Don’t you just love a dog that has curly hair? Dog breeds with curly hair are very popular. One of the reasons is that these dogs tend not to shed as much as others. Plus, these dogs are simply beautiful with their curly hair!
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If you’re interested in an adorable dog with curly hair, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together a list of the top 10 curly-haired dog breeds for you! Let’s get started!
1). Poodle
- Height: Standard: 15”, miniature: 10-15”, toy: 10” or less
- Weight: Standard: 45-70 lbs, miniature 15-18 lbs, and toy: 5-9 lbs
Poodles are one of the best-known dogs with curly hair! This is a dog breed that’s highly intelligent, and they come in three different sizes. Poodles come in toy, miniature, and standard sizes. The standard Poodle is the largest!
When it comes to caring for their hair, it’s usually necessary to have a Poodle’s hair clipped on a regular basis. You’ll also want to make sure their fur stays tangle-free by keeping it brushed about once a day.
Poodles come in different colors, including apricot, brown, white, gray (sometimes looks more silver), and black. Poodles have a lifespan that averages between 12-15 years.
2). Portuguese Water Dog
- Height: 17-23”
- Weight: 35-60 lbs
A Portuguese water dog is a sporty dog that was originally bred to help fishermen retrieve lost tackle or to rescue drowning sailors. These dogs are strong and agile. They love to participate in dog sports competitions, agility, swimming & diving, or even obedience training.
These dogs are considered to be hypoallergenic because they don’t shed too much. However, their coat does require regular clipping and brushing. The standard clip for a Portuguese water dog is called the “lion clip.” It gives the dog more maneuverability in the water.
Portuguese water dogs have a life expectancy of 11 to 13 years.
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Ask a Vet Live Now3). Airedale Terrier
- Height: 23”
- Weight: 50-70 lbs
The Airedale Terrier is the largest when it comes to terrier breeds. They are known for their distinctive coats, which are partly brown and tan, with curly hair (though some of these dogs have hair that doesn’t curl quite as much).
When it comes to caring for an Airedale Terrier’s coat, you’ll need to brush it at least once a week. And you’ll also need a stripping comb, which also needs to be used once a week. These dogs also need to see a groomer about four times a year to be clipped and trimmed.
Airedale Terriers have a life expectancy of 10-12 years.
4). Curly-Coated Retriever
- Height: 23”-27”
- Weight: 50-60 lbs
The curly-coated retriever is a large curly-haired dog and one of the oldest retriever breeds. The breed originally developed from breeding Irish water spaniels and Poodles. They were used for hunting, where they retrieved prey from lakes and rivers. Their curly hair helped to keep them warm when swimming or running in colder weather.
These dogs have a single coat of hair, which shed about twice a year. Their fur requires regular combining, not brushing. That’s because brushing will make the dog’s hair appear frizzy.
The curly-coated retriever has a lifespan between 9-14 years.
5). Bedlington Terrier
- Height: 15-18”
- Weight: 17-23 lbs
The Bedlington terrier somewhat resembles a Poodle or a lamb! Their fur is very soft yet does contain some coarse hair. The curliest hair is found on the dog’s head. While they’re usually born with a dark coat, it gradually becomes lighter, turning to blue, a sandy color, or a liver-brown color.
These dogs don’t require too much care when it comes to their coats. And they don’t shed too much! They need a weekly combing to keep their fur clean and free of tangles. And they will need to be trimmed about every two months.
Bedlington terriers have a life expectancy of 12-14 years.
6). Kerry Blue Terrier
- Height: 17-19”
- Weight: 30-40 lbs
The Kerry blue terrier has a blue-gray coat, which is where the breed’s name comes from. These dogs tend to have hair that’s soft, wavey, and dense.
Kerry blue terriers require quite a bit of grooming on a regular basis. This includes brushing and combing the dog on a daily basis to keep the hair from tangling. They need to visit the groomer about every six to eight weeks.
The Kerry blue terrier has a lifespan between 12 and 15 years.
7). Irish Water Spaniel
- Height: 21-24”
- Weight: 45-68 lbs
The Irish water spaniel is another curly-haired dog. These dogs have a double coat, which keeps them warm when they swim or retrieve. These are very popular sporting dogs in Europe and the US, and they were one of the first breeds registered with the AKC back in 1878!
The hair of these dogs needs to be brushed at least once a week, though more often is better. They need their coat groomed about every two months.
8). Komondor
Here’s a unique dog for you—the Komondor. These dogs are very curly-haired; their hair forms long cords that fall, making the dog strongly resemble a mop. In fact, you may hear these dogs sometimes referred to as “mop dogs.”
The Komondor is a type of sheepdog, and they’re working dogs. Their coats help the dogs blend in with sheep and protect them from rain and cold temperatures.
To care for the Komondor’s coat, they need to be bathed on a regular basis. This helps to keep the dog’s hair clean and odor-free. After bathing, these dogs must be completely dried to avoid the hair developing a bad odor.
Komondors have a life span that averages about 10-12 years.
9). Hungarian Pumi
- Height: 15-18.5 inches
- Weight: 22-29 lbs
The Hungarian Pumi is a unique dog that has curly hair. When born, the Pumi’s hair may be straight or wavy; however, after a few months, their coat will change to curls and waves. These pretty dogs have coarse hair combined with softer hair.
The Pumi’s hair needs quite a bit of work, which includes hand stripping, and the coat needs to be trimmed on a regular basis.
These dogs have an average lifespan of 12-13 years.
10). Barbet
- Height: 19-24.5”
- Weight: 35-65 lbs
The French barbet is another water dog that is famous for having curly hair. The coat needs to be kept at a length somewhere between 3-5 inches, with long, hanging curls. These dogs have thick, wooly hair that keeps them warm when retrieving game in water.
To keep the barbet’s coat taken care of, it’s necessary to brush and comb the hair every day. These dogs will also benefit from seeing the groomer on a regular basis.
The French barbet has an average life expectancy of 13-15 years.
So, there you have it! These are some of the most beautiful curly-haired dog breeds around!
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Kyoko
Kyoko is from a family of 3 and moved to New York with her parents and siblings when she was 13. Kyoko is fond of spending a great amount of time with pets, specifically her beagle Luna and cat Missy. Her boyfriend often complains that she spends too much time giving attention to their animals. Kyoko has written dozens of articles concerning pets and is aiming at owning a pet shop one day!
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