given the vast range of the world’s 400 or so pure breeds of dog, it’s fair to say that domestic dogs are the most versatile animal in the kingdom. From the tiny 1-pound lap dog to the 200-pound guard dog, dogs have adapted to every need and whim of their human masters. Humans have selectively bred dogs to alter physical attributes like size, color, leg length, mass and skull diameter in order to suit our own needs and fancies. Dogs serve humans not only as companions and guardians but also as hunters, exterminators, shepherds, rescuers, messengers, warriors, babysitters and more!

As word of the Curly-Coated Retriever spread across the Atlantic to North America, Australia began to export dogs to the United States and Canada, as well as to Germany, New Guinea and New Zealand, creating legions of new breed fanciers on other continents.

In New Zealand the Curly-Coated Retriever reigns, as the breed is the most popular hunting dog in that country. The Curly’s intelligence, superb hunting ability and natural affinity for water earn the breed high marks with hunting enthusiasts and field-trial aficionados.

An unusual aspect of the Australian Curly is a smaller-sized variety that is well known in some parts of Australia, with some specimens much smaller than the Curly-Coated Retriever descibed in breed standards. This smaller version is a very popular duck dog, found mostly along the Murray River, where it is not surprisingly called the “Murray River Curly.” The River Curlies are unregistered, and many River Curly fans feel it should be considered a separate breed.

THE CURLY IN THE UNITED STATES

Although America saw its first Curly-Coated Retriever in 1907, the breed was not registered in the United States until 1924. Curly fanciers then were most enthusiastic about the breed’s potential as a hunting dog; indeed, the breed prospered during the 1920s and 1930s, when Curlies were popular as both family pets and as gundogs. As in the UK, World War II impacted the breed almost to the point of total extinction, with only 16 specimens registered between 1941 and 1949. By 1950, when breeders of all breeds of dog were trying to re-establish their lines, the Labrador and Flat-Coated Retrievers had made huge inroads into the hunting populace, and many kennels began to produce faster and more stylish retrievers. Additionally, a rumor circulated in American dog circles that the Curly was hard-mouthed and that the breed’s curly coat was difficult to maintain. Such false allegations led to a disastrous drop in Curly interest and support, reducing breed numbers to only two dogs registered in 1964. With a total lack of breeding stock, any remaining lines of Curly breeding stock were lost, and for a brief while the future of the breed looked bleak.

The breed’s revival came in 1964, when Mr. Dale Dettweiler imported Eng. Ch. Siccawei Black Rod from England. This dog was affectionately called “Limey” by those who judged him in the show ring. Limey also worked in the field and had quite a loyal following of hunters who spent many successful hours hunting behind the dog. After this most successful import, Mr. Dettweiler brought over more Curlies from England, Australia and New Zealand, and with those dogs he established his Curly kennel, bearing the prefix Windpatch. The Windpatch Curlies became the foundation for the breed in the United States, and Mr. Dettweiler is considered by many to be the savior of the modern American Curly.

Ch. Hie-On Mack MacLaig, the top-winning Curly of the late 1970s and early 1980s, is shown here with handler John Horan.

CURLIES IN AUSTRALIA

Breed history indicates presence of the Curly in Australia in the early 1800s. In 1897, Walter Bielby writes in Dogs of Australia about a Curly-Coated Retriever named Martins Ravensdown Ben at a turn-of-the-century dog show in Victoria.

Ch. Karakul Titan was a BIS winner and a top-ranked Curly in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Bred by Sheila Anderson and owned by John Mello.

During the 1970s, many of the owners and breeders who would shape the breed for the next 10 to 20 years obtained their first Curlies. This decade saw the start of Wit’s End, Karakul, Sevenravens, Summerwind, Charwin, Mayhem, Nightflight, Lakeview, Jollybodies, Sandbar, Back Bay, Solimar and Ptarmigan, among others. Dogs including Limey, Conference Table, Lizah Nero and Carnsford Kyeema Patch, along with their progeny, became the foundation of these kennels. Also figuring into the pedigrees of Curlies owned by most of these kennels in the 1970s was Ch. Windpatch Raven O’Goldendeed, Windpatch Devil O’Goldendeed and Windpatch Baron O’Goldendeed. These brothers were sired by Ch. Siccawei Black Rod out of Ch. Windpatch Nero’s Lollipop.

