The Flat-Coated Retriever (Flat Coated Retriever) is a breed of gundog that is primarily used for retrieving game from the water and on land. Flats are smart, friendly, mischievous and sociable; they become strongly attached to their owners, making them excellent companions and family dogs for active people.
History of origin
When crossing spaniels, setters and collies in the mid-nineteenth century. Breeders from Newfoundland developed a breed of smooth-haired Retriever dogs suitable for hunting in water. Such animals were first shown at a dog exhibition in 1860. In the 80-90s. XIX century English and American hunters actively bought dogs of the flat breed. Retrievers were valued for their exceptional performance and excellent characteristics.
What do flat-coated retrievers look like?
True, today, mostly golden retrievers and flat Labradors help hunters get ducks and other prey out of the water, while straight-haired dogs have begun to serve as companions.
Note! When talking with ordinary people, you can hear about the existence of such dog breeds as the short-haired retriever and the black long-haired retriever. But this is a misnomer. To date, only the Flat-Coated Retriever is officially registered.
Labrador
This breed can be called traditional; in American culture it is even customary to have a Labrador for each newborn child. Dogs are loyal friends and good workers. For this purpose they were bred in Canada at the end of the 19th century.
There are 3 versions of the origin of the name. The first comes from the name of the black rock – labrodorite. The second is from the possible place of origin (Labrador Island). The third is from the Portuguese word “labrador”, which means worker.
The Labrador standard requires 56 cm of height at the withers and no more than 40 kg of weight. But animals love to eat, quickly gain weight and suffer from obesity. In addition, modern Labradors are divided into European and American types: the first is characterized by light shades of coat and an elegant, light body; for the second – golden dark colors and a weighted body. Previously, only black was considered the standard coat color; now wheat and brown are common.
Some of the kindest family dogs in the world . Labradors are always in the top 3 pets for children. They love people, are affectionate and active. The breed is used less and less for hunting, although Retrievers still have natural qualities. They cope well with training, quickly remember commands, are not stubborn, but require education.
Now the dogs either serve in the border guard, or help the disabled, or lie next to the owner on the carpet and play with the child. They can be safely called nanny animals. The average price for a puppy is 25,000-40,000 rubles.
Appearance
Nova Scotia Toller Retriever: description of the breed
The breed standard clearly describes the appearance of the pets:
- height 57-62 cm;
- body weight 25-35 kg;
- long muzzle;
- fairly strong jaws;
- dark brown almond-shaped intelligent eyes;
- small floppy ears;
- the back and tail are straight;
- dense wool of medium length.
Black Flat-Coated Retriever
The standard allows two colors: black retriever and chocolate brown.
The following colors are considered disqualifying faults:
- all shades of yellow;
- pale yellow.
Chocolate Brown Flat Coated Retriever
Important! Disqualifying colors do not affect the performance characteristics of the pet. Such flats are simply not allowed for breeding.
Curly-Coated (Curly-Coated)
This Retriever is different from his brothers. The breed is the rarest of the group and the most non-contact. It began to be bred at the beginning of the 19th century on the island of Newfoundland. Curley's ancestors: Irish Spaniel, Newfoundland, Setter, Poodle.
At first, dogs served fishermen and helped on ships until aristocrats noticed them. Breeders decided to improve hunting qualities and got a discreet, strong Retriever
Since 1860 the animals have been kept as pets and hunting dogs . Since the 20th century, the breed was brought to Australia and New Zealand, where Curly-Coated Terriers are now popular, unlike Russia and other Eurasian countries.
Retrievers are standard in format: an elongated rectangular body, dry limbs, a square muzzle and a round head. Their fur can be brown or reddish in color, and is curled into tight strands.
This is an intelligent and strong working dog that is ready to train and serve people faithfully. She does not show aggression, but does not like the pranks of children and is wary of strangers. Curleys need the owner's firm hand, leadership, and good upbringing. Otherwise, in a circle of people, the Retriever will be embarrassed, lost, and angry.
The breed is not intended for living in an apartment, living with a small child or elderly people. Curley needs an avid hunter or an active family willing to devote time to frequent walks and exercise the pet. The average cost of a puppy is 15,000 rubles.
Pet's character and habits
Labrador Retriever: description of the dog breed
Distinctive character traits of a retriever:
- exceptional cheerfulness;
- insatiable curiosity;
- activity;
- obedience;
- excellent instinct;
- excellent vision;
- love of swimming.
For your information! Such animals mature quite late. It is permissible to call a flat-coated flat retriever an adult dog, in the full sense of the word, only at the age of three.
Health
Flat-coated retrievers are more likely to suffer from cancer than other dog breeds. A study conducted by the Flat-Coated Retriever Society of America (FCRSA) found that the average life expectancy of dogs is about 8 years, with a large percentage dying from cancer.
