This marvelous dog has somehow gone mostly unnoticed by the general population, most people will think this dog is merely a mix. Flat-coated retrievers are one of five registered retriever dogs of the AKC. This breed originated in England in the 1800’s. Traces of Newfoundland and Labrador retriever can found in their bloodline.
Daily exercise is a must for this athletic dog. They are fun and energetic dogs. Great for families and good with other dogs. They are a very sound and friendly animal. They don’t do well on their own for long periods of time, they love company.
Must train them from an early age to get a lovely adult dog. Most of them are natural retrievers, whether trained for it or not, this means they can be quite mouthy as pups. Since Flat-coated Retrievers love putting stuff in their mouth so it is important to train them as soon as you can on appropriate 
chew toys. They were initially raised to retrieve water fowl, but most of them find retrieving so much fun that they will retrieve practically anything. Though when asked to retrieve food, they will usually just eat it. Flat-coated retrievers have often found jobs doing search and rescue as well as drug detection. They are head strong and will not give up easily so they can be a great asset in many of those working teams.
They love water so expect your flatty to swim in anything, from pools, rivers and lakes to puddles or even a bucket of water. Swimming and running are great exercise for them and they enjoy both immensely. Flat-coated retrievers are also great at dog sports like flyball and agility.
Flat-coated retrievers have a very soft, shiny, flat coat that is mid length and feathered. The coat is either solid black or solid liver. Regular brushing is needed to keep their coat shiny and avoid any matting. They shed their coat seasonally, so around spring and fall they might need a bit more brushing. It is also important to feed a balanced diet and keep an eye out for overeating. This breed loves to eat and they can get quite chubby if you allow it.
Flat-coated retrievers are usually between 50 and 70lbs, the males tend to be a bit larger than the females and more boisterous. Their life expectancy is between 10 and 14 years, like most dogs of their size.
So if you and your family are ready for a dog who loves to run and swim, a dog who will be loyal and need some company, a dog that loves a job to do then the Flat-coated retriever might be the right choice for you.
