This is a big controversy in the Curly world, where some narrow minded people think that what the experts predict will not come true. I think this is very good reading for anyone who is into genetics and the study of pure bred dogs. Carmen Battaglia's paper. Here's the URL. http://www.breedingbetterdogs.com/delimma.pdf

My last couple of litters have focused on more of the foreign bloodlines. Late last year I bred to a New Zealand Import. My last liter I bred to Maestro, who was sired by a dog from Finland, so I could get back a double up on the Caballus lines I imported in 1999. The litter in the middle of those was a breeding of a young bitch from a litter who was a result of a litter I did with imported semen from Sweden. (that breeding was done because it was the last of the last... the Last time before Bailey was spayed and placed in a forever home where she could be top and only dog like her personality called for, and the last time Jet was bred before he was neutered and goes to live out his old age at Jollybodies) I could not pass up on that litter, since both parties would be spayed/neutered within the year, and there would be no second chance to blend those two lines.

The Curly did not originate in the US. Curlies have been bred overseas for a lot longer than in the US. Here is a collection of different articles trying to explain the History of the Curly Coated Retriever. You may notice they don't all agree upon the dates that the Curly was developed: History of the Curly Coated Retriever. But it is thought that the Curly was in Europe in the 1800's and The first Curly came to the US in 1907. That is a big difference. Both the US dogs, and imported bloodlines have their share of problems. Even though we follow a similar Standard for the breed, it is said time and time again ringside at dog shows, that the American Curlies have a different distinct look from the English Curlies. Many US pedigrees are a combination or blend of different bloodlines. There are some particular dogs that are almost impossible to find a pedigree that does not contain them somewhere. These popular sires and dams can have a huge impact on a breed. Setting certain breed characteristics, type, field ability, etc. But the draw back, is if it is found that the popular sire/dam also carries a recessive trait for a health problem. If you can't find pedigrees that don't contain that dog, it is hard to breed without compounding the problem. A breeder can have their whole line wiped out by finding they have picked one such dog as a cornerstone of their whole breeding program. Or a small group of curly breeders working together on one line can breed themselves into a corner, having no where to go when all dogs become related to one such dog. And that tangent brings us back to why I keep two separate lines, not related. I try to pick dogs that have the qualities I like. Temperament, trainability, movement, bone, coat, while trying to maintain the breed type in the standard. I occasionally bring the two lines together for breeding. (like my last litter was a combination of my two lines) Now, I know this whole philosophy will be trashed by certain narrow minded breeders, who either hate imports, or hate the US dogs. But I am not out to win a popularity contest. ;-)

What is rewarding is when the two lines do meet my idea of what the standard is saying and describing. Now, and this is going to sound like a brag, but I am using it as an example.... At the last CCRCA National Specialty. I had 2 adult bitches entered in the classes. One was Moxie. (CH SoftMaple's Pheasant Dreams CGC WC) Who is out of (CH SoftMaple's O' Dark Thirty MH CD CGC WCQ TT HOF X CH Charwin EvenSong CD JH CGC WCX HOF) Very much an American line. (Jet is Riverwatch X Avanti... Gabby is Charwin X Aarowag... all strong American Lines) The other adult bitch I had entered was Aysa. (SoftMaple's Comin' To America CGC CD) Aysa's mom is out of my International litter, where I sent a UK X Finnish Combination bitch to The Netherlands to be bred to a Finnish Male. Then I imported Semen from Sweden to use over her mom. A total foreign blend. There were over 30 class bitches at the National. Moxie was Winners Bitch, Best of Winners. Aysa was Reserve Winners Bitch. Two totally different pedigrees, with the same vision in mind. As a side note, as I have mentioned, sometimes the two lines are blended... the Reserve Winners Dog at this National Specialty was out of one of my International girls, bred to a male out of one of my American lines. (RWD Hunterbay's Tyme'L See Bred and owned by Wanda and Jim Marrison out of CH SoftMaple's WaterWorks CGC X CH Softmaple N Hunterbay's NY Wkend CGC TT)

Ok, I have really gone off on a tangent. The reason for this was why I picked to breed Moxie and Coal.

Type wise, I do think the two complement each other. Both are nice moving dogs. In the showring, both have done well. Moxie with very limited showing, earned a spot as #3 CCR all breed points. She was BOB at a Supported entry at this years National Specialty, going on to a Group 2nd. She was WB BOW at the National, and WB BOW the day after to finish her Championship. Later in the summer, she went on to win a sporting group 1st, making her the first liver bitch to win a sporting group.

Coal is a multi group placing dog. He was best of Opposite Sex Sweeps at the 1998 CCRCA National Specialty. He is also sire of a multi group placer and a national specialty supported entry winner. His son PJ was JAM at both the 2005 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship show and the 2005 Westminster Kennel Club Show.

