Flat-Coated Retriever
The Flat-Coated Retriever is a breed of gundog from Britain. It was developed as a retriever on both land and water. Flat-Coated Retrievers make exceptional family companions, bonding very closely with all members of the family. Compared with other sporting breeds, Flat-Coated Retrievers have a relatively low activity level indoors, but outdoors can play, run and retrieve tirelessly. Flat-Coated Retrievers 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-Coated Retriever is an optimistic, enthusiastic dog with a constantly wagging tail who is a friend to all.
Flat-Coated Retriever Appearance
The Flat-Coated Retriever breed standard calls for males to be 23 to 24.5 inches tall at the withers and for females to be 22 to 23.5 inches, with a recommended weight of 55 to 70 lb (24-32 kg). The Flat-Coated Retriever's colour is either solid black or solid liver (a deep, rich brown), more commonly the former. Flat-Coated Retrievers have strong muscular jaws and a relatively long muzzle to allow for the carrying of birds and upland game. Their head is unique to the breed and is described as being "of one piece" with a minimal stop and a back skull of approximately the same length as the muzzle. They have almond shaped dark brown eyes that have an intelligent, friendly expression. The ears are pendant, relatively small and lie close to the head. The occiput (the bone at the back of the backscull) is not to be accentuated (as it is in setters, for example) with the head flowing smoothly into a well-arched neck. The topline is strong and straight with a well feathered tail of moderate length held straight off the back. Flat-Coated Retrievers should be well angulated front and rear, allowing for open, effortless movement. They are lighter, racier and more elegant in appearance than the other retriever breeds.
The single coat (there is no undercoat) is moderate in length, dense, and lustrous; ideally it should lie flat and straight, but a slight wave is permissible. Body coat is of moderate length with longer feathering on the backs of the legs, chest, under body and tail.
Flat-Coated Retriever Temperament
The Flat-Coated Retriever’s personality is described as outgoing, devoted, and friendly, an ideal companion with a strong bond to its owner and family. It is a versatile hunting dog, retrieving well on land or in the water, flushing upland game, marking downed birds, and generally performing all the tasks expected of a multi-purpose gundog. Although not as well known and much less popular than the Labrador and Golden Retrievers, it has benefited from that lack of popularity by enjoying more careful breeding and better maintenance of its working ability.
Flat-Coated Retrievers love to please, but may be slightly more difficult to train than Golden Retrievers and Labradors. They are easily bored with repetitive training techniques and can exhibit a streak of wilfulness at times. For this reason, it is best to make training sessions fun, varied, and relatively short for the dog. Flat-Coated Retrievers are very sensitive and respond best to positive reinforcement. They cannot tolerate harsh handling or corrections.
Flat-Coated Retrievers are known for having a sunny optimism and a tail that is 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 very small children. Socialisation and obedience training are highly recommended. Flat-Coated Retrievers are known to demonstrate their affectionate natures by frequently kissing their friends (Flat Coats believe that there are only two types of people in the world: people who are already their friends and people who will become their friends). They also display an unusual habit that will be familiar to many Flat-Coated Retriever owners: the "Flat-Coated Retriever kiss", where the dogs lick each others mouths as a form of greeting. Since they are inclined to be friendly to all, they make only adequate watch dogs to give warning.
Flat-Coated Retrievers tend to have a good deal of energy, especially when young, and need to have appropriate outlets for this energy. They need plenty of activity and stimulation, both physical and mental, throughout their lives. Sometimes they are referred to as the "Peter Pan of dogs" because they never grow up, acting playful and puppy-like well into old age. They need to be an active participant in the daily life and activities of the family to lead a happy, well balanced life.
Flat-Coated Retriever History
Originating in the mid 19th century in England, the Flat-Coated Retriever gained popularity as a gamekeeper’ s dog. Part of its ancestry is thought to have come from stock imported from North America from the now extinct St. John's Newfoundland Dog. This type of dog is thought to factor as well in the ancestry of both Labrador and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.
After its introduction into the U.S., the Flat-Coated Retriever 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 Flat-Coated Retrievers grew rapidly. However, soon after, the popularity of the Flat-Coated Retriever began to decrease, eclipsed by the Golden Retriever, which was actually bred in part from the Flat-Coated Retriever, along with other breeds. By the end of World War II, there were so few Flat-Coated Retrievers that the breed's survival was uncertain. However, beginning in the 1960s, careful breeding brought the population back and the breed gained in popularity again, primarily as a conformation show dog and companion pet. Today, the Flat-Coated Retriever enjoys a modest popularity and is moving ahead as a breed through attentive breeding for the conformation, health, multi-purpose talent and exceptional temperament that are its hallmarks. It has yet to return in substantial numbers to field competition.
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