🦮 Large · United Kingdom
A playful, perpetually youthful retriever with a very friendly temperament and high exercise needs, notable for an elevated cancer risk typical of the breed.
The Flat-Coated Retriever is especially friendly, sociable, and hardly ever aggressive, both toward people and other dogs. It often stays playful and youthful well into old age.
The breed needs daily, extensive exercise along with retrieving and dummy work to satisfy its typical eagerness to work. Without enough stimulation, it tends toward boisterous, overexcited behavior.
The medium-length, smooth to slightly wavy coat must be brushed regularly to prevent matting, especially on the ears and tail. Shedding in spring and autumn requires a bit more effort.
Its friendly, forgiving nature makes it appealing for beginners, but the high exercise needs and prolonged juvenile phase require patience and plenty of time for enrichment.
The breed has an above-average cancer rate, particularly histiocytic sarcoma and hemangiosarcoma, which affects its comparatively low life expectancy. Hip dysplasia (HD), elbow dysplasia (ED), and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) also occur.
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This information is for general guidance and does not replace veterinary or breeder advice. Temperament and health vary individually within every breed.
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