Flat-Coated Retriever

Coat & Grooming:

The Flat-Coated Retriever has a medium-length, moderately well-feathered coat, says Anderson. It requires weekly grooming to remain shiny and healthy, and to keep shedding at bay.

Coat length:
Medium

Grooming:
Frequent

Shedding:
The Flat-Coated Retriever sheds, but weekly grooming can help to keep strays at bay.

Training:
The Flat-Coated Retriever is a smart and ready-to-please breed, which makes them great candidates for training. On the other hand, their sensitive nature means that they don’t respond well to harsh reprimands, and their young-at-heart personality can make it a bit more difficult to keep their attention. Since this breed loves to be with people, they can get into mischief when left alone for too long. As such, early training and socialization is highly recommended.

Barking: Understanding your dog

As long as you properly and regularly exercise your Flat-Coated Retriever, they will be happy and loving pets. Although the breed doesn’t tend to be overly noisy, they may bark to alert you when people are approaching or if they become nervous or anxious.

Temperament & Behavior:
The Flat-Coated Retriever is a generally happy breed that enjoys being with his people, exercising and mischief. These dogs are often a friend to all, making them the perfect pet for families with children and other animals, too. In addition, the Flat-Coated Retriever tends to mature slowly, sometimes never quite losing all of their puppy behavior.

Behavior with kids:
A friendly, gentle breed that loves its people, the Flat-Coated Retriever provides endless entertainment for children. Because of their size and rambunctious nature, though, they should be watched closely with small children.

Protection:
Although the Flat-Coated Retriever may bark to let you know a stranger is approaching, they tend to befriend nearly everyone.

Life Span:
On average, Flat-Coated Retrievers live to be between 8 and 10 years

Inherited health issues:
Several conditions appear at an increased frequency in Flat-Coated Retrievers and some may have a genetic association. Responsible breeders generally perform a variety of screening and genetic tests prior to breeding in an attempt to decrease the incidence of some of these diseases in future generations. These conditions may include, but are not limited to, the following: Patellar luxation, Cutaneous histiocytoma, Soft tissue sarcoma, Distichiasis, Entropion and Glaucoma.

Preventive care:
Generally speaking, Flat-Coated Retrievers tend to be healthy dogs. However, it is still important to monitor them at home for any new changes and to take them to the veterinarian for regular exams. Preventive care is an important step in the early diagnosis and treatment of many health conditions, which often results in a better (and less expensive) outcome. The regular use of flea, tick and heartworm preventive medications can keep your Flat-Coated Retriever free of many common, disease-transmitting external parasites.

Even though Flat-Coated Retrievers are known for having plenty of energy to burn, they can still become overweight or obese. As in people, obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, heart disease or the exacerbation of existing arthritis issues. It is extremely important to keep your Flat-Coated Retriever at a healthy body weight through proper diet and exercise.

Nutrition:
Flat-Coated Retrievers should be fed a high-quality diet in portion-controlled meals. Avoid offering table scraps or too many treats, as these can quickly pack on unwanted weight.

Daily Consumption:
Average daily consumption for an adult Flattie is 2 to 2.5 cups.

Energy Level:
Frisky, energetic breed that is always ready for action

Exercise:
Prone to mischief and hijinks at any age, the Flat-Coated Retriever is generally easy to please, but proper exercise is a must. As a member of the sporting group, this breed needs a lot of daily exercise for both physical and mental health. They love any play that involves their people, like fetch, or activities that work their mind and body, such as agility and obedience work. The Flat-Coated Retriever is also a dog that thrives and loves to be with people. When left alone for too long, they often get into trouble.

Climate:
With a thick coat and the ability to swim and retrieve in frigid waters, the Flat-Coated Retriever can handle the chill.

Living space:
A medium-sized breed with ample energy and high exercise needs, the Flat-Coated Retriever does best with plenty of space to run and play.