The Flat-Coated Retriever’s eponymous flat-lying coat comes in lustrous black or liver, with feathering at the legs and tail. A distinctive breed hallmark is the long head—unique among retrievers—which projects a smart and kindly expression. A Flat-Coat will stand as tall as a Labrador Retriever, but in silhouette they present a leaner, more elegant look.Dogdom’s champion tail-waggers, Flat-Coats are among the happiest of all breeds. They mature slowly; some owners say that they never grow up at all, retaining a puppyish taste for rambunctious mischief into old age. This can be either delightful or exasperating, depending on your tolerance for such monkeyshines. This highly energetic breed requires lots of outdoorsy exercise. The Peter Pan of the Sporting Group, the forever-young Flat-Coated Retriever is a gundog of relatively recent origin. Happy, self-assured, and willing to please, a good Flat-Coat will retrieve a duck or a show ribbon with equal aplomb.
Life Span
8–10 years
Weight
12.3–14.4 kg
Height
141.9–158.1 cm
Exercise
low
Grooming
moderate
Shedding
moderate
Good with Kids
Yes
Good with Pets
Yes
Apartment
Friendly
The Flat-Coated Retriever belongs to the Sporting Group.
The average lifespan of a Flat-Coated Retriever is 8 to 10 years.
Flat-Coated Retriever dogs are valued for their cheerful, optimistic, good-humored nature.
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