How can you resist those gorgeous curls? But did you know the presence of curls is simply due to genetics? If your dog or mixed breed has curls it means somewhere in their lineage there was a dog with curly hair.
You can increase the probability of curly haired puppies if one or both parents are carriers of the curly hair gene mutation (The KRT71 Gene).
Between tight curls and straight hair, there’s an assortment of curly coat types: loose, wooly, spiral, wavy, etc… This hinges on hair density, length, and growth patterns. Which again, is dependent on their genetics.
Some breeds, like the Portuguese Waterdog, will often produce the same types of curls in their offspring. But other breeds, such as Labradoodles, can have a variation of coat types, ranging from long and straight to thick and curly.
Here we’ll look at all the popular Curly Haired Breeds available.
Curly Haired Dogs
1. Bedlington Terrier
Named after a mining town in North Eastern London, these fluffy companions are famous for their cute looks and great personality. The curly and wooly coat of the Bedlington often leads to people mistaking it for sheep.
The Bedlington terrier originated initially as a watchdog and a vermin’s worst nightmare. However, with time, they revealed their real personalities. Today, these cute fluffy dogs are famous for their companionship and playfulness.
The Bedlington’s evolved hunting instinct has developed within them a strong sense of smell; they are also famous for being highly intelligent and alert to any movements.
2. Bichon Frise
If you are looking for a dog and have never owned one before, then the Bichon Frise is the ideal companion.
This cute and fluffy breed is known for its cheerful nature and the mischief it can create, especially when there are kids around.
The Bichon Frise are also known for their deep affection; however, these cute little dogs face separation anxiety if they are left alone for any extended period.
Although the Bichon may be small in size, it still has a very proud and confident personality.
This breed is always up for a little fun and adventure, and loves nothing more than to end the day hanging out with their loved ones. They require consistent brushing and grooming, but thankfully these dogs don’t shed.
3. Bolognese
A cute and fluffy 10-pound toy breed – the Bolognese has a few similarities to the Bichon Frise. A sweet and curious companion, the Bolognese is a bundle of energy that is excellent with families and kids.
This dog breed is also famous for its intelligent and obedient nature, which makes training them a joy. Unlike the Bichon Frise, the Bolognese is not as energetic; in fact, they tend to be relatively calm and eager to please.
But with their undying attatchment to their owners, they tend to suffer from seperation anxiety.
Also, brushing their coat will be a daily activity, and you can expect to visit the groomer often to upkeep their health and happiness.
4. Pumi
Originating from 17th century Hungary the Pumi is a medium to small size sheepdog.
Known for their playful expressions the Pumi is instinctively renowned for gathering, driving and keeping stock under control with great skill and intelligence.
This is a working breed, and they absolutely love having a daily job. That means they’ll need some daily exercise and mental stimulation, otherwise they’ll get bored and destructive.
Due to its instinct, the Pumi can have a behavioral problem; it is pervasive for them to bark needlessly and be vocal. However, proper training and socialization during their young days can curb some of these bad behaviors.
5. Toy Poodle
Poodles are at the top of their class, being ranked as one of the most intelligent dog breeds. They are eager to please their owners, and with all those brains, it makes them very keen to training.
You might imagine a poodle as being elegant, gentle creatures (and they most certainly can be), but what you might not expect is for poodles to be incredible athletes. Poodles live for learning and training, so they need daily exercise, or they might result to destructive behavior.
They tend to do a lot of “talking” and barking. Also, they tend to get bored easily and look for trouble. You can curb some of these bad behaviors with daily exercise, training, and some mental training.
6. Barbet
Fun loving and incredibly sharp, the Barbet is a renowned hunting breed known for retrieving waterfowl. There is a mention of the dog in ancient folklore, and according to historians, these dogs date back to the 8th century.
This is a medium sized breed that is full of love and silliness. Their friendliness combined with intellect means they absolutely excel in training and agility. Their aim is to please their owners.
The Barbet are a working breed, and they need an outlet or a “job” to keep them busy. Otherwise this dog tends to get bored and destructive.
7. Chesapeake bay retriever
“Chessies” are a water dog and hunting companion. Bred originally for hunting fowl and ducks, they excel when given a job (especially when it involves water).
Due to their working traits, the Chessie can have an overabundance of energy which may test your patients. You’ll need to accommodate their daily exercise needs or else you’ll find yourself with a bored and destructive dog.
Otherwise, they’re incredibly family friendly, obedient, and eager to please. Although they may be shy with strangers.
8. Kerry blue terrier
A working-class dog originating from Ireland, a blue terrier can be easily distinguished because of its grayish coat and mustache.
Like all other terrier dogs, the blue terrier is also a favorite amongst dog owners for its resourceful nature. The dogs are highly intelligent and energetic and can be suitable for herding sheep. Although the dogs can be extremely loyal and caring with the family members, they’re sometimes aggressive with other dogs.
The blue terrier has also got a high prey drive; and they will absolutely chase down other small animals or go digging holes in the garden. The Kerry Blue is a proud breed, and as such they need good strong leadership in the home.
9. Lagotto Romagnolo
Another dog which was famous for hunting and retrieving is the Logatto Romagtnalo. “Lake dogs” as the name suggests was bred in the wet marshlands of Italy for the specific purpose of hunting waterfowls.
The breed is famous for being a dedicated working dog. They have high energy and a desire to please. Therefore, they excel when given a job, and require daily strenuous exercise.
10. Airedale terrier
The largest of all terrier breeds, the Airdale is energetic, brave, and intelligent.
This dog breed is also famous for being independent and often making decisions of their own. While incredibly intelligent, training can be a challenge.
Like all Terriers, they have a very high prey drive, so critters will cause them to bark and give chase. But the Airdale isn’t fond of other dogs either, and this dog isn’t one to back down from a fight. Early socialization and training are essential to curb bad habits.
With their alert attitude and fierce loyalty to their owners, the Airdale Terrier makes an excellent watch dog. And with the right leadership they can be excellent companions.