Flat Coated Retriever dog breed

Flat Coated Retriever dog breed

Appearance
The breed standard for bitches is 22 to 23.5 inches at the withers; for males, 23 to 24.5 inches. 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 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 mimimal stop and a backskull of approximately the same length as the muzzle. They have almond shaped dark brown eyes and have an intelligent, friendly expression. The ears are pendant, relatively small and lie close to the head. The topline is strong and straight with a well feathered tail of moderate length held straight off the back. Flat-coats 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.

Coat
The single coat 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, the chest and the tail.

Temperament

Though black is the most common colour, Flat-coats also come in dark brown or "liver"The Flat-coat’s personality is described as outgoing, devoted, and friendly, an ideal companion with a strong bond to its owner and family. 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 benefited 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 are easily bored with repetitive training techniques and can exhibit a streak of willfulness at times. For this reason, it's best to make training sessions fun, varied, and relatively short for the dog. Flat-coats are very sensitive and respond best to positive reinforcement. They cannot tolerate harsh handling or corrections.

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 small children. Socialization and obedience training are highly recommended. An unusual habit that will be familiar to many flat-coat owners is the "flat-coat kiss", where the dogs frequently lick each others mouths. Flat-coats 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, 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 their years.

History
Originating in the mid 19th century in England, Flat-Coated Retrievers 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 into the U.S., the Flat-coat 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-coats grew rapidly. However, soon thereafter, the popularity of the Flat-coat began to fall, eclipsed by the Golden Retriever, which was actually bred in part from the Flat-coat, and other breeds. By the end of World War II, there were so few Flat-coats 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-coat enjoys a modest popularity and is moving ahead as a breed through attentive breeding for the conformation, health, multipurpose talent and exceptional temperament that are its hallmarks. It has yet to return in substantial numbers to the field, however.

Flatcoat
Health
Regular tests and clearances for hereditary conditions should be conducted by breeders on any dogs used for breeding. Sometimes seen in the breed as well are epilepsy. Flat-coats also have a significantly higher risk of cancer than most dogs. Hemangiosarcoma, fibrosarcoma and malignant histiocytosis are particularly devastating, and occur at much higher rates in flat-coated retrievers than in any other breed. According to studies sponsored by the Flat Coated Retriever Society of America, the average lifespan of flat-coated retriever is only 8 years, and over 75% of all deaths are due to cancer.

Flat-coats do, however, have a very low rate of hip dysplasia compared to other medium-sized breeds; the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals statistics consistently show a rate of HD in the breed of less than 3%. In 1997 FCRSA health survey, 4.2% of males and 3.2% of females had been diagnosed with luxating patellas.

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Flat Coated Retriever dog breed