Coal's son PJ

Coal achieved his Junior Hunter title in early Spring 2004. He has his CCRCA WC, as well as his AKC CD. Coal's mom, Ch. Chocca Shaw's Blazin Blizzard, CGC, TT, ROM, is litter mate to Chocca-Shaw's Winter Wonder, WCQ, MH, MNHR who is the only curly to qualify to run in the Master Nationals.

Now looking at the pedigree. I don't like doing inbreeding. (Brother sister, mother to son, etc) and I don't usually do tight line breeding. I like a loose line breeding, with one or two common ancestors back in the 3rd and 4th generation. There is a dog that turns up 3 times in this pedigree. Twice in the third generation, and once in the fourth generation. (By no means a tight line breeding) But worth mentioning. His name is Zack

Ch Rockmeadow Deliverance,CD,WCX,JH,ROM
Zack was the #1 show Curly in 1988, a multiple Group placer and was Best of Winners at the 1988 National Specialty.

Another dog that shows up multiple times in the pedigree is Teddy

BISS Ch. Ptarmigan Walk The Wild Side

There are other notable ancestors in this pedigree as you can see here Coal and Moxie. Andre, sire of a BIS curly, Tempest, Grandmom of a BIS curly, and the top winning curly of her time. There are many strong field curlies behind this pedigree. The Curly Coated Retriever Club of America has an annual field trophy. The Sarona Jacob of Marvadel & Sarona Sam of Marvadel trophy which started in 1991. In this pedigree, Jet (Moxie's dad) has been either winner or co-winner twice. Coal's Aunt Jade, Chocca-Shaw's Winter Wonder, WCQ, MH, MNHR has won it twice. SR, CH Charwin Scirocco, CDX, WCQ, JH, ROM,CAN CD, who is Zack's father, has won it. This year's winner is Chippy, who is also a half sister of Jet, out of Betty. Karakul Velvet, CD, WCQ, JH, HOF who won it twice is a cousin. Even Diver, who won or co-won it 3 times is related to the litter thrugh his mother, and Gabby's grand-mother Am/Mex Ch Hartfire Karakul Yaquina,CD,WCX,JH,WR,ROM,HOF.

Other things I like about this litter, Strong moving dogs. Good bone. Super temperaments. Great trainability. I am very excited about this litter. As a breeder, you breed the best to the best, and hope for the best! Both Moxie and Coal are OFA good. Both are CERF clear. I need to send in Moxie's paperwork for eyes and cardiac, which are being mailed by her owner, who was waiting for the lease agreement to be signed. So they do not at this time show up on the online database.

We as breeders are caretakers of the future of the Curly Coated Retriever. Breeding just to fill a demand for puppies can damage a breed for years to come. Not all dogs are worthy of being bred. Having a Championship title is not a good enough reason to breed a dog. There are many judgment calls that a breeder has to make according to their own conscience. There is not perfect dog. If there was, we would just keep cloning him, and there would be no need for breeders.

A breeder needs to keep the standard of the breed in mind at all times. What was this breed originally developed for? How does the structure of the dog meet those requirements? A curly is not just a lab with a perm. They are the tallest of the retrievers. The coat is one of the distinguishing characteristics, but you should still be able to tell a curly from a Chessie/Lab/Golden or flat coat by the silhouette of the dog. Curlies tend to be reserved rather than extroverted with strangers. This is different from a Golden, who may run up to everyone like they are a long lost friend. Curlies as a result may need more socialization at an early age than other retrievers.

If a breeder tells you that a line does not have any health problems, they are either naive of the ancestors in their pedigree, or they are lying. Those breeders that spend more time trashing fellow breeders, their dogs, and their breeding lines, are probably just blowing smoke to hide their own problems. I always encourage people looking for a puppy to contact as many breeders as they can. Unfortunately, this often leaves a bad taste in the potential new puppy owners mouth, after they hear all the petty back stabbing that goes on by certain breeders. That is too bad. These dogs, although not for everyone, really are wonderful. More than I can say about some of the curly breeders and owners out there! Most curly people are great, and if you sift through the bad ones, you can find ones that will be very helpful to you as you find out about this wonderful breed.

There is no perfect dog, and unfortunately, no perfect breeders!

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Back to Moxie and Coal's pups

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Moxie and Coal's daughter Gabby is Best in Sweepstakes at the 2006 CCRCA National Specialty

CH SoftMaple's Dark Star WC, JH, CGC

Father and Daughter
Coal BOS in Vet Sweeps, and Gabby Best of Puppy Sweeps

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Moxie and Coal's puppies due May 9th 2005

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softmaple@curlycoat.org

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