Jack Russell Terrier vs Curly Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison

There isn’t much on the origin of the Curly-Coated Retriever and his history hasn’t been well documented.

The dog originated some time ago in the early 19th century, with some believing that the dog was in England during the late 1700s already.

It is thought that this dog, which is identical to the Labrador but with a tight, curly coat, descended from the Old English Water Dog, the Irish Water Spaniel and the smaller Newfoundland. This mix was later crossed with the Poodle and this is where the curls come into the picture.

The Curly-Coated Retriever gained substantial recognition in England during the mid-1800s and exported to the United States in 1907. The dog was also later exported to Australia and New Zealand and has been recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1924.

The popular Jack Russell Terrier was developed in Devonshire in the south of England in the late 1800's so as to hunt foxes.

Often believed to be the Parson Russell Terrier, the Jack Russell Terrier was developed by Parson John Russell. This is where the dog gets his breed name from. Some people get the Jack Russell Terrier a little bit mixed up with the Parson Russell terrier, when it fact its actually a different breed, but sharing a common ancestry.

The Jack Russell Terrier is smaller than the Parson and bigger than the Russell Terrier. The breed became known in the U.S. by the 1930s and the Jack Russell Terrier Association of America wanted recognition by the American Kennel Club, which was granted in 2000.

The Curly Coated Retriever is a medium sized dog standing at about 58–69cm and weighing anything between 25 – 40kg. The dog, mainly black or chocolate brown, is active and muscled and was used for hunting and retrieving waterfowl.

The coat has small, tight curls over the body except for the face and the legs. He has floppy ears and they eyes of the black dog are brown while in the liver-colored dogs, the eyes are amber or gold.

The tail is long. He has a wedge shaped head, and its the fact that the face is more long than wide which makes him easily distinguishable from other retriever breeds. Of course, it is the curly coat which is the dog’s most distinguishing feature.

Temperament:

The Curly Coated Retriever has been used as a gun dog, and today, like most retrievers, they make superb pets and are a lively, social and fun-loving breed. He becomes loyal and devoted to his human family members, making a splendid pet, but then he must be exercised.

Have him trained and socialized and he becomes an obedient, relaxed dog, eager to please. He is intelligent and self-confident and gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets.

He fits in easily to city and country life, but if he could have large grounds to run, play and swim, which he loves, he would be at his happiest.

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog that weighs between 6 and 8kg and stands at between 25 – 38cm. The body length of the dog should be in proportion to the height.

He is essentially a white dog with orange or fawn colored patches. The coat is mostly smooth and short, but the coat can also be longer and rough or it can be broken which is a combination of rough and smooth. Regardless of coat type, they are dense, double coats which will require brushing at least twice a week to remove loose hairs. He may also be tri-colored such as being white with black and tan patches.

He has alert, bright dark brown eyes and ears which are somewhat erect and which flop over at the tips. The tail has always been traditionally docked, giving him an attractive, compact look about him but unfortunately the tail is often left long on the dog these days.

Temperament:

Your Jack Russell Terrier is a lively, tenacious, bold, fearless, feisty, cheeky, confident, independent, intelligent and full of life dog. He is super energetic and exuberant, spirited and full of personality.

There are some dog owners who are exhausted by him and would prefer a more quieter dog breed as their companion. Nonetheless he has some excellent characteristics such as being a totally devoted and loving dog.

It is why it is a good idea to have him trained and socialized as it calms him down and makes him more obedient. He is very intelligent and training him will be easy.

Curly Coated Retrievers are such fun dogs, full of personality, robust and active. He makes such a wonderful pet and is loving, loyal and protective. He is brave, courageous, independent and confident as well. He gets on well with children and loves to be part of all their games. He is capable of getting on well with other animals in the home.

He is an active dog and won’t fit in well with those who like to sit around all day. He wants to be active, and then loves to settle down with his human family at night. He is an excellent all-rounder and makes a loving, loyal pet.

With loads of vibrant personality, the energetic Jack Russell Terrier has got so many wonderful characteristics to his name – devotion, intelligence, charming, lively, playful and he is an entertainer – you’ll always be laughing a him.

You do need to pay him attention – you can’t just plonk him in your backyard and forget about him. He wants your love and attention and ignoring him can lead to problem behavior such as obsessive barking.

Give your Jack Russell Terrier all the love and care he needs, and you’ll have an exceptional pet and friend.

With good care, the average life expectancy of the Curly-Coated Retriever can reach between 10 and 12 years. However, there are some health concerns that your dog may have to contend with and which are common in most other dog breeds too.

Ear Infections:

Apart from hip dysplasia, bloat, dental decay and eye diseases such as cataracts, ear infections are a common canine health problem, particular when your dog has floppy ears and loves the water.

Ear infections can also be caused because of bacteria, ear mites, allergies and hair growth in the ear canal. Your pet will shake his head, maybe off balance and be scratching his ear. You might notice his ears are red and oozing. Get him to the vet immediately.

Parasites and Worms:

When you brush your dog, check for fleas and ticks. Worms too, can make your dog ill, and can actually be the death of a puppy. Worms can cause weight loss, a rough, dull coat and a generally run-down appearance. Your vet will be able to guide you as to what medications are available.

This particular dog breed has a reputation for being healthy and living to a good age such as 16 or 17 years of age. Of course he needs to be given proper care to reach such a good age.

Some common dog disorders you might want to be aware of are -

Eye disorders:

Lens luxation is actually a common hereditary disorder in these dogs, but even so, with good care, your dog isn’t likely to battle with it. What happens is that the lens in the eye becomes displaced. There are two types, with Posterior luxation being the lesser severe one.Treatment is available.

Musculoskeletal conditions:

Patellar luxation is an hereditary disorder affecting the knees of the dog. The kneecap slips off the groove where it sits and you may notice your dog running while holding his hind leg in the air. It can sometimes slip back in place and then you see your dog running in his usual way. It becomes more serious when it affects both legs.

Grooming:

The Curly Coated Retriever is a single-coated dog breed and this makes him a low maintenance dog. He doesn’t shed much and a good brush twice a week will keep the curly coat in good condition. There are some dog owners that trim the feathering around the legs, feet, tail and belly.

Diet:

The Curly Coated Retriever is an attractively low maintenance breed. Therefore he doesn’t require any special diet. He does well on a top quality manufactured dog food where protein is listed at the top.

These dogs are inclined to put on weight easily so you want to be sure to follow the directions on the packaging and not overfeed him. With his kibble, sometimes add in some cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken.

Raw meat can be expensive but if you can, try and include it into your pet’s diet to avoid nasty skin rashes and allergies. Always make sure that cool, fresh water is available to your dog and make sure the food and water bowls are regularly washed.

Exercise:

The Jack Russell Terrier isn’t just a small dog that can be left to his own devices. He will need proper training and socialization early in life to make him obedient and better to get on with.

He may be a small dog, but he certainly won’t do in the city where he is cooped up in a place with a handkerchief of a garden. He needs lots of space to run and play. He wants his human family to join in with walks, hikes, ball games and swimming.

Diet:

You can buy excellent commercially manufactured dog food which caters for energetic small dog breeds like the Jack Russell Terrier.

Once you have selected the best one for your pet, with dry kibble being better in terms of dental health - you can also add in some brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken. This is highly beneficial to all dog breeds. A little bit of raw meat can sometimes be added in too.

The bottom line is to to prevent your pet from eating foods high in preservatives, additives and fillers. Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.