Hairless Khala 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 Hairless Khala is from a number of Latin American countries, and these countries have a variety of these hairless hounds.

The dogs are known by different names. Khala is the Bolivian Quechua Indian name and it means 'no clothing' - an absence of fur. Both Central and South America have their hairless dogs, descendants of ancestral dogs owned by the Incan Empire.

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.

There are 2 kinds of hairless Khalas – the Medio one which is a short legged dog which stands at roughly 36 – 41cm in height and weighs roughly 6 – 14kg. The other kind of khala is the Hairless Khala Grande, a long legged type.

Although the dog is hairless, you'll find some hair on the top of his head. For sake of space we'll refer to the Medio variety, a medium-sized hound with hairless skin which is dark grey in color.

Temperament:

The Hairless Khala is a friendly dog with his family but tends to be reserved with strangers. He gets on well with children in the home and because he isn't a particularly energetic dog, elderly people also find that he makes a super pet for them.

He is able to adapt easily to city- as well as country living. You need to be careful with him and not allow him out in the garden in the boiling sun as his skin can burn badly. Then again, without fur, he also tends to get cold easily.

He has dark brown eyes and the ears are fairly large in size and erect. He has a chest which is deep and broad and his tail is set fairly low and is held according to his mood.

He is an intelligent dog, and therefore easily trained. He is a loving, loyal dog who is capable of bonding closely with his human family.

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.

The Hairless Khala will make you an excellent pet, and children and the elderly are attracted to the dog because it is loving and docile. They are aloof with strangers, but training and socialization make him far more tolerant of strangers.

The Hairless Khala is an adaptable dog breed, and will adapt well to life in the city or in the country. Found throughout the Latin American nations, today he is essentially a companion dog, loving to be a devoted friend to his human family.

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.

The life expectancy of this dog is 10-14 years when he is treated well. The Hairless Khala is a robust dog breed but even so, there are diseases to look out for -

Skin Allergies:

Skin allergies are one of the reasons you may have to take your Hairless Khala to the vet. These sorts of skin allergies can be frustrating for a dog because the skin is irritated and itchy and he may have scaly areas or red bumps on his skin. If your dog is licking and scratching frantically, you will need to get him to the vet.

Dental Disease

Periodontal disease is inflammation of the gums, and if food and bacteria accumulate on the gums, it forms plaque and transforms into calculus, leading to gingivitis. Check your pet's teeth regularly and also brush them with special canine toothbrush and toothpaste at least 2 or 3x a week.

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:

He isn't a super energetic dog but still, he will need to be taken for a walk every day.You can also include typical games that all dogs love – fetching a ball or pulling on a rope.

Grooming:

Because of the dog having little or no hair, they are considered fairly hypoallergenic and also low maintenance. You'd need to brush a dog with fur, but a hairless dog requires different grooming.

Speak to your vet about bathing your dog, the type of body wash to use and how frequently it should be done. Because your dog is hairless, he may require a sun cream in the Summer and a jersey in the Winter.

He will also need his nails clipped and his teeth brushed as part of his grooming process.

Diet:

He may not have much hair, but when it comes to diet he is much the same as any other dog. If you feed him commercially manufactured food, always choose the best quality one in accordance with his age, height and activity levels.

Home-made food is always a welcome treat for your pet, but whatever you feed him, make sure it has the necessary minerals and vitamins to ensure his health. Essential fatty acids will be needed to keep the skin moist. With too much washing, the skin of these dogs will become irritated, dry and flaking if he doesn't received a nutritious, balanced diet. Make sure he has constant access to fresh, cool water.

When in any doubt as to how to look after a hairless dog, speak to your vet.