Are Curly-Coated Retrievers Protective?

Each breed of dog has its strength and weaknesses. Some make great guard dogs while some are more fearful. 

However, even fearful dogs can be protective of their owners when put in the right situations. 

Curly-coated retrievers are known to be hyperactive, outdoor-loving, and sports dogs. 

They have been bred for their hunting and retrieving abilities, so it would make sense to think that they would be pretty protective.

Are Curly-Coated Retrievers Protective?

Thinking that curly-coated retrievers are protective dogs is correct. They may not be the classic idea of guard dogs, but these dogs are known to be incredibly loyal to their owners and therefore protective of them. 

This breed of dog isn’t the kind of dog that will bark at people or other animals walking around outside. 

They aren’t over-protective, instead, they are cautious of the other creatures that they are around. 

Curly-coated retrievers will hold their ground in a poised and reserved way when around other people or animals. 

They won’t get super close or try to play with other dogs. 

Usually, they will stick around their owner until the owner shows enough evidence that the other creature, being dog or person, is okay to be around.

At that point, the curly-coated retriever will act more friendly, but will always keep its guard up. 

However, that isn’t to say that they aren’t very protective. They are much more cautious around other people or animals that enter their home. 

Unlike golden retrievers, who tend to be super friendly and social around strangers entering the home, curly-coated retrievers won’t be so welcoming. 

This cautious stance disappears the moment their owners seem to be in any sense of danger. 

At that point, curly-coated retrievers go into protective mode and go after the thing putting them in danger. 

Can Curly-Coated Retrievers Be Good Guard Dogs?

When you think of a guard dog, you might be thinking of a German Shepherd or a Rottweiler. 

These two breeds have become known for being good guard dogs through training and their instincts.

Their highly protective nature and ability to get aggressive have given them their guard dog reputation that many other dogs don’t inherently have. 

Curly-coated retrievers are rating a 3 out of 5 for being a good guard dog. 

With the right amount of training and socialization, these dogs will be okay at being guard dogs if the need were to arise. 

Their cautiousness around strangers is both a strength and weakness in being a guard dog. 

This trait serves as a way to study and learn about the stranger; however, curly-coated retrievers may still be too fearful to get an accurate reading on them. 

Yet, because of this breeds high level of loyalty, they will surely try to protect their owner in any needed situation.

To make them better at being a guard dog, have them go through guard dog training and socialization. Through socialization, they won’t be so timid around other strangers and dogs but instead have a higher level of confidence and poise. 

Can Curly-Coated Retrievers Be Good Watchdogs?

First, a watchdog is a role that is similar to a guard dog, but without interfering. A watchdog will gather information about a possible threat through observation and will warn you of a threat by barking. 

Watchdogs will not interfere with a threat like a guard dog is trained to do.

That being said, it is not recommended for curly-coated retrievers to be watchdogs. Their protective nature makes them want to interfere if their owner is facing a threat. 

They would still need to be trained and socialized for this position as well. 

Curly-coated retrievers would still be better at being a guard dog than a watchdog because of their protective instincts. 

Can Curly-Coated Retrievers Be Trained to Be More Protective?

Curly-coated retrievers are very intelligent. Sometimes, they are intelligent to a fault, making them a bit stubborn sometimes. 

Even with their stubbornness, they are easy to train as they pick up new information and commands quickly. 

As a part of their training, this breed can be socialized so they aren’t so cautious around other creatures. 

By being socialized, they can be more protective as they won’t be afraid of going up and getting information from the other creature by smelling them. 

During guard dog training, dogs are also trained to be more protective. 

To make your curly-coated retriever more protective, have them be socialized and go through some guard dog training. 

Even though curly-coated retrievers are already pretty protective, training can help them apply that protectiveness in everyday or emergency situations. 

How Does a Curly-Coated Retriever Act Around Their Family?

Curly-coated retrievers are amazing pets to have as they can get along with the whole family. They are super loving and love playing with their owners. 

Curly-coated retrievers can get along well with active children.

They love to play together. Just be aware that for small children, the curly-coated retriever might get too rambunctious and could knock the child over.

This is never done maliciously; it is always an accident when it happens.

If you are an active family or just even an active owner, curly-coated retrievers are a great dog to have alongside you for your adventures. 

This breed loves running around outdoors no matter the conditions. Their curly coats also make them great at swimming and being on the water. 

These dogs need a lot of exercise each day, so getting outdoors and being active is a great way for them to get the necessary exercise. 

Overall, curly-coated retrievers have giant hearts for all the love that they give to their families. They are great family pets, able to get along with almost all ages and even the most active children. 

What is The History of Curly-Coated Retrievers?

Early it was mentioned that this breed of dog used to be bred for their hunting and retrieving abilities. What wasn’t mentioned was how this breed was one of the first retriever breeds bred for these abilities. 

Curly-coated retrievers were first found in England in the 1700s though there were first records of having these retrievers in the 1860s.

It’s unknown specifically of the breeds of dogs the curly-coated retriever came from, but an accepted possibility is the extinct English water dog. 

Coming from water dogs, it isn’t surprising that this dog’s main strength is being in the water. 

The curly-coated retriever has a coat of tightly curled fur that locks out water from getting to their skin. 

This makes this bred essentially waterproof and helps with their swimming abilities. 

Curly-coated retrievers would hunt ducks and retrieve waterfowl for their owners. This, over time, led to them being classified as a sport and hunting dog.

When dog shows became a recognized thing, curly-coated retrievers were the first breed to be shown in these dog shows and also the first dog recognized as one of the retriever breeds. 

These retrievers were first introduced in the United States in the 1900s, where they were used for their hunting abilities for hunters and farmers. 

They would hunt birds of many kinds along with smaller ground animals. 

World Wars and Decreasing Population

The curly-coated retriever was close to becoming like its extinct parents during the world wars. 

Soon after being introduced to the United States, the first world war took place and took priority in many homes.

There were fewer recourses due to having to send more supplies to soldiers, which left many families having to ration basic necessities such as food.

Curly-coated retrievers weren’t being taken care of in the same way during the war and many animal breeders stopped breeding because they couldn’t feed the animals. 

Over time, these dogs began to die off (mostly from old age,) but there weren’t any more curly-coated retrievers being bred to take their place. 

The population of these dogs took a sharp decline until after the war where population numbers slowly began to rise again as breeders began to breed more dogs.

Final Thoughts

Curly-coated retrievers are such an amazing breed of dog. 

They are incredibly loving and seriously loyal to their owners. These dogs have so much love to give despite them being known as bird killers. 

Between their loyal instincts and their ability to be trained, curly-coated retrievers are protective dogs. 

They may not be the best guard dog to have, but they certainly will protect their family if the need were to arise. 

These dogs are timid and cautious around other animals and people, but they can be socialized through training to become more friendly and confident. 

Training comes easy to these dogs because they are intelligent, though sometimes to a fault with their stubborn attitude. 

The curly-coated retriever has a long history starting over in England many years ago. It’s amazing that they are still around even through their population struggles.

It is a hope that these dogs will be around for many more years to come to be paired with fun-loving and active families all over.