Curly-Coated Retriever, as the name suggests, has curly fur and possesses amazing sense of smell and memory. It is one of the oldest retriever breeds.
This breed is independent, intelligent, confident, proud, active, alert, calm, and steady. Therefore, it never shows shyness or gets into a self-hyped state. It has good obedience. In the wild, the Curly-Coated Retriever is passionate and fearless; but at home, it is calm and friendly. It is relatively indifferent to strangers.
Curly-Coated Retriever is a versatile retriever breed, developed in England, where the curly coat was particularly favored by gamekeepers. It has the natural ability to hunt in the wild, being brave, persevering, and determined. With the right structure and soft curly coat, it can perform well in tasks such as retrieving heavy mammals or birds from cold water when needed.
The origin of the Curly-Coated Retriever is believed to be derived from 16th century English water spaniels and hunting Setters, although some people insist that the Irish Water Spaniel is its ancestor. It is likely that it is a descendant of multiple crossbreeding, with evidence such as its liver color turning black and curly fur.
However, it can still be traced back to the Irish Water Spaniel, and certain Labrador Retriever characteristics can also be found.
In 1860, the Curly-Coated Retriever was first publicly displayed in England as one of the first breeds officially used for hunting. Although they have charming appearance, strong physique, and outstanding working ability, it was still rare to see their traces. It is said that this is because the Curly-Coated Retriever is very picky and people usually do not choose to bring it when going hunting.
In 1880, the Curly-Coated Retriever was crossed with the Setter again. This crossbreeding gave it dense curly fur, and eventually became a popular hunting dog, following the Old English Water Spaniel. The Curly-Coated Retriever was first exhibited at the Birmingham show in England in 1960. However, it had already been exported to Denmark in 1889, where it was used for hunting waterfowl and quail in California for a long time. They were appreciated and recognized by people for their excellent skills and keen hunting ability in the water.
The first Curly-Coated Retriever club was founded in 1896 in England. Although it was introduced to the United States in 1907, it was not recognized and registered by the AKC until 1924.
Curly-Coated Retrievers not only require a lot of time spent with their owners, but also have high demands for their living environment, so people with little free time are generally not suitable for keeping them.
Their nature also makes them cute, loyal companions and excellent guardians.
In addition, in order to maintain their appearance, owners need to brush their fur every day and regularly provide professional grooming, including regular bathing and blow-drying, to keep their fur clean and fluffy. This actually takes a lot of time and effort, and requires great patience to persist. So, if these conditions are not met, it is best not to keep them.
Toewebsis
Symptoms: Dogs frequently lick their toes, the toes become red and moist, and severe cases may result in lameness.
Preparation: Iodine tincture, erythromycin ointment, Elizabethan collar.
Instructions: Wear an Elizabethan collar, remove the hair from the feet, wash with soapy water or wipe with iodine tincture, and apply erythromycin ointment to the inflamed area between the toes once a day, repeating for one week.
Ear mites
Symptoms: Dogs scratch their ears, shake their heads, there is a strong acid odor in the ears, accompanied by increased tear stains, hair loss in the ears, dark brown secretions, and earwax.
Preparation: Ear cleaner, ear wash.
Instructions: Clean the hair inside the dog's ears, flush the ear canal with ear wash or Vicks earwash, gently massage the base of the ear for 30 seconds, wait for the dog to shake out the earwash, use a cotton ball to wipe away the secretion, and gently clean the auricle and ear canal.
Skin disease
Symptoms: Dogs experience itching, redness, and itching of the skin, dogs scratch randomly, the fur becomes dull and rough, there is more dandruff, and even large patches of hair loss.
Preparation: Saline solution, topical ointment or spray, vitamin B.
Instructions: Put an Elizabethan collar on the dog to prevent scratching and licking, trim the problem skin and surrounding hair, then rinse with saline solution to sterilize, and then apply ointment or use a spray, along with antibiotics and vitamin B.
Feeding should follow the principles of regular timing, fixed location, and fixed quantity. The food should only be placed in the special bowl for curly-coated retriever puppies, and do not change to other utensils to feed them casually. Also, do not let curly-coated retriever puppies eat with family members at the dining table, as this may encourage begging behavior. In addition, remember to provide them with an adequate amount of clean drinking water every day.
Do not let curly-coated retriever puppies eat chicken bones, ribs, or fish bones. These fragmented and sharp bones can easily get stuck in their throat, scratch the esophagus, and if accidentally swallowed, they can even puncture the stomach and intestines, which is very dangerous.
Curly-coated retrievers are lively and active, so it is important to set aside time every day for them to run and play to their heart's content. If there is no time to go outside, let them walk in the yard on their own, which can help with digestion, improve physical fitness, and enhance their immune system.
1. Not bathing frequently
Bathing should not be done too frequently for dogs. The frequency of bathing should depend on the dog's hygiene condition. In hot weather, bathing can be done one or two more times, while in winter, it can be reduced by one or two times. But overall, it should not exceed 5 times. Otherwise, it would damage its fur and skin!
2. Regular grooming
Dogs shed almost every day, especially during spring and autumn. To ensure good hair growth, regular grooming is an important step. Pet owners can use a special pet comb to help the dog clean off naturally shed hair and prevent tangling. Grooming should be done once in the morning and once in the evening, with each session lasting about five minutes.
3. Sunbathing
Sunbathing is beneficial for the growth of a dog's hair. Besides making the fur more shiny, letting the dog sunbathe can also help kill bacteria. While sunbathing, pet owners can let the dog exercise a little, which helps improve the dog's physical fitness, promotes blood circulation, and helps grow healthier fur.
4. Deworming
Poor hair condition is closely related to parasites. Parasites absorb a large amount of nutrients from the dog's body, depriving it of nutrition, so deworming is essential. It is recommended to do internal and external deworming together. Moreover, deworming medication can cause significant damage to the dog's intestines and stomach, so it is advisable to feed probiotics regularly to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort.
5. Pay attention to diet
In order for dogs to have beautiful fur, a good nutritional foundation must be established and daily diet should be paid attention to. On one hand, feed the dog with nutritious and healthy dog food, choose a brand that is suitable for the dog and provides sufficient nutrition to meet its needs. On the other hand, the dog can be fed with an appropriate amount of lean meat, cooked egg yolks, and vegetable oil.
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