We decided to publish this section as we were becoming annoyed and troubled by people looking for a Flatcoat puppy calling us and on the onset asking: "Do you have puppies ? How much are they ?" They had never seen the breed except perhaps in a book... They had no idea about the breed's physical and emotional needs... They had no information on potential health problems... But worse, they became irritated when we answered that we were no backyard breeders, not a puppy mill not would we answer there two questions... Yet they keep us calling: "Do you have puppies ? How much are they ?"...

Buying a puppy of any breed is a very big commitment. The ground work on why would you want a dog, why should it be from the gundog group, and why have you pinpointed the Flatcoated Retriever breed pays in the long run. There is nothing more sad than to see an irritated family with their puppy just because of a human mismatch of expectations.
We, as any other responsible breeder that cares, will take great care to ensure that our puppies go to suitable homes. So you will be asked a lot of questions and we will want to know everything about you and your family, about your living conditions, and your circumstances to establish if your family is an ideal place for a Flatcoat puppy. After all, these puppies would have not been brought into this world if it wasn't for us and the least we can do is to make sure they live happy and fulfilled lives.

So what should you consider before thinking about adopting a Flatcoated Retriever ? What are the top 10 reasons NOT to buy a Flatcoat ? Well here they are:

1. Flatcoats shed. Flatcoats shed a lot. A female will generally blow her coat (shed heavily) 2 times a year with her heat cycle. All other Flatcoats neutered and unneutered males, and spayed females will shed moderately throughout the year and more so as the seasons change. This hair collects on furniture, clothes and blows across the floor in tumbleweeds.
 
2. Flatcoats are tactile and people-oriented. Flatcoats are tactile dogs. What does tactile mean ? Licking, touching, pawning, kissing, jumping, etc. If you do not like getting your shirt paw-printed, or you do not like wet and slobbery kisses, than a Flatcoat is not you. Flatcoats are also very much people oriented and cannot be confined to your backyard or kennel - get a bronze statue instead...
 
3. Flatcoats are not clean. If you are a neat freak, you will not like a Flatcoat. They shed. They can dig holes in your yard. Track in mud. Chew on things. Leave tail whip marks on your walls. Clear off the coffee table with one wag of its tail. If you are a neat freak, don't get a Flatcoat. Get a stuffed dog or one of those new robot dogs.
 
4. Flatcoats need a lot of exercise. The Flatcoat is an active breed. This may not seem a problem if you are in the mood for some exercise yourself. But they need an outlet for this energy every day. That means when it is raining, on days you work late, when you are not feeling good - your Flatcoat will still want to go for a run, walk, play ball, go swimming... whatever you two do. If you do not provide an outlet for his pent-up energy.... he may find one and not to your liking!
 
5. Flatcoats are prone to genetically linked problems. Problems like hip dysplasia, eye problems, elbow dyspalsia... Just because a breed is semi rare does not mean they are genetically superior to other more common breeds. Do your homework! Ask the breeder about coat problems, heart problems, premature death of any cause, hip scores on parents and grandparents, eye problems, etc.
 
6. Flatcoats are prone to other health problems. Some of which may or may not be genetically linked such as cancer.
 
7. Flatcoats stay puppies for a long time. You may think, great - I love puppies. Well, only there minds stay puppies. There bodies get big! They remain clumsy, hard-headed, goofy and immature a long time. Flatcoats are not really hard to train, but you have to be persistent. They do need some form of training. Flatcoats don't really mature until they are 3 years old.
 
8. Flatcoats can be hard to find. This is a good thing and a bad thing. It can take a while to find a breeder you trust, and a litter you want a puppy out of. You may loose patience and purchase a puppy from an unreputable source just to get a pup, and run into many problems with the pup as he grows. Most good breeders plan 1 or less litters a year. They often wait years in-between breeding so they can evaluate what they are producing. Beware of a breeder who always has puppies, or seems to be breeding numerous litters every year. They may be out for there own gain, and not for the overall health of the breed.
 

9. Flatcoats may not be the best dog if you have small children. Flatcoats are usually good around kids, but like all dogs, they have to be taught to behave around children. A small puppy will naturally bite and chew on, clothing, shoes, hands.... Those sharp puppy teeth can hurt a child's hands without the puppy knowing it. A growing puppy will often knock down a toddler in play. You have to supervise any dog arround small children.
 
10. Flatcoats need trimming. Apart from a daily brush, Flatcoats need trimming and tidying around the ears and sometimes the hindlegs. If you are looking for the easy maintenance Labrador type dog, get a Labrador and not a Flatcoat...
 

You may also wonder what is a reputable breeder. How do you know the breeder you have contacted is a person of integrity committed to bettering the Flatcoated Retriever? Following are a few guidelines to help you make that determination.

1. A reputable breeder requires that pet-quality animals be spayed or neutered OR register on a limited/no-breeding registration. Be wary of breeders who do not mention altering.
 
