The Flatcoat is a breed that emphasizes moderation.  The most popular sentence to describe their appearance is "power without lumber and raciness without weediness".  There are 2 colours allowed; solid black and solid liver (brown).

The Flatcoat head is unique among the retrievers.  It is a long, lean, one-piece head with only a slight, barely perceptible stop.  In body type they are more elegant and refined than either their Labrador or Golden cousins.  Ideally, they are between 22" and 24" at the shoulder and weigh between 55 - 70 lbs.

A proper coat lies flat and is of moderate length with good feathering on the back of the legs, tail and underside.  It is easy to care for, requiring only weekly brushing and minimal triming of the ears and tail.  Flatcoats also do not stay wet for long.....a good shake and most of the water is gone.

Flatcoat appearance has not changed a great deal over the last 100 years.  The breed standard differs little between England, Canada and the US and is written always keeping in mind the primary function of the breed as an all-round hunting companion.

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