Flat-Coated Retriever

The Flat-Coated Retriever is a gundog breed from Britain. It is a specialist dry-land retriever; originating in the late 19th century, it gained popularity as a game-keeper’s dog. Part of its ancestry is thought to have come from stock imported from North America of Newfoundland type, as was the case with the Labrador and Chesapeake Bay retrievers. The breed stands 22 to 23 inches (56-58.5 cm) and weighs 60 to 70 pounds (27-32 kg). Its colour is either solid black or liver.

The coat is moderate in length, dense and lustrous; ideally it should lie flat and straight, but the breed was initially called the Wavy-Coated Retriever! Later the coat somehow flattened out and the name changed accordingly, but the tendency toward wavy hair still emerges occasionally.

The Flat-Coat’s personality is described as outgoing, devoted, and friendly, an ideal companion with a strong bond to its owner. It is said to be a very versatile hunting dog, retrieving well on land or in the water, flushing upland game, marking downed birds, and generally doing all that can be expected of a multipurpose gundog. Although little-known and much less popular than the Labrador and Golden retrievers, it has benefitted from that lack of popularity by enjoying more careful breeding and better maintenance of its fine working ability.

It is registered with all major registries and recognised by FCI (Group 8, Breed 121).