Overview
The Flat-coated Retriever is an elegant, sleek gun dog with a long, one-piece head, feathered coat and a constantly wagging tail. It was developed to retrieve on land and in water.
It is a happy, sociable and enthusiastic family dog that stays puppyish for years. It thrives with active owners and plenty of company.
History
The breed developed in mid-19th-century England as a gamekeeper's dog. Newfoundlands, setters and collie-types are thought to have contributed, perhaps with the extinct St. John's water dog, and the type was settled about 1880.
It grew popular as a gun dog in Britain and America but was eclipsed by the Golden Retriever, which it helped to create. After near disappearance around World War II, careful breeding from the 1960s restored it. Flat-coats have won Best in Show at Crufts, in 1980, 2011 and 2022.
Appearance
A medium-large, athletic dog, males 58 to 64 cm and females 56 to 61 cm, weighing roughly 25 to 36 kg. The head is described as of one piece, with a long muzzle, almond-shaped dark eyes and small close-set ears.
The topline is strong and level, and the feathered tail is carried straight. The coat is dense, flat and glossy in black or liver; yellow occurs but is not accepted in the show ring.
Temperament
Flat-coats are exuberant, friendly and eager to please, and they have been called the Peter Pan of retrievers. They bark to alert but are unlikely to back it up with aggression.
They are good with children and other dogs, and love to carry things and swim. Their good nose and willingness to work make them popular for sniffing work and guide dog breeding.
Care and exercise
They need plenty of daily exercise, including running, swimming and retrieving games, along with mental work such as scent games or training. They can be boisterous and slow to mature.
Brush a few times a week to keep the feathering free of tangles, with extra care during shedding.
Health
Cancer is the breed's major problem, with soft-tissue sarcomas and histiocytic tumours common, and roughly half of deaths in one UK survey were cancer related. A UK study found an average life span of about 11.7 years. Bloat can also occur.
