meet the... Flat-Coated Retriever

Head

• General Appearance: A rather long mesaticephalic to almost dolichocephalic skull type, moderate in size, somewhat like that of a clean, continuous elongated wedge. It is always in proportion to the rest of the body. The topskull is sufficiently broad to prevent a narrow appearance but is longer (from occiput to stop) than wide (measured in front of the ears). It may appear slightly arched both from the front and in profile. It is without extremes or prominence of occiput, but the brow is expressive and slightly pronounced. The head is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.
• Expression: The expression is kind, gentle, lively, intelligent, and attentive.
• Stop: The stop is gradual, being very slight and almost imperceptible.
• Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 1:1 to 5:4, with the topskull being approximately equal to, or slightly greater in length than, the muzzle.
  The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis is parallel or may be slightly convergent.
• Muzzle: Strongly developed, broad, full, deep, and of moderate size. The plane, or bridge of the muzzle, is straight. There is only a slight taper of the muzzle from the broad base to the nose. Upper and lower jaws are equal in length and have good bone substance, appearing strong and well-developed, never appearing snipey or weak.
• Lips or Flews: The lips are slightly thick, dry, and clean. They fit tightly over the teeth and jaws. They should never appear loose or pendulous.
• Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black or brown in liver varieties. Faded noses are permissible. Self-colored liver noses are permissible in liver varieties only. The nostrils are well opened.
• Cheeks: Cheeks are well filled, yet mostly flat, never appearing chiseled or coarse.
• Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level, scissor, or reverse-scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work are not to be penalized.
• Eyes: Moderate in size and well-opened. They may be open-almond to almond in shape. They range from hazel to medium to dark brown in color (the darker, the better) in standard-colored dogs, never yellow or rounded. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Narrow, almond, or obliquely set eyes are not preferred. Eyes should be free from any obvious health or structural issues, including but not limited to entropion or ectropion.
• Ears: Fairly small in size, broad, and set back on the outer edges of the skull. The base of the ears at the front edge is level with the eyes when in repose. The inner edge and tips fall close to the head. The ears are never hound-like, long, or overly large.

Body and Tail

• General Description: Well-balanced, close-coupled, solid, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
• Neck: Moderate length allows for proud head carriage. It is strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
• Chest: Deep and moderately broad but never wider than deep. The chest should be as wide as an average man’s closed hand. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well developed.
• Topline: May be straight and level or just slightly sloped from prominent withers to croup. The back is broad, strongly muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin may be taut, flat, and level, or just slightly arched, yet supportive. The back is never swayed or roached.
• Croup: Broad and gently sloped, never flat or steep.
• Underline: A slight tuck-up is present. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
• Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
• Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup, thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. Carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, usually just above, level with, or below the level of the topline. It is never tucked or carried up over the back. The tails are medium in length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight or gently curved.

Forequarters and Hindquarters

• Forequarters: The forequarters are always balanced with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. The shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
• Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbows is approximately half the dog’s height at the withers.
• Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, moderate bone, and parallel to one another.
  Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
• Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
• Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are equal in length or with the second thigh just slightly longer than the upper thigh, strong, sturdy, of moderate bone, and well-muscled.
  Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another.
  Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
• Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
• Stifle Joint: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
• Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.

Coat

• Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
• Coat Type: A dense, resilient, water-repellent outer coat that may be flat or wavy, lying close to the body. The undercoat is dense and soft. Minimal feathering throughout the body, with only slightly heavier feathering on the neck, shoulders, and chest forming a very light ruff; longer feathering is visible on the back of thighs and tail, as well, but should never appear excessively long or overly abundant (fluffy).
• Coat Color or Pattern: Solid black or liver.

Movement

The movement of the Flat-Coated Retriever is that of a proper working dog. It should be springy, effortless, efficient, and energetic. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.

Temperament

A Flat-Coated Retriever is considered an ideal dog for many purposes. From assisting a sportsman in the field to serving as a family companion to active families, there aren’t many things that the Flat-Coated Retriever isn’t suited for. They are well known for their high degree of intelligence, good temperament, and mostly friendly nature toward other dogs and people. However, unlike their close relatives, the Golden Retrievers, the Flat Coats retain a bit more energy and drive, which, if not properly trained and channeled, can result in pent-up frustration leading to destruction and even aggression. For this reason, these dogs need a strict training and exercise regimen in order to learn how to channel their energy properly. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.

Faults

All dogs should be in proper healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.