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Planet Curly
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A place to learn more about Curly Coated Retriever Dogs.
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Curlies are exploding in popularity
Every year about this time, the Kennel Club of England releases its list of "vulnerable breeds". According to the Kennel Club, these are breeds native to England with fewer than 300 dogs of that breed registered annually IN THE UK. When some people see this list, they grow very concerned the curly-coated retriever will become extinct. There are even breeders who have used this as a plea to buy curly-coated retriever puppies, telling buyers they could be saving a breed from
Janean Marti
Mar 3, 20232 min read
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A New Curly Era article from 1934
For those of you new to the breed: the Sarona kennels in England bred some of the most important curly-coated retrievers in history,...
Janean Marti
Oct 5, 20221 min read
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Field Trial Article by Viki Knowles (Blazeaway)
Here is a copy of an article from the 1980s from the magazine Retriever International. Posting it here to preserve history.
Janean Marti
Jun 22, 20201 min read
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New Zealand Field Trial Champion Curly Coated Retrievers: the tests.
The country of New Zealand can probably boast of the most field trial champion curly-coated retrievers than any other. The requirements for obtaining the title of Field Trial Champion (FTCH.) or Grand Field Trial Champion (GFTCH.) are explained here. They might not be quite what the average U.S. field retriever enthusiast would expect.
Janean Marti
Apr 20, 20206 min read
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Walter, the Steamship Curly
In my decades of curly coated retriever research, I have found several stories about curlies connected to sailing boats, steamships, exploring vessels and seagoing folks. Here is a charming tale from a 1930 Australian newspaper about one of these curlies. Walter was a curly coated retriever who worked on a ship on the Pig & Whistle route. Pig & Whistle ships carried pigs and human passengers from port to port and the ships' whistles blew as they steamed in to dock.
Janean Marti
Apr 12, 20204 min read
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Dual Ch. Pukemere Mura Kuri, QC
This is an article written by Gill Wise of Toakaha Kennels about the New Zealand FT. CH. and Show Champion Pukemere Mura Kuri. (New Zealand field trials are more like U.S. hunting tests than U.S. field trials. One major difference is New Zealand trials are competitive but U.S. hunt tests are not. I plan an article on what New Zealand trials are like soon.)
Janean Marti
Apr 5, 20205 min read
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Boykin Spaniel History
This is an article written by the author, gun dog trainer, and dog expert Dave Duffey about the Boykin Spaniel and originally published...
Janean Marti
Apr 3, 20201 min read
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Phil Ashton of Burtoncurl
Note: this is from a brief article written by Audrey Nicholls in the 1989 International Curly Newsletter. I wanted to include it here so it would not be lost history.
Janean Marti
Feb 24, 20203 min read
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They Walked By Night: Poachers and Curly-Coated Retrievers
Published January 23, 2020
Janean Marti
Jan 23, 20207 min read
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The Gamekeeper's Choice
Aristocrats, royalty, poachers, and gamekeepers all contributed to the development of the modern-day curly-coated retriever. In this post, we share a bit about the involvement of gamekeepers.
Janean Marti
Jan 1, 20203 min read
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Curly-coated Retriever, Newfoundland or St. John's Dog?
Most of you reading this have likely encountered at least one version of the history of the Newfoundland, the Labrador, the Flat-coated...
Janean Marti
Oct 31, 20195 min read
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Confusion about Imported Curly-Coated Retrievers
There appears to be a breeder (or maybe more than one) confused about curly coated retriever imports. Before some of the statements...
Janean Marti
Oct 11, 20192 min read
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Yes, Curly and Wavy coated retrievers were breeds long before Golden and Labrador retrievers.
Curly and wavy coated retrievers were recognized breeds long before golden and Labrador retrievers.
Janean Marti
Oct 8, 20192 min read
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Curly Ancestors of the Golden Retriever
Many of today's Golden Retrievers trace back to two curly-coated retrievers.
Janean Marti
Oct 3, 20193 min read
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Janean Marti
Sep 30, 20190 min read
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I'll take Paul Newman or Jon Hamm, thank you very much.
The American Kennel Club and many purebred dog owners/exhibitors/breeders are concerned about an increase in bullying and lack of support...
Janean Marti
Aug 21, 20192 min read
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By 1877, Curly Coated Retrievers lived in the United States.
As a curly coated retriever researcher/historian, I believe curly coated retrievers were imported to the United States as early as the Civil War period (1860-1865) but I still hesitate to write that in stone. However, I wanted to make sure everyone knows I now have documentation the curly was living in the U.S. as early as 1877.
Janean Marti
Jul 31, 20193 min read
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Brits Invade 1936 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Published July 15, 2019.
Janean Marti
Jul 15, 20192 min read
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Hello AKC: More Curly Coated Retriever History for You
This is the third in a series of posts addressing some incorrect curly coated retriever history in an article published by the AKC in April, 2019. If you haven't read the first two posts, I suggest you do so by scrolling down to access them. The first is titled "No Poodle, No Doodle" and the second is "Hey AKC.....".
Janean Marti
Jun 30, 20192 min read
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Hey AKC: Here is a Second Lesson on Curly Coated Retriever History
In 1860, a group of sportsmen organized the first dog show in Birmingham, England. Only pointers and setters were exhibited in that show...
Janean Marti
Jun 9, 20193 min read
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