Later studies in Denmark and England came to a life expectancy of 10 years.
However, they suffer much less from hip dysplasia than other dogs. According to statistics from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, only 3% of the population suffers from this disease.
Attitude towards children and others
Retriever and Labrador: what is the difference, differences between breeds
Representatives of the above breed of dogs get along well with babies and love to lick them. True, pets, showing their good feelings, are so emotional and hyperactive that they can easily knock a child to the floor without the slightest malicious intent.
Important! Any joint games between a flat dog and a child are permissible only in the presence of an adult.
Retrievers will always be happy to meet new people. The dogs will smile good-naturedly at their new friend, want to hug his legs and lick him. But not all passersby will admire such a manifestation of feelings.
Seeing a cat in sight, a flat will definitely want to get to know it so that it can play later. The dog will certainly chase her. The cat, deciding that it is in danger, will try to run away. The “hairy labrador” will set off after her. For the above reasons, the Flat-Coated Retriever can only be walked outside on a leash.
Nova Scotian (toller)
The newest breed among Retrievers appeared in 1945 in Canada. Hunters needed a dog that could lure ducks to traps on the shore. From English “tolling” means luring a bird, which is where the name comes from. The standard was adopted in 1983.
Toller's work technique attracts not only waterfowl, but also small rodents. The dog runs along the shore around the set traps, joyfully jumping and “dancing”, wagging its tail.
This is the smallest dog among Retrievers. The height of the Nova Scotia Toller rarely exceeds 50 cm, and the maximum weight is 20 kg. Despite their size, animals do not like apartment life. They like a country house where they can walk in the yard.
The dogs are similar to foxes: a long rectangular body, a fluffy tail, a narrowed muzzle and a bright red color . White spots on the chest and head are characteristic. The coat is smooth, red, silky, consists of two layers: thick guard hair and soft, padded undercoat. The cover is waterproof.
Cheerful, active dog, devoted to family, non-aggressive . At home, Toller is calm, even melancholic. And in nature he is a real fidget. The retriever loves to play, hunt and run. He gets along with children, but does not like other pets. The dog is wary of strangers, so it can serve as a guard.
The dog cannot stand loneliness and cannot live in an enclosure. It is vital for an animal to be close to its owner and feel his love. The breed needs education, training and physical activity. Average cost of puppies: 60,000 rubles.
Training and training
Thanks to its exceptional intelligence and willingness to train, the Flat Retriever excels in training. True, when raising “hairy Labradors”, harshness and rudeness are unacceptable, otherwise the pet may refuse subsequent training altogether.
Note! To increase motivation for training, dog handlers recommend frequently reinforcing your four-legged friend with treats. At the same time, it is best to train your pet in the form of a game.
Habitat
Flats are very lively and emotional dogs that are extremely fond of small children. They are "frantic lickers" and have extreme affection and adoration. They need your attention and get very bored when they are away from you for a long time. They love water in all its forms - from the smallest muddy puddle to a river or sea, and they can feel it over very long distances! If you don’t raise a little flat, then later he will grow up to be independent and with a demanding character. But if you raise him properly, he will be an excellent dog in any field - for home and family, for hunting, for agility, for shows, as well as a dog for the deaf and a foster dog for hospitals and nursing homes.
Features of care
When keeping such dogs, the following should be taken into account:
- The dog's fur will need to be combed every 5-6 days. When molting, this will have to be done twice as often;
- to avoid contamination, you need to regularly clean your pet’s ears;
- You should periodically wipe your eyes with a damp cloth;
- your four-legged friend will need to brush his teeth with a special toothpaste;
- you need to trim his nails regularly;
- Before a walk in the forest, you should definitely treat your pet’s fur with anti-tick products. Upon returning home, be sure to inspect your four-legged friend for harmful insects;
- A smooth-haired black retriever should be taught from childhood to wipe its paws every time it returns from the street.
Activity
The Flat Retriever needs training throughout the day. Jogging, long-distance running, walking, playing with a Frisbee are ideal activities for this breed. He loves to swim and hunt, so take him to the park or forest where he can explore a lot. He loves speed and car rides, so take him camping with you. A born hunter, the Flat-Coated Retriever has an excellent sense of smell. If your dog falls behind you during a walk, don’t worry: he will never get lost. The Flat Retriever is very smart and always listens carefully to everything you tell him. Therefore, it is important to be consistent and encourage his actions during training. This breed enjoys getting things done.
Nutrition
When feeding a Flat dog with industrial food, you should give preference either to premium products, supplementing them with essential vitamins and microelements, or to super-premium food.
