THE BLACK CUELY-COATED EETEIEVEE. 



109 



(6) THE BLACK CUELY-COATED EETEIEVEE. 



Little or nothing seems to be known of the history of this dog, now so exten- 

 sively bred throughout the United Kingdom. At all events, there is no getting at 

 the exact source of the breed, and on that account I am led to think that some 

 non-sporting dog, such as the poodle, has been used. Possibly successful breeders 

 do not like to give information which may lead to a repetition of their success in 

 other hands; but my experience does not lead me to place much reliance on this 

 interpretation of their secresy. It is admitted that the curly-coated dog is remark- 

 ably sagacious, and more " tricky " than the smooth, and this confirms the above 

 suspicion ; but I confess that I have no proof whatever to allege in its support, and 

 my theory must be taken for what it is worth as such. The general belief is that 

 the water spaniel and small Newfoundland have been used in establishing the 

 breed, and there is little doubt of the truth of the theory. 



This variety of the dog has certainly not increased in numbers of late years, or 

 improved in symmetry, and has notably gone off in the shape of head, which is now 

 too narrow by far. The falling off numerically is probably due to the fact that the 

 public have pronounced in favour of the Labrador, which has been largely imported 

 by " Idstone " and others, as well as extensively bred by Dr. Bond Moore and Mr. 

 Shirley, who have with Mr. Lort and Mr. Handley, composed the goodly company of 

 judges in this department. From whatever cause, however, the curly-coated dogs 

 of the present day are not exhibited in such large and good classes as they were 

 about ten years ago, and they are notably deficient in those indications of good 

 temper which should always be looked for in the retriever. There is some little 

 difference in the points of the two breeds, the main ones being those connected with 

 bareness of face and texture of coat. I insert the altered scale : 



POINTS OF THE CUELY-COATED EETEIEVEE. 



Value. 



Skull 10 



Nose and jaws 10 



Ears and eyes 5 



Neck 5 



Loins and back 10 



Quarters and stifles 5 



45 



Value. 



Shoulders 6 



Chest 4 



Legs, knees, and hocks 5 



Feet .' 5 



Tail... . 5 



25 



Grand Total 100. 



Value. 



Texture of coat and 

 bareness of face ... 15 



Colour 5 



Symmetry and tem- 

 perament 10 



30 



11. The tail (value 5) is the first point in the list above given wherein the 

 curly-coated dog differs from the wavy-coated retriever. In the latter, as described 

 in the points of that variety, it may be either bushy or setter-like ; but in the 

 curly-coated retriever the hair must be short and curly, and though not quite bare 

 as in the Irish water spaniel, it should be nearly so towards the tip. The tail also 

 should be stiff, and only slightly bent, without any approach to a curl beyond a 

 very gentle bend, as shown in the illustration which accompanies this chapter. 



