11 Cute Curly Haired Dog Breeds

Curly haired dog breeds carry one of the most distinctive and biologically interesting coat types in the domestic dog world. True curl in dogs is not a styling choice or a grooming outcome: it is a genetic trait encoded by mutations in the KRT71 gene on chromosome 27, and it produces everything from the tight, dense spirals of the Poodle to the loose waves of the Kerry Blue Terrier. Most curly-coated breeds were developed for water work, their curls originally functioning as natural insulation against cold water and as a trap for loose hair that would otherwise impede movement in aquatic environments. Understanding what produces the curl, why it matters, and how each breed differs is the foundation for choosing the right curly dog for any household.

The Genetics Behind Curly Dog Coats

Curly coats in dogs are produced by mutations in the KRT71 gene, which codes for keratin 71, a protein expressed in the inner root sheath of the hair follicle that, when mutated, alters the shape of the hair shaft from round to flattened, causing it to curl as it grows.

Two distinct KRT71 variants are currently documented. The first, called Cu1 (c.451C>T, or R151W), is the most common and is found in Poodles, Bichon Frises, Lagotto Romagnolos, Bedlington Terriers, and many other curly breeds. The second, Cu2 (c.1266_1273delinsACA, or S422Rfs), is rarer and was identified in Curly Coated Retrievers, which do not carry the Cu1 variant at all. The Cu2 allele also appears at lower frequencies in Lagotto Romagnolos, Spanish Water Dogs, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, and Irish Terriers.

Both variants behave as incomplete dominants. Dogs carrying one copy of a curl allele produce a wavy coat; dogs carrying two copies produce a fully curly coat. This is why crossbreeds between a curly parent and a straight-coated parent often produce wavy rather than tightly curled offspring, and why two copies of the allele are required for the characteristic tight spiral seen in show-quality Poodles and Curly Coated Retrievers. Research published in Animal Genetics in 2019 confirmed that additional KRT71 variants likely exist beyond Cu1 and Cu2, as some curly-coated Lagotto Romagnolos carried neither known variant, suggesting the genetic landscape of canine curl is still being mapped. For a broader perspective on how genetics shape dog coat appearance and behaviour, the guide to low-shedding dog breeds covers how the same coat traits that produce curl also reduce shedding.

Curly Haired Dog Breeds at a Glance

Poodle

The Poodle is the most recognisable curly-haired dog breed in the world and the genetic foundation of the modern designer dog movement, with a dense, tightly spiralled single-layer coat that traps shed hair internally and grows continuously without the seasonal blowout characteristic of double-coated breeds.

Poodles come in three AKC-recognised sizes: Toy (under 10 inches), Miniature (10 to 15 inches), and Standard (over 15 inches, typically 40 to 70 pounds). All three carry the same coat genetics, the same exceptional intelligence (ranking among the top two most trainable breeds), and the same water-retrieving heritage from Germany and France. The tight curls require brushing every two to three days and professional grooming every four to six weeks to prevent matting. The iconic show clips, including the continental clip with its dramatic pom-poms, were originally functional: the shaved areas reduced drag in water while retained fur protected joints and vital organs from cold. Lifespan ranges from 10 to 18 years depending on size. Health concerns include hip dysplasia in Standards, progressive retinal atrophy, and Addison’s disease.

Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise carries a distinctively full, rounded coat of corkscrew curls that combine a soft undercoat with a coarser outer layer, producing a powder-puff silhouette that barely sheds and keeps the breed among the most consistently popular small curly companions in the world.

Bichons weigh 12 to 18 pounds. Their always-white coat requires daily brushing and professional grooming every four to six weeks to maintain structure and prevent the curls from matting. The rounded, trimmed show shape gives the breed its signature teddy-bear appearance. Bichons are cheerful, affectionate, and highly social. They do not tolerate long periods alone and are best suited to households with regular company. Originally developed on the Canary Islands and popularised in France, the Bichon served as a companion to European nobility before becoming a beloved mainstream pet. Lifespan runs 14 to 15 years. Health concerns include allergies, bladder stones, and patellar luxation.

Lagotto Romagnolo

The Lagotto Romagnolo is an Italian water dog turned truffle hunter, the only dog breed in the world specifically certified for truffle detection, covered head to tail in dense, woolly curls including beard, eyebrows, and whiskers that give it a distinctive teddy bear appearance.

Lagottos weigh 24 to 35 pounds and carry tight, round curls in brown, orange, off-white, or parti-colour combinations. The woolly texture of the coat insulates effectively against cold and damp, reflecting the breed’s origins in the marshlands of the Romagna region of Italy. As marshes were drained and waterfowl work declined, the Lagotto’s exceptional nose was redirected to truffle hunting in the 17th century, a role in which it has excelled ever since. Daily brushing prevents the woolly curls from matting, and professional grooming every eight to ten weeks maintains coat health. Lagottos are intelligent, affectionate, and energetic with a strong nose that benefits from regular scent-based enrichment. Lifespan typically runs 15 to 17 years. Health concerns include hip dysplasia, benign familial juvenile epilepsy, and storage disease.

Portuguese Water Dog

The Portuguese Water Dog carries a single-layer coat in either tight curls or a looser wave, both water-resistant and low-shedding, developed to protect working fishing dogs in the cold Atlantic waters off the Portuguese coast where they herded fish, retrieved gear, and carried messages between boats.

Portuguese Water Dogs weigh 35 to 60 pounds. The curly-coated variety has tighter, rounder curls that provide stronger water resistance and better heat retention than the wavy variety. Both shed minimally and require regular brushing two to three times per week and professional trimming every six to eight weeks. These dogs became widely known internationally when the Obama family chose a Portuguese Water Dog for the White House in 2009. They are energetic, intelligent, and loyal, requiring at least an hour and a half of vigorous exercise daily. Lifespan averages 11 to 13 years. Health concerns include progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia, and storage disease.

Barbet

The Barbet is an ancient French water dog believed to be the ancestor of several modern curly breeds including the Poodle, Bichon Frise, Briard, and Newfoundland, carrying a long, woolly, waterproof coat of loose to tight curls and a distinctive full beard that gives the breed its name from the French word barbe, meaning beard.

Barbets weigh 37 to 62 pounds and carry a coat in black, grey, brown, fawn, or parti-colour combinations. Their coat’s natural curls range from large and loose to small and tight. Despite its long history, the Barbet nearly became extinct during the World Wars, and the modern breed is a reconstruction from surviving bloodlines. Only around 500 Barbets exist in the United States as of 2025, making them one of the rarest curly breeds in North America. The AKC granted full recognition in 2020. Barbets are friendly, calm, and playful with a strong love of water and swimming. They get along well with children and other pets. Lifespan runs 12 to 14 years. Health concerns include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and eye conditions.

Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier is an Irish all-purpose working terrier with a soft, dense, wavy-to-curly coat that begins black at birth and gradually transitions to the characteristic blue-grey colour from which the breed takes its name, a process that takes until around 18 months to complete.

Kerry Blue Terriers weigh 33 to 40 pounds and stand 17 to 19 inches tall. Their coat is single-layered, soft, and wavy, sitting between the wiry texture of the Airedale and the tight spirals of the Poodle. Weekly brushing and professional grooming every six to eight weeks maintain the coat and its distinctive blue-grey appearance. Kerries are energetic, affectionate, and assertive. Originally bred in County Kerry to hunt birds and small game, retrieve on land and water, and herd livestock, they retain a high prey drive and strong territorial instincts that require early socialisation and consistent training. Lifespan runs 12 to 15 years. Health concerns include progressive neuronal abiotrophy (a neurological condition in some lines), hip dysplasia, and eye conditions.

Irish Water Spaniel

The Irish Water Spaniel is the tallest of the spaniel breeds, covered in dense liver-coloured curls from head to body with a distinctive smooth, tapered “rat tail” free of curls, making it one of the most visually unique and easily identified curly-haired breeds in the world.

Irish Water Spaniels weigh 45 to 68 pounds and stand 21 to 24 inches tall. Their curls are tight, crisp, and water-resistant, originally developed to keep the breed warm while retrieving ducks and geese from cold Irish waters. The contrast between the dense curled body coat and the smooth, whip-like tail is completely unique among dog breeds. One of the first nine breeds registered with the AKC in 1878, the Irish Water Spaniel was also among the first four breeds shown at Westminster in 1877. They are brave, playful, and clownish in personality but can be stubborn without consistent leadership. The breed requires significant daily exercise and regular swimming opportunities. Lifespan runs 12 to 13 years. Health concerns include hip dysplasia and thyroid issues.

Curly Coated Retriever

The Curly Coated Retriever is the oldest of the retriever breeds and the most distinctive, covered in a dense, close-lying mass of small, tight curls from its neck to its tail produced by the Cu2 KRT71 variant rather than the Cu1 variant found in most other curly breeds, making it genetically unique among retriever types.

Curly Coated Retrievers weigh 60 to 95 pounds and stand 23 to 27 inches tall. Their coat, always black or liver-coloured, consists of small, crisp, tight curls covering the entire body except the face, which is smooth. The curl pattern is remarkably uniform and lies close to the skin rather than standing away from the body as in the Poodle. This structure provides exceptional water resistance while remaining easier to maintain than longer curly coats: occasional bathing and misting with water to encourage the curls to reform is typically sufficient between professional grooming sessions. Curly Coated Retrievers are confident, independent, and intelligent, with slightly more reserve toward strangers than other retriever breeds. They require substantial daily exercise. Lifespan runs 10 to 12 years. Health concerns include hip dysplasia, exercise-induced collapse, and certain cancers.

