Curly Coated retriever

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Jamana

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I am hoping to hear views on this breed, or suggestions of another breed that might suit. I do know someone that has a lovely Curly bitch and it is her that has put the breed 'on the list' for the next dog, but I would like a wider view.

We currently have 2 Labs and a Border Terrier but the Labs are getting old and we have to face the fact they wont be around forever. The Labs belong to my Husband and I would be honest and say they are not 100% my cup of tea. Both are nice dogs but I always describe them as wallpaper dogs! My husband is not a terrier fan so whilst I would have a pack of them that is not an option.

The basic outline for requirements for another dog in no particular order,

Friendly with people generally
Fairly laid back
Like exercise (ie 4 mile walk in the morning and then poss spending the day at the yard)
Want to stay with you and not run off ( Have had a Beagle in the past.......:rolleyes: )

Good appetite (Husband cannot cope with a dog that wont eat)


That is pretty much it. We do have children but they are used to dogs and the dog would be brought up with them so I don't feel that would be a factor. In the past we have had Basset,Beagle,JRT,GSD,Rottie,Ridgeback,Dachs. Currently the dogs live outside in a heated kennel, but have lived in the house. The new dog would be a house dog. Another reason that Labs do not fill me with joy, THE HAIR! Our yellow dog was a show-ring reject due to his being too coaty. Basically he grows too much undercoat and personally I think we have the only angora Labrador :eek::D

So any ideas?
 
Be prepared for everyone to think its a labradoodle! I spoke to a couple at a show who had some, my opener being, ' wow curly coated retrievers, you don't see many about' They were quite surprised.
 
I haven't seen a CCR in 30 years. When I did see them, and it was very rarely, even then, they were the most bone headed, difficult and generally wooden dogs that it's ever been my misfortune to meet, or deal with. They may well have changed, and there may well have been an influence other than the show bench, so now in the 21st century, they may be considered to be paragons of virtue, but I somehow I doubt it! :D

The only thing which I can think of, on the positive side, is that they do fill the eye and can be extremely handsome, pig headed, but handsome!!

Alec.
 
Cocker spaniel might fit the bill - at least mine would. Loves everyone beyond measure, laid back at home and the office, but always up for a good long walk, and while he does have his deaf moments and he loves to use his nose and explore his surroundings, he won't just abandon you. Get one from a good breeder that aims for temperament, and make sure you train a good recall, and you'll be made. I know some people find them loopy at home but my experience is that while they like to be part of everything, they won't bounce off the walls unless they're being wound up.

He doesn't moult much either, certainly far less than our old Lab did.
 
I am most smitten with Irish water spaniels now, having met Murphy(?) at the BBQ last year. Not dissimilar in appearance to the CCR, also don't shed and meet all of your requirements. :)

ETA: I have also made someone's day by complimenting his CCR, this was in a busy tourist hotspot and he'd been asked about his 'labradoodle' a million times, that would be enough to put me off!
 
My late YO had a curly - I loved her dearly but I'm not sure I would have wanted to live with her.

Her and my rottie were pups together and partners in all sorts of crime, everything from digging the garden up (in under an hour!), fishing in the pond as apparently koi carp make good dog toys :eek:, eating their body weight in poo after rolling in it and wrestling loudly at every opportunity. Their piece de resistance was working as a team to take your legs from under you...

Good points (remembering that this was only one dog but she was described on more than one occasion as typical of the breed by people who knew these things!)

Very bright
Anything but clingy, very independent minded
Loving
Very little shedding
Surprisingly good guard dog but never aggressive with it.
Good with other dogs and gentle with children
Trainable - you just had to convince her it was her idea originally

Bad points

Needs occupying - this one went self employed very happily with predictable results. They are a working breed after all.
Absolute pig - I know your husband wants a dog that eats up but this was ridiculous, she would go up, over or through ANYTHING for food and as a result managing her weight was difficult and she would rob food from a fork for instance - always hungry. Plus the vet bills for all the things she shouldn't have ate...
Stubborn and single minded (Alec was right :p) but tbh was easily brought round but you need to be fairly experienced and sympathetic to get the best from them IME
Large - she took up a lot of space, a really solid dog.
Not long lived, she was only 5 or 6 when she died, she had cancer that spread incredibly quickly, according to her vet this is sadly common in CCR. Apart from this they appear to be a fairly healthy probably because they are a quite rare breed so aren't over bred. Downside to this is that getting a pup can take quite a while.

As I said I adored her but like a lot of the workers, they can be hard work. In saying that, looking at the other breeds that you've had I'm sure they would be a walk in the park by comparison ;)
 
Thanks for all the replies.

It was something the owner of the one I know said that got me thinking. He said that she needs calling 3 times before she lifts her head and then will consider if she is coming over. That rang alarm bells! We already have a Border terrier.......;)

But I like almost everything else about them. Plus is is the only dog,ever, that my Husband and I both like. But do we really want to commit to another 10 yrs or so of a dog that does it's own thing? As we most likely will be going down to a max of two dogs after having 5 at a time (prob cos we can never agree which breed to get...!) we need a dog that can go to work on the stud with my husband.

I know that reading down my list of requirement/ideals that the breed that ticks all the boxes is ...............a Lab :eek: But the thing is I like blacks and he likes yellows :rolleyes::D

I have thought about a Lab x Collie, any experiences with these?
 
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