by Michael Bosworth
There’s no question in the popularity of the Golden Retriever and the Labrador but sadly, there is a less popular breed out there that’s more excellent as a retriever in both land and water. This outstanding breed is called the Flat Coated Retriever and it hails from the United Kingdom. This breed was thought to have first existed during the middle of 19th century, was introduced in 1860 in the United States but only received stability as a breed 20 years later.
The Flat Coated Retriever was intentionally bred to own outstanding instincts in water and land retrieval of shot birds and other game. Even then until today, avid breeders think that this breed makes a great companion in hunting and at the same time, an excellent pet for the family. Outside the house, this breed is an excellent nose for hunting but inside the house, it is an amusing creature that loves and devotes itself to the family.
Compared to the Golden Retriever and Labrador, the Flat Coated Retriever is more useful but it has a disadvantage when it comes to training as it is slightly more difficult to teach. Moreover, it is the type of breed that gets bored quickly especially at lessons that gets repetitive and slow. To keep its interest, each training session should be interesting, fun, short and varied.
Patience is needed in training this breed because it is not receptive of negative reinforcements and harsh corrections. This breed is very welcoming to other people and it is never the one to start a fight and because of it, the Flat Coated Retriever does not make a really good watch dog. Additionally, its friendliness can extend as far as being with harmony with all animals such as cats, smaller creatures and other breed of dogs.
It’s also as if no situation can spoil the mood of this breed for it is in a sunny disposition endlessly. What’s more, because of its devotion, friendliness, kindness and exuberance, it makes a fun and suitable companion for everybody. Take note that the Flat Coated is also an avid playmate to children but little children should be guarded when interacting with a Flat Coated because the creature’s liveliness and playfulness often knocks little children over.
This dog’s energy and youthful playfulness is also manifested even if its still a young puppy and continues until it grows as an adult and because of this, people tag this creature as the “Peter Pan of Dogs”. The Flat Coated’s affection towards humans and animals is also manifested through its unusual likeness for kissing. In fact, when it wants to show affection to a human, it would jump up and lick that person’s face and towards another dog, they would lick each other’s mouth as a form of greeting and people call it the “flat-coated kiss”.
Since this breed is extremely active, it must be supplied with constant forms of activities and exercise in order to keep it healthy physically and mentally. Amusingly, as well, this breed is calm and restful inside the house but once it is outside of the house with the master, its natural lively disposition comes out. This breed came to the US first then the Golden Retriever but when the latter was introduced, the Flat Coated became less and less popular until it nearly became extinct if not for the efforts of the few Flat Coated believers.
There are several breeds that are said to have contributed to the stability of the Flat Coated’s breed and they are the: Collie-types for increased trainability, Newfoundland for strength, and Setter for stronger sniffing ability. This breed is called Flat Coated because its single coated fur is indeed flat, medium-length, lustrous and dense. The main and standard colors of this breed are solid black and solid liver, however, there are some that appear cream and yellow and these are considered as disqualifications by the breed standard.
