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Flat-Coated Retriever breed guide
The American Kennel Club calls the Flat-Coated Retriever the Peter Pan of the Sporting Group, a forever-young hunting dog that is happy, self-assured and willing to please and will retrieve a duck or a show ribbon with equal aplomb.
The long head is a hallmark unique among retrievers, projecting a smart and kindly expression on a lean, elegant silhouette of Labrador height.
Temperament
Dogdom's champion tail-waggers, Flat-Coated Retrievers are among the happiest of all breeds. They mature slowly and some owners say they never grow up at all.
Very intelligent, responsive and eager to please, they are easy to train but sensitive and do not take harsh corrections well. A Flat-Coat wants to be with its family and undesirable behaviors can follow regular isolation.
Lifespan
Flat-Coated Retrievers live 8 to 10 years. There are several health and genetic screening considerations specific to the breed and responsible breeders test their stock for them and share results with other dedicated breeders.
Care
The moderate-length coat needs a weekly grooming with a brush and a metal comb to remove dirt and loose hair and nails should be trimmed often because long nails cause discomfort and trouble walking.
An active sporting breed, the Flat-Coat requires ample exercise every day for its physical and mental well-being, through long daily walks and play sessions with its owner. It also exercises mind and body in obedience, tracking, agility and rally.
History
Flat-Coated Retrievers are one of six AKC retriever breeds: tireless, trainable lake hunters that retrieve downed waterfowl. A retriever marks where a duck falls, swims straight to it on command, grips it gently and swims straight back to deliver it to hand.
Flat-Coated Retrievers were first bred in the mid-1800s, relatively recent in an AKC universe where many breeds go back to antiquity.
AKC trait ratings
| Trait | AKC rating | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Level | 5 of 5 | Couch Potato to High Energy |
| Trainability Level | 5 of 5 | Self-Willed to Eager to Please |
| Shedding Level | 3 of 5 | No Shedding to Hair Everywhere |
| Barking Level | 3 of 5 | Only To Alert to Very Vocal |
| Adaptability Level | 5 of 5 | Lives For Routine to Highly Adaptable |
| Good With Young Children | 5 of 5 | Not Recommended to Good With Children |
| Good With Other Dogs | 5 of 5 | Not Recommended to Good With Other Dogs |
| Watchdog/Protective Nature | 3 of 5 | What's Mine Is Yours to Vigilant |