Key traits:
| 📏 Size | large |
| 🐕 Temperament | friendly, lively |
| 🏃 Activity | medium |
| ✂️ Coat | medium |
| 👶 With children | yes |
| 🛡️ Guarding | low |
| 🎓 Trainability | high |
Description
An elegant and friendly companion, also suitable for hunting, the Flat-Coated Retriever is a wonderful, sociable dog. It loves human company above all else, is excellent with children, can assist in canine-assisted therapy, and is also a superb helper in the field.
This breed gets along well with everyone—showing no aggression toward people or other dogs. It is essential to provide it with plenty of exercise in nature, not hesitate to let it swim, and allow it to utilize its innate retrieving talent. A Flat will be immensely grateful and will show it.
It is a sensitive and gentle dog, for which harsh training is unsuitable; instead, it thrives on consistent and friendly guidance.
If you are considering a companion for countryside walks, the Flat-Coated Retriever should definitely be on your list. Be aware, however, that it will likely not suppress its hunting instincts. Due to its speed and agility, it may pursue small animals if given the opportunity.
This website is an independent and free project. I would like to gradually replace illustrative photos with real dogs from breeders.
If you send me a photo of your dog, I can include:
- the dog’s name or your kennel name
- a link to your website
What I need:
- a good-quality photo (ideally landscape)
- confirmation that you own the photo
- permission to publish it on this site
- a link on your website pointing to www.choosedog.info (I will also include a link to your website on this breed page)
Please email me at
info@vyberpsa.cz
(the breed name will be added to the subject line)
Or contact me via Facebook Messenger: m.me/choosetherightdog
FCI standard
FCI-Standard N° 121 / 28.10.2009 / GB
FLAT COATED RETRIEVER
ORIGIN : Great Britain.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 28.07.2009.
UTILIZATION: Gundog.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 8 Retrievers-Flushing
Dogs-Water Dogs.
Section 1 Retrievers.
With working trial.
GENERAL APPEARANCE : A bright, active dog of medium size with an intelligent expression, showing power without lumber, and raciness without weediness.
BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Generously endowed with natural gundog ability, optimism and friendliness demonstrated by enthusiastic tail action; confident and kindly.
HEAD : Long and nicely moulded.
CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Flat and moderately broad.
Stop : Slight stop between eyes, in no way accentuated, avoiding a down or dish-faced appearance.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Good size, with open nostrils.
Jaws/Teeth : Jaws long and strong, capable of carrying a hare or a pheasant, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Teeth sound and strong.
Eyes : Medium size, dark brown or hazel, with a very intelligent expression (a round prominent eye highly undesirable). Not obliquely placed.
Ears : Small and well set on, close to side of head.
NECK : Head well set in neck, the latter reasonably long and free from throatiness, symmetrically set and obliquely placed in shoulders, running well into the back to allow for easy seeking of trail.
BODY :
Loin : Short and square. Open couplings highly undesirable.
Chest : Deep and fairly broad, with well defined brisket. Foreribs fairly flat. Body well ribbed up showing a gradual spring and well arched in centre but rather lighter towards quarters.
TAIL : Short, straight and well set on, gaily carried, but never much above level of back.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs straight, with bone of good quality throughout.
Elbow : Moving cleanly and evenly on chest.
Forefeet : Round and strong with toes close and well arched. Soles thick and strong.
HINDQUARTERS : Muscular. Should stand true all round.
Stifle : Moderate bend.
Hock : Moderate bend, well let down. Cowhocks highly undesirable.
Hind feet : Round and strong with toes close and well arched. Soles thick and strong.
GAIT / MOVEMENT : Free and flowing, straight and true as seen from front and rear.
COAT
Hair : Dense, of fine to medium texture and good quality, as flat as possible. Legs and tail well feathered. Full furnishings on maturity complete the elegance of a good dog.
COLOUR : Black or liver only.
SIZE AND WEIGHT:
Preferred height: Dogs: 59 - 61,5 cm (23-24 ins),
Bitches: 56,5 - 59 cm (22-23 ins).
Preferred weight in hard condition: Dogs: 27 - 36 kg (60-80 lbs),
Bitches : 25 - 32 kg (55-70 lbs).
FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on its ability to perform its traditional work.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
• Aggressive or overly shy.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
