The comeback of the Curly Coated Retriever! Adorable dog breed that was on the brink of extinction returns in Britain – with 45 puppies born so far this year
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- The Curly Coated Retriever is distinguished by its coat of small, tight curls
- Unfortunately, the breed is currently classified as a ‘Vulnerable Native Breed’
- But The Kennel Club has revealed that popularity has skyrocketed this year
With its beautiful coat of small, tight curls, the Curly Coated Retriever is one of the most distinctive breeds in the dog world.
Unfortunately, it is currently classed as a ‘Vulnerable Native Race’, due to low numbers in Britain.
However, there is some good news for the Curly Coated Retriever: The Kennel Club has revealed that the breed is making a comeback, with a boom in popularity in the first half of 2023.
“The breed has so far welcomed 45 puppies in 2023, a five-fold increase compared to 2022 when just nine puppies were born,” it explains.
According to British petsa well-bred Kennel Club registered pedigree puppy can cost you £600-£800 if it comes from a reputable breeder.
With its beautiful coat of small, tight curls, the Curly Coated Retriever is one of the most distinctive dog breeds in the world
“The breed has so far welcomed 45 puppies in 2023, a five-fold increase compared to 2022 when just nine puppies were born,” explains the Kennel Club.
The Curly Coated Retriever is the oldest and also the largest of the retriever breeds.
The curly coat comes from its ancestor, the English Water Spaniel, which was crossed with a retriever – most likely the Labrador.
According to The Kennel Club, poodle blood was also added to the mix to make the curl tight.
“The coat gives the dog a foolproof quality when retrieving ducks from the water, the function for which it was originally bred,” the report said.
The Curly Coated Retriever is currently one of 34 breeds on the Kennel Club’s Vulnerable Native Breeds List.
This list monitors breeds with fewer than 300 puppies registered each year.
‘Vulnerable native breeds are dog breeds of British and Irish descent that are considered vulnerable due to their declining registration numbers,’ explains the Kennel Club.
“These breeds are at risk of disappearing from our parks and streets simply because people don’t know they exist or they aren’t considered fashionable.”
The Curly Coated Retriever is the oldest and also the largest of the retriever breeds. The curly coat comes from its ancestor, the English Water Spaniel, which was crossed with a retriever – most likely the Labrador Retriever
Only 53 Curly Coated Retriever puppies were registered in 2017, while the number barely rose to 73 in 2022.
However, the number of puppy registrations this year – 45 so far – looks promising for the breed.
“To give these dogs the chance they deserve, it’s important that if you’re considering getting a dog that you consider the lesser-known breeds,” the Kennel Club said.
‘There are over 200 dog breeds recognized in Britain, so there’s a breed for everyone.
“We find that people tend to pick a breed from the collection of breeds they’ve heard of before, which means overlooking the perfect breed for them and their lifestyle.”
Other breeds on the list of vulnerable native breeds include Bloodhounds, Greyhounds, King Charles Spaniels and Skye Terriers.
Speaking to MailOnline, Bill Lambert, a spokesperson for The Kennel Club, said: ‘Of course it’s vital that people find the right dog for their lifestyle – the Curly Coated Retriever requires a lot of exercise and regular grooming – so we urge everyone to potential puppy buyers to research and make informed choices in finding the perfect match for them.”