The year 1966 saw the first supported Curly entry at the International Kennel Club benched show in Chicago. For the next 13 years, Curly owners met annually in Chicago for the only supported entry for the breed. In 1979, during the supported entry weekend, the Curly-Coated Retriever Club of America (CCRCA) was founded. There were 47 charter members, of which 10 are still active members of the club. Today there are over 200 members of the CCRCA, which was licensed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1994.

The 1980s saw the birth of Aarowag, Jar-em, Coventry, El Mack, Mathel and Ranah, and the continuance of the breeding programs of Summerwind, Mayhem, Charwin, Ptarmigan, Karakul, Jollybodies, Sandbar, Sevenravens and Wit’s End. Curlies from these kennels who began to make a mark on the pedigrees of this decade were Banworth Ivurried, imported from England by Ptarmigan kennels; Ch. Windpatch Ebony Walkabout; Ch. Windpatch Demure Anne; Ch. Karakul Corona De Sombra; Ch. Sevenravens Windbell; Ch. Summerwind Echo’s of Freedom and Ch. Charwin Scirocco, among others.

The first all-breed-BIS-winning Curly in the US was Ch. Summerwind’s Charles Dickens. Bred by Doris Hodges and owned by Sue Tokolics.

Mayhem kennel’s Hie-on Mack MacLaig became the first Curly-Coated Retriever since Limey to have an outstanding show career. Although his show career was short, he was a Curly to remember and his records stood until 1996. In 1989, the first Curly to win an all-breed Best in Show (BIS) was Ch. Summerwind’s Charles Dickens, bred by Doris Hodges and owned by Sue Tokolics.

The 1990s saw a real growth in the number of Curlies in this country and many new breeding kennels began to emerge. Some of the most successful are Avanti, Pizzazz, Riverwatch, Fairway, Addidas, Boyerie, Softmaple and Kurly Kreek. Two more Curlies won Best in Show awards; the first was Ch. Karakul Titan, bred by Sheila Anderson and owned by John Mello, in 1995. Titan was owner-handled to this win. Then in 1996 Ch. Mayhem’s Gentlemen’s Agreement, bred by Mary Alice Hembrey and owned by Jane Anderson, captured a BIS. He did it again in 1997 to become the first Curly-Coated Retriever to win multiple Bests in Show. Baron was also owner-handled to his wins.

Ch. Ptarmigan Gale at Riverwatch (“Tempest”) was the foundation of Riverwatch kennels and held many records in the breed with her multiple specialty, Sporting Group and Westminster wins. Bred by Janean Marti and owned by Gary and Mary Meek.

Eventually Curlies could be seen competing at shows across the country. As the year 2000 approached, Curly entries could be found in almost any part of the US. For the first time, Curlies began to be competitive in the Sporting Group. Ch. Ptarmigan Gale At Riverwatch, bred by Janean Marti and owned by Gary and Mary Meek, broke all of the American Curly records except BIS. She was the top-winning Curly for most of the 1990s, garnered five national specialty Best of Breed wins and won the breed at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club show seven times. Always owner-handled, she was instrumental in making the Curly a true competitor at the Group and BIS levels in the United States. Other Curlies that made their mark during the 1990s in the show ring were BIS Ch. Karakul Titan, BIS Ch. Mayhem’s Gentlemen’s Agreement, Ch. Karakul Trademark, Ch. Boyerie’s Andouille O’ Wits End, BIS Ch. Kurly Kreek Marshall Dillon Boyerie, Ch. Kurly Kreek Mae West, Ch. Addidas Christmas Party and Ch. Addidas Alpha Monopoly.

MBIS, MBISS, SR Ch. Fairway It’s My Party, CGC, WCX, JH, bred by Kim Kiernan and owned by Susan Chow, enjoyed an extraordinary show career. “Rebel” had a most impressive Best in Show win over an entry of 2,500 dogs!

As we entered the new millennium, the number of breeders producing Curlies also began to increase. Avanti and Pizzazz kennels are working together to produce some very lovely Curlies in California. They are producing a line that is beginning to be seen in pedigrees across the country. Charwin, Aarowag, Ptarmigan, Summerwind, Softmaple, Riverwatch, Kurly Kreek and Boyerie kennels are still active, with representatives of their breeding also included in many pedigrees. Ch. Mathel Felicitation, owned by Kim Kiernan of Fairway kennels, produced very well and her offspring are seen in many of our pedigrees and are also doing well in the show ring. Ch. Fairway It’s My Party, bred by Kim Kiernan and owned by Susan Chow, had a sensational show career. Professional handler Mary Dukes piloted him to a record-breaking career that included four Bests in Show.

