Curly-Coated Retriever

Across 119 single-size large breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 11 years is about 1.6 years shorter than the 12.6-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 77.5 lb is about 18.3 lb heavier than the 59.2 lb average for those large breeds.

The listed origin is England. The coat is described as curly, double, short. The AKC energy score is 4 out of 5, close to the group average of 4.1 for the Sporting Group. Shedding scores 2 out of 5, so loose hair is limited. Grooming scores 1 out of 5, so home brushing covers most weeks. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 5 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 168 in 2025.

Adult size is usually reached in up to 24 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): larger breeds require up to 24 months). AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Hip Evaluation, Cardiac Exam, Ophthalmologist Evaluation, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Cone-Rod Dystrophy 4 (crd4/cord1) (PRA-crd4/cord1) - DNA Test, Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC) - DNA Test, and Glycogen Storage Disease IIIa (GSDIIIa) - DNA Test. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.