Supporters of natural feeding will find the following table useful, which shows what products should be fed to the animal and when.
| No. | Products | Feeding frequency |
| 1 | Meat | Daily |
| 2 | Multivitamins | |
| 3 | Vegetables | |
| 4 | Fruits | |
| 5 | By-products | 2-3 times a week |
| 6 | Sea fish | 1 time every two weeks |
| 7 | Cottage cheese | |
| 8 | Milk | Puppies 2-3 months old daily |
Important! Alternating dog food prepared by the owner with industrial food is strictly contraindicated.
What to feed your Flat-Coated Retriever
In order for the animal to always be healthy, it must be fed with healthy, balanced food. In this case, the owner must decide on the type of food: will it be ready-made food or homemade food.
Important! Dog handlers do not recommend mixing dry food and homemade products when feeding dogs. This disrupts their intestinal function.
When choosing dry food, preference should be given to premium varieties. They contain all the minerals and nutrients necessary for the proper development of retrievers. In this case, the dog must be provided with clean water.
Check out premium and super premium dry dog food.
If a flat eats home-cooked food, the food must be selected very carefully so that the pet receives a complete diet.
It must include:
- meat;
- vegetables;
- dairy products;
- cereals;
- fish.
How to choose a puppy
Flat puppies should be purchased exclusively from kennels. This is where potential buyers will be able to:
- meet the parents of your future four-legged friend;
- personally check the small retriever for similarity with the breed standard;
- ask the breeders for certificates and pedigree.
Flat-Coated Retriever Puppies
Important! When purchasing a pet secondhand, future dog owners risk bringing home a dog with signs of culling, and sometimes even a not entirely healthy individual.
Description of varieties
There are intrabreed species of Labrador Retrievers. The American and English lines of the breed differ most significantly.
English
English breeders try to preserve as many “water dog” features as possible in the appearance of the Labrador.
This variety is distinguished by its squat, solid appearance. She has a heavy, powerful skull, short, thick legs, a wide chest with rounded ribs. In other words, on the island they adhere to a heavy body type.
The character and temperament of the British and Americans also differs. Island dogs have great good nature and “coziness”. This is a domestic dog that brings slippers and prefers relaxed walks in the park. However, the dogs still did not lose their sporting and hunting qualities. English Labradors are alert, patient, love to swim, and fetch.
The British mature faster, learn earlier and socialize more easily. Due to their balanced nature, they are preferred by hunters, older people and families with children.
American
American breeders relied on a drier type of exterior. People from the continent are tall, with long limbs, lean, with lighter bones.
The American Labrador is an athlete, hunter and hard worker. He is cheerful and energetic, and he is also more aggressive, agile and dynamic than his English counterpart. These are a kind of “cheerful”, suitable for the same active owners.
Advantages and disadvantages
Positive characteristics of Flat-Coated Retrievers:
- exceptional endurance. The pet will be happy to accompany the owner on a long hike or voyage on public transport;
- loyalty to the owner, as well as to his household;
- favorable attitude towards other pets;
- affection towards strangers.
This dog has equal numbers of pros and cons.
Flat dogs also have disadvantages, in other words, negative characteristics, which are perceived by a number of potential buyers solely as individual characteristics of the breed:
- Smooth-haired retrievers stay in puppyhood until they are almost 2 years old;
- such a dog is not suitable for home guarding;
- Loneliness is strictly contraindicated for a pet. Otherwise, during independent games, the dog can damage any object within reach: shoes, pieces of furniture, wires, etc.;
- a retriever will need to be walked twice a day for 3 hours, so a four-legged friend of the above breed can only be purchased by an owner who has the proper amount of time for walking together with the pet.
With proper care and a balanced, nutritious diet for an energetic and loving flat dog, the dog owner will acquire a sincere admirer, as well as a faithful companion in a dog of the Flat-Coated Retriever breed.
Where to keep the breed
The ideal place of residence for such an active dog, of course, would be a large country house and a huge yard. There she will be able to give free rein to her unbridled energy and natural instincts.
However, if you provide the retriever with constant exercise and long walks, he will get along well in an apartment. When keeping this breed, one should take into account the fact that the Flat is by nature a tracker, a hard worker and an unsurpassed fetcher.
If all these qualities are satisfied, he will be happy anywhere. This is an ideal pet for active, sporty people, who will happily go with the owner both for a run and for a hunt.
Popular nicknames
Many dog breeders name their pets based on their color.
Below are the most popular names for black Labradors:
- for a black boy : Hades, Bruno, Black, Blade, Bond, Boomer, Woland, Dark, Diesel, Moor, Neo, Nero, Noir, Onyx, Richie, Romeo, Swart, Sirius, Charlie;
- for a black girl : Bagheera, Bonnie, Bertha, Blackie, Verona, Vendetta, Karma, Lara, Infinity, Audrey, Panther, Tiara, Shadow.
Of course, the list is not limited to these names for boys and girls. Each owner decides for himself what to name his pet. The main thing to remember here is that the nickname suits the animal.
