Glossary

Curly coat

A coat of tight curls or waves, as on the Poodle, Bichon Frise and Curly-Coated Retriever, which sheds little but mats without regular grooming.

Also called: curly hair, curly-coated, tight curls, woolly coat, corded coat

A curly coat is made of hair that grows in tight curls, ringlets or waves. Examples are the Poodle, the Bichon Frise, the Curly-Coated Retriever, the Portuguese Water Dog and the Irish Water Spaniel. A few breeds, such as the Komondor and Puli, grow the coat into long corded mats.

Hair that curls tends to hold on to loose hair instead of dropping it, so these dogs may shed little on the floor. The curls then tangle, so a curly coat needs frequent brushing and regular clipping by a groomer.

People often assume it is hypoallergenic, but the allergens still come from the skin and saliva. A curly coat is separate from a wire coat, which is harsh and straight, and from a silky coat or smooth coat. Curl is also what draws many buyers to doodle crosses.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Wire coat A harsh, bristly outer coat with a dense undercoat, found on many terriers and some gundogs, traditionally kept tidy by hand stripping. Silky coat A fine, glossy, flowing coat that tangles easily and needs regular brushing, found on breeds such as the Yorkshire Terrier, Maltese and Afghan Hound. Smooth coat A short, close-lying coat that needs little grooming, found on breeds such as the Boxer, Beagle, Greyhound and Doberman Pinscher. Hypoallergenic dog claim The marketing claim that a breed will not trigger allergies; no dog is truly hypoallergenic, since allergens also come from saliva, skin and urine.