Flat-Coated Retriever

 

The flat-coated Retriever is an English gundog race. It was built on the ground as well as in the water.

Appearance

The Flat-Coated Retriever breeds standards for males with a suggested weight of 60–80 lb (27–36 kg) and 22–24 inch (56–61 cm) and weight of 55–75 lb (25–34 kg) for females with with a recommended weight of 23–25 (58–64 cm). This is the only approved standard for females. The flat-coated rerunner has powerful muscle jaws and a long snout. His head is uniquely racial, characterized as 'one piece,' with a small stop and a back scalp around the same length as the muzzle. It has an intelligent, dark brown, almond-shaped eye Friendly phrase. The ears are pendent, tiny and near to the skull. It cannot be emphasized (for instance, in the settings) with the head flowing smoothly to the properly arched neck, the occiput (the bone on the back of the skull). With a feathered tail that is somewhat long and straight, kept straight off the back, the top is powerful and straight. This breed should be nicely angled front and back, so that the movement is open and straightforward.

History

 The flat-coated retriever, who was founded in England in the mid-19th century, became famous as a gamekeeper's dog. Part of its origin is supposed to have been brought from stocks of North America by the now extinct St. John's water dog. Canadian seamen are said to have transported Newfoundlands into British ports, making them part of the Flat-Coated Retriev heritage. Collie-type dogs might be combined with the Newfoundland for strength and Setter for increased sweetening abilities to maximize breeding work. The first race specimens were introduced about 1860, but only 20 years later the ultimate type was developed.

After it became a "stable type" according to the American Club of Kennels, the Flat-Coated Retriever soon rose in favor as a pistol dog, and from 1873 until 1915 when the breed was formally recognized as a breed,[9] its number expanded significantly. Shortly after, however, the Golden Retriever, which was really grown in part from the Flat-Coated Retriever together with other races, began to surpass their popularity.The existence of a breed was questionable towards the close of World War II, thus few flat-coated retrievers were left. In the 1960s, however, careful breeding brought back the population, and the breed became more popular, both for conformation and as a fellow animal. The Flat-Coated Retriever is now a very modest breed, with a careful breeding for the shape, health, multi-functions and excellent temperament of its characteristics. It has still to come back to competition in large numbers.

2011 was the winner of the best in show at Crufts of 'Sh Ch. Vbos Kentuckian,' a 9.5-year- old South Queensferry Flat-Coated Retriever, close to Edinburgh. [10] The 2007 winner of the Gundog Group at the Crufts was Almanza Far and Flyg (a.k.a. Simon). [11] Prior to this, in 2003, the Gundog Group was also won by the Swedish dog 'Inkwels Named Shadow.' "Sh Ch Gayplume Dream-maker" was UK's last winner at Crufts in 2002. In 1980, "Ch. Shargleam Blackcap" was the only other flat-coated drivers to win best in shows at Crufts. These victories have added to the popularity of the breed throughout Europe and in the UK.

Health

Regular testing and clearance should be done by breeders on any of the dogs used for breeding for inherited joint disorders such as hip dysplasia, deafness and eye diseases, such as progressive retinal atrophy and glaucoma. Epilepsy also occurs in the race sometimes.

Flat-coated retrievers are more susceptible to cancer than most dogs. Blood cell disease is extremely severe, and is at high rates in hemangiosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, osteocytomas and malignant histiocytosis than in many other breeds. The average life expectancy of Flat-Coated Retriever is only approximately 8 years, with a significant percentage of fatalities from cancer, research supported by the Flach-Coated Retriever Society of America (FCRSA). Recent polls in Denmark and Great Britain reveal an average life span of about 10 years. An estimated 50 percent of Flat Coate Retrievers died from some kind of cancer was shown by a health assessment conducted by pure race dogs in the UK from 2010.

Another more prevalent disease is a stomach expansion volvulus, which is often referred to as bloat. This is unlike flat-coats, yet because of the broad and deep chests it is frequent. The dog will die fast if left untreated. The volvulus for gastric dilation accounts for 5% of all recovered fatalities and around 20% for mortality linked to the non-tumor.

Flat-Coated retries have a very low hip dysplasia and luxating patellas than other medium sized breeds; the Animal data of the Orthopedic Foundation regularly indicate fewer than 3% of hip dysplasias in the breed. 4,2 percent of men and 3,2 percent of women were diagnosed with luxating patellae in the 1997 FCRSA Health Survey.