2. A reputable breeder in most cases requires a contract, which varies from breeder to breeder, but usually spells out the rights of seller and buyer, health information, altering and buy-back/return policy.
 
3. A reputable breeder shows a general interest in, love for and knowledge about the breed. He or she cares about placing puppies in good homes and will often interview potential buyers thoroughly, ask for references and refuse to sell a dog if necessary.
 
4. A reputable breeder will guarantee a puppy's general health for a certain period of time. While no one can guarantee against inheritable diseases, a reputable breeder is well-informed about genetic problems in her particular breed of bloodlines, routinely has dogs/pups tested for problems and passes this information along to buyers. Beware of breeders who scoff at genetic testing and say their particular breed/line is problem-free.
 
5. The environment (kennel or home) in which the breeder keeps the dogs should be clean and well maintained. Trust your instincts on this!
 
6. A reputable breeder is actively involved in the dog fancy, including showing or breed clubs. While there are exceptions, a person who is not involved with others in the breed can be suspect. When in doubt, call several members of the local Flatcoated Retriever Society and ask them about this particular breeder and if any complaints been made about them. Do not base your choice of breeder on how great they tell you they are but base it on how great others in the breed tell you this person is.
 
7. A reputable breeder will allow you to meet the puppy's parents if available and, if the father isn't available, be willing to show pictures.
 
8. A reputable breeder will be willing to provide answers to questions you may have and is willing to provide names of others who have purchased pups.
 
9. A reputable breeder follows up on puppies. He or she is interested in how the pups develop physically and mentally and the difficulties the owner might be having with his dog.
 
10. Be aware that Kennel Club registration does not mean quality. It only means that your dog is a pure-bred. Remember, Pet Quality puppies should be considered as just that! Even litters from very well bred parents usually contain only a few show or breeding quality puppies. The rest of the litter, sold as pets can well supply the pet-buying public without any lessening of the breed standards, providing that the buyers realize that, while pure-bred, these individuals are not breeding stock. You might not be able to tell the difference between a show or breeding quality and a pet quality dog, but there are differences. Your pet will still be a delightful companion, but it might have some minor fault not desirable in a breeding animal. Spayed and neutered dogs make better family companions and their chances for some cancers are lessened. In fact most reputable breeders will insist that pets be sold on a spay/neuter contract or on a limited registration.
 

 

What are the questions you might have for a breeder ?

1. What did you hope to get by breeding this litter? A good breeder always has a specific reason for breeding a litter. The answer should not be "To produce some cute puppies". There are plenty of cute puppies out there, many of them in shelters. The answer should not be "Because I had enough people interested in the puppies". A good breeder does not breed to fill a demand. That is what a Puppy Mill does. You should get answers like "I was trying to get more working ability, while keeping good movement and coats" or "I was trying to preserve an older bloodline that I think is relatively free from cancer" or "I was trying to increases size in my line, while keeping type". You may not understand all of the answers you get, but they should be geared to the overall health of the breed.
 

2. What outstanding things did the Sire and Dam have to contribute to the breed? Not all dogs should be bred. Only the best animals should be allowed to pass on there genes. You should get varied answers with this question. A championship pedigree is not a good enough answer. Just because a dog has some Champions in its pedigree does not mean it will produce good dogs. Also, just because a dog is a Ch. does not mean it will produce Ch. quality dogs. This is a semi-rare breed, it is easy for big breeders to produce a large number of Ch.'s within a short time. Some good answers would be "The sire consistently passes good coats and great temperaments to his offspring" or "The dam has excellent field ability and working drive".

 
3. Are you a member in good standing with a Flatcoated retriever Society? We feel anyone dedicated to the breed should be a member of a National Club. It is a way to stay in touch with other breeders, learn about the current state of the breed. If they are not a member, ask them why.
 
4. What is the biggest problems in your line that you are trying to breed out, or stay away from? There is no such thing as a perfect dog. And there are no perfect bloodlines. The breeder may be trying to breed out bad coats, flat feet, wide fronts, premature cancers, low field drive, tendency to pass bad or fair hips... But at the same time, you can not condom a breeder for being honest about their problems. If one breeder tells you what they are trying to breed out, and another breeder does not mention any health problems, chances are, one is not being totally honest.
 
5. Can you supply the Sire and Dam's hip results? Do not take their word that both parents have been cleared. Ask to see the proof.
 
6. Can you supply the Sire and Dam's current eye test results? Again, ask for proof. If the eye tests are not current - they should be done annually - just ask them why.
 
7. Do you offer a guarantee? Ask to see it, discuss things with the breeder first. Do they offer money back if the pup comes up dysplastic? Do you have to give the pup back? These are things that you should work out before you buy a pup.
 
8. Have you ever had a pup or dog returned? Why? Lots of times, people buy a dog, and later their live situation changes - divorce, death in the family, and they can no longer keep the pet. Other people find that they made the wrong choice in breed of pet, and return the dog to the breeder. The breeder should always be willing to take back any dog of their breeding - no matter how old or what the reason.