Dog breeds with curly coats

Curly coats range from tight poodle curls to loose waves, and most need regular clipping or brushing. These are the breeds in our data with a curly coat type.

10 of 162 breeds in our database

  • Barbet

    Medium, 35–65 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 1 of 5

    Coat
    Medium, curly
    Nature
    Friendly, Bright, Sweet-natured
    Lifespan
    12–14 years

  • Bedlington Terrier

    Small, 17–23 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 1 of 5

    Coat
    Medium, curly
    Nature
    Loyal, Charming, Frollicking
    Lifespan
    11–16 years

  • Bichon Frise

    Small, 12–18 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 1 of 5

    Coat
    Long, curly
    Nature
    Curious, Playful, Peppy
    Lifespan
    14–15 years

  • Irish Water Spaniel

    Large, 45–68 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 1 of 5

    Coat
    Medium, curly
    Nature
    Playful, Hardworking, Brave
    Lifespan
    12–13 years

  • Lagotto Romagnolo

    Medium, 24–35 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 1 of 5

    Coat
    Medium, curly
    Nature
    Affectionate, Keen, Undemanding
    Lifespan
    15–17 years

  • Miniature Poodle

    Small, 10–15 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 1 of 5

    Coat
    Long, curly
    Nature
    Active, Proud, Very smart
    Lifespan
    10–18 years

  • Mudi

    Medium, 18–29 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 2 of 5

    Coat
    Medium, curly
    Nature
    Loyal, Intelligent, Active
    Lifespan
    12–14 years

  • Portuguese Water Dog

    Medium, 35–60 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 2 of 5

    Coat
    Long, curly
    Nature
    Affectionate, Adventurous, Athletic
    Lifespan
    11–13 years

  • Standard Poodle

    Large, 40–70 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 1 of 5

    Coat
    Long, curly
    Nature
    Active, Proud, Very smart
    Lifespan
    10–18 years

  • Toy Poodle

    Toy, 4–6 lb

    Curly coat: Shedding 1 of 5

    Coat
    Long, curly
    Nature
    Intelligent, Agile, Self-confident
    Lifespan
    10–18 years

Good to know

8 of the 10 breeds above have the lowest AKC shedding rating (1 out of 5), and 9 are on the AKC list of breeds that tend to suit people with allergies. Low shedding is not the same as low upkeep: grooming ratings here run from 1 to 5 out of 5.

Curly coats are not limited to Poodles. Our data includes Sporting (3), Non-Sporting (3), Terrier (1), Herding (1) by AKC group. For the full allergy-friendly list, use the hypoallergenic dog breed finder.

Sources

  1. American Kennel Club: Dog breeds directory and breed trait ratings

Breed traits come from AKC breed standards and trait ratings. Individual dogs, and especially mixes, can differ from their breed.

Other dog breed traits