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The Flat-Coated Retriever is a gundog breed from the United Kingdom. It was developed as a retriever on both land and in the water. Flat-coats make exceptional family companions, bonding very closely with all members of the family. Compared with other sporting breeds, Flat-coats have a relatively low activity level indoors, but outdoors can play, run and retrieve tirelessly. Flat-coats given too little exercise, companionship and mental stimulation, however, can become overly active or destructive indoors, especially if left alone for extended periods of time. They are wonderful with older children but may be too exuberant for very small children. Early obedience training and socialization are highly recommended. The well-socialized and well-trained Flat-coat is an optimistic, enthusiastic dog with a constantly wagging tail who is a friend to all.
Appearance: The breed stands 22 to 23 inches (56-58.5
cm) and weighs 60 to 70 pounds (27-32 kg). Its colour is
either solid black or liver, more commonly the former.
Flat-Coated Retrievers have muscular jaws and a large snout
with an undefined forehead. The ears are floppy and relatively
short.
Coat: The coat is moderate in length, dense, and
lustrous; ideally it should lie flat and straight, but the
breed was initially called the Wavy-Coated Retriever. Later,
the coat somehow flattened out and the name changed
accordingly, but the tendency toward wavy hair still emerges
occasionally.
Temperament: The flat-coat’s personality is
described as outgoing, devoted, and friendly, an ideal
companion with a strong bond to its owner. It is said to be a
very versatile hunting dog, retrieving well on land or in the
water, flushing upland game, marking downed birds, and
generally doing all that can be expected of a multipurpose
gundog. Although little-known and much less popular than the
Labrador and Golden Retrievers, it has benefitted from that
lack of popularity by enjoying more careful breeding and
better maintenance of its fine working ability.
Flat-coated retrievers love to please, but may be slightly
more difficult to train than the popular Golden Retriever and
Labrador Retriever. They exhibit a streak of willfulness at
times, and don't have a really long attention span. For this
reason, it's best to make training sessions fun, entertaining,
and relatively short for the dog.
Flat-coats are known for having a sunny optimism and a tail
that's always wagging. They are capable of getting along well
with cats, other dogs, small pets, and strangers. However, due
to their exuberant nature, they may tend to knock over
children. Socialization and obedience training is highly
recommended. Flat-coats tend to be very rowdy when young, and
need plenty of exercise throughout their life. Sometimes they
are referred to as the "Peter Pan of dogs" because
they never grow up, acting playful and puppy-like well into
their years.
History: Originating in the late 19th century it
gained popularity as a gamekeeper’s dog. Part of its
ancestry is thought to have come from stock imported from
North America of Newfoundland type, as was the case with the
Labrador and Chesapeake Bay retrievers.
After its introduction, the flatcoat began to quickly gain
in popularity as a gundog, and from 1873 when the breed became
a "stable type" according to the American Kennel
Club until 1915 when it was officially recognized as a breed,
the number of flatcoats grew rapidly.
However, soon thereafter, the popularity of the flatcoat
began to fall, eclipsed by the golden retriever, which was
actually bred in part from the flatcoat, and other breeds. By
the end of World War Two, there were so few flatcoats that the
breed's survival was uncertain. However, beginning in the
1960s, the breed gained in popularity again, and today, the
flatcoat remains a solid breed.
Health: The Flat-coat is prone to certain hereditary
diseases such as hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, glaucoma,
epilepsy, diabetes, and also has a significantly higher risk
of long bone cancer than most dogs. However, the Flat-coat is
generally much healthier or as healthy as any breed.
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