Independent dog care guides · Sourced from veterinary references · Written for owners everywhereHow we workