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All Dog Breeds >>Temprament of Flat-Coated Retriever

The Flat Coated Retriever is an excellent family companion and versatile working dog. He has boundless energy and requires regular vigorous exercise. Obedience training is a must for this active breed. He needs his mind engaged in something and he enjoys obedience, tracking, and agility competition. He is athletic, agile, and fast, and loves to jog and swim. The trouble with swimming is that he loves to do it in mud too.

If he finds a suitable mud puddle, he will roll around in it, dip his head underwater, and then glance up at you with a proud look. He also thinks it is his job to carry things in his mouth and will frequently surprise you with gifts of shoes, underwear, sticks, and dead things. This breed also has a tendency to eat dog poop. While this habit can be managed by denying him access to this treat, it is still a risk some families don't want to take. The Flat Coated Retriever has been called the Peter Pan of the canine world, because he seems to never grow up. He is always ready for fun and play, even in his senior years.

The breed is bright, responsive, stable, and confident. He wants to please those he loves and forms a strong attachment to his owner and family. He is a sociable dog who craves human company and thrives as part of the family. They do not do well if left alone all day. If he gets bored or lonely, he will probably dig or chew. They are excellent with children but they can be a bit rambunctious with play so bonding time should be supervised so no one gets squashed. Most Flat Coat Retrievers do well with other pets, including cats.

The Flat Coat will bark at strangers, but once you let a guest into the home, he will greet them by jumping up on them. This is a devoted, happy, enthusiastic dog whose tail never stops wagging.