In 2001 Ch. Ptarmigan Groovin, bred and owned by Janean Marti, garnered a BIS in very limited showing. In 2002 Ch. Kurly Kreek Marshall Dillon Boyerie, bred by Scott and Kathy Shifflet and owned by Yvonne Cooper, won his Best in Show to cap off a very successful show career. Dillon’s sister, Ch. Kurly Kreek Mae West, also had a very successful show career as has Ch. Kurly Kreek Stocking Stuffer.

Some of the newer breeders and their successful Curlies are the Dese kennels of Donald and Sonia Evans, whose Dese’s Black As Coal was one of the dogs to beat in the early 2000s; the Shadowbrook kennels of Delene and Henry Vota, whose Ch. Shadowbrooks First PJ Party has enjoyed several years of being ranked in the top five Curlies and the Gladrags USA kennels of Rita Nelson, who is having success with Ch. Gladrags Phorse Be With You.

From the more established kennels we have Ch. Pizzazz Avanti Gonna Go Far, Riverwatch Windwalker, Ch. Fairway’s Devilish Ace, Ch. Addidas General Sherman, Ch. Sundevil Cerulean, Ch. KyterCurl IDo What ILike, Ch. Jangio’s Lightning Bug, Ch. Fairways Softmaple Finnheir and Ch. Riverwatch Quietly Makin Noiz, all in the top ten during the first five years of the new millennium.

The current top show Curly is BIS Ch. Riverwatch Southern Cross, bred and owned by Gary and Mary Meek and co-owned by Conrad and Ann Clippert. He has three AKC and one United Kennel Club (UKC) Bests in Show (breeder-owner handled), a national specialty Best of Breed and a Westminster Best of Breed and was the number-one Curly-Coated Retriever for 2004 and 2005. He is the grandson of Ch. Ptarmigan Gale At Riverwatch, who still holds the all-time top-winning Curly bitch record.

Grandson of the famous Tempest, multiple-BIS winner Ch. Riverwatch Southern Cross (“Curlew”) has made quite a name for himself as well, being number-one in the breed for 2004 and 2005.

Winning Best of Breed at Westminster in 2002 is Ch. Kurly Kreek Marshall Dillon Boyerie, handled by Amy Walker under judge James Covey. Bred by Scott and Kathy Shifflet; owned by Yvonne Cooper.

Besides making their marks in the show ring, Curlies here in the United States are titling in field trials, obedience, agility, rally obedience and more, and they are still the favorite hunting companion of many. The breed continues to gain more supporters all the time. Although Curlies are now easier to come by than they were in the 1990s, the breed is still ranked near the bottom when it comes to litters produced in a year.

Ch. Riverwatch Desert Wind is no fair-weather friend—the versatile Curly can do it all!

PERSONALITY AND TEMPERAMENT

“Unique” may be the word to best describe the Curly-Coated Retriever. His tightly curled, water-repellent coat is his most distinguishing characteristic and the one that most often generates questions and conversation. However, the dog beneath the coat is equally unique in temperament and ability. The Curly is a highly intelligent and independent retriever, considered by many to be the most intelligent, but also the most willful, of all retriever breeds. Although (and because) they learn quickly, they also become bored very easily, which creates a training conundrum for the average owner or trainer who often tends to use repetitive techniques when training for simple obedience or everyday field work.

Despite the breed’s seemingly hard-nosed qualities, the Curly’s temperament is rather soft and yielding, and dominant or heavy-handed training approaches are rarely necessary. The Curly has a higher-than-average energy level and is more inquisitive than most other retrievers—two qualities that, combined, make for a very active dog in body and mind.

The Curly is a most loyal and gentle dog who makes an excellent family companion as well as a very capable gundog. Curlies are seldom aggressive with other dogs or animals. Adult Curlies are very gentle with youngsters, but because of their large size and great exuberance, they can sometimes be unintentionally rough in play and accidentally knock over small children. As with any other breed, Curlies should be supervised when playing or interacting with children.

The Curly-Coated Retriever is a fun-loving, water-loving, sporting dog, always ready to get his paws wet.