Bedlington Terrier

The Bedlington Terrier has a uniquely lamb-like curly coat of mixed soft and harsh hair in blue, sandy, or liver tones, producing a pear-shaped silhouette completely unlike any other terrier, beneath which lies an athletic, fast, and surprisingly tenacious hunting dog.

Bedlingtons weigh 17 to 23 pounds and stand 15 to 17 inches. Their coat texture, a blend of soft and coarser fibres that forms characteristic round tufts on the skull and muzzle, sheds minimally and requires regular trimming every six to eight weeks to maintain the breed’s distinctive lamb-like shape. Despite their gentle appearance, Bedlingtons were historically used for racing and can reach impressive speeds. They are affectionate and gentle with family but retain strong hunting instincts toward small animals. Lifespan runs 11 to 16 years. The most significant breed-specific health concern is copper toxicosis, a hereditary liver disorder for which DNA testing is essential before purchasing from any breeder.

Airedale Terrier

The Airedale Terrier is the largest of all terrier breeds, carrying a dense, wiry, curly outer coat over a softer undercoat in the characteristic black saddle and tan pattern, and holds a history as one of the most versatile working dogs ever developed, serving in police work, military roles, hunting, and herding.

Airedales weigh 50 to 70 pounds and stand about 23 inches tall. Their outer coat is hard and wiry with a natural tendency to curl or wave, providing effective protection against cold, water, and thorny undergrowth. The furnishings on the muzzle, the breed’s distinctive beard and eyebrows, result from an additional mutation in the RSPO2 gene that overlays the curl mutation. Hand-stripping the outer coat two to three times per year maintains the correct texture; clipping softens the coat gradually but is a simpler alternative for non-show dogs. Airedales are courageous, energetic, and intelligent with a determined, independent spirit that requires confident, consistent ownership. Lifespan is typically 11 to 14 years.

Pumi

The Pumi is a Hungarian herding breed with a distinctively corkscrew-curled coat that combines a wiry outer layer and a soft undercoat, producing compact, springy spirals that stand away from the body and must be wetted down after combing to reform their characteristic shape.

Pumis weigh 22 to 29 pounds and stand 15 to 18 inches tall. Their alert, high-set pricked ears and curly coat make them immediately recognisable. Coat colours include grey, black, white, and fawn, with grey being the most common. The coat grows continuously and does not shed in seasonal cycles, but it also does not mat as aggressively as Poodle coat due to the wiry outer layer providing some structure. After combing, the coat must be dampened to encourage the curls to reform: a breed-specific grooming step unique among curly dogs. Pumis are highly active, quick, and alert, originally used to move livestock over long distances in Hungary. They require significant daily exercise and mental engagement. Lifespan runs 12 to 13 years. Health concerns include hip dysplasia and degenerative myelopathy. For owners interested in broader comparisons across dog breed categories, the guide to hypoallergenic dog breeds covers many of these same curly breeds from an allergen perspective.

Grooming Curly Haired Dog Breeds

All curly-coated dog breeds require more grooming commitment than straight or short-coated breeds: the curl structure that prevents shedding also traps debris and causes the coat to mat rapidly without regular brushing, making grooming frequency and technique the single most important ongoing responsibility for curly dog owners.

• Brush curly coats every two to three days minimum using a slicker brush followed by a metal comb: the slicker loosens the mat, the comb confirms no tangles remain near the skin.
• Schedule professional grooming every four to eight weeks depending on the breed and coat growth rate: Poodles and Lagottos need this more frequently than Curly Coated Retrievers or Airedales.
• Bathe curly-coated dogs every three to four weeks, following each bath with thorough blow-drying on a low heat setting to prevent mildew-like odour from trapped moisture in the curl structure.
• Wet down and scrunch Pumi coats after combing to restore the natural curl pattern, a step unique to this breed that owners must learn from a breed-experienced groomer.
• Hand-strip Airedale and Bedlington Terrier outer coats two to three times per year to remove dead hair and preserve the wiry or mixed texture; clipping softens the coat permanently over several cycles.
• Check ears weekly on all curly-coated breeds: the loose hair that grows inside the ear canal in many curly breeds traps wax and debris and requires regular gentle removal to prevent chronic ear infections.
• Never allow a curly coat to go more than a week without brushing: what starts as a loose tangle hardens into a tight mat within days, particularly in water-dog breeds with woolly or dense textures.