Comparison: Curly Coated Retriever and Irish Water Spaniel

Curly Coated Retriever and Irish Water Spaniel are marked as similar in our database. The table compares only the data we have on the breeds.

	Curly Coated Retriever	Irish Water Spaniel
FCI group	8. Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs	8. Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs
Country of origin	United Kingdom	Ireland
Category	Large	Medium
Height at withers	64–69 cm	51–59 cm
Recognition features	Body covered in tight crisp curls from occiput to tip of tail Wedge-shaped head, smooth hair on face and legs Black or liver only	Dense, tight crisp ringlets in a rich puce-liver colour Smooth face and a V-shaped smooth patch on the throat, with curls on neck and body Distinctive "rat tail"
Coat	Body coat a thick mass of small tight crisp curls lying close to the skin from occiput to tip of tail, without undercoat or bare patches; smooth hair elsewhere. Black or liver; any other colour unacceptable.	Dense, tight, crisp ringlets entirely free from woolliness but with a natural oiliness; neck covered with curls, throat smooth in a V-shaped patch, forelegs abundantly feathered. A very rich puce liver; white on the chest is objectionable.
Purpose	A retriever for fetching game, recognisable by its unique curly coat.	A versatile gundog traditionally the choice of the wildfowler; it adapts to most forms of shooting, hunts, often points, and retrieves readily from heavy cover.

Breed page: Curly Coated Retriever · Breed page: Irish Water Spaniel

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The information is indicative. Texts are based on available sources and may contain inaccuracies; for binding details (e.g. for breeding or shows) use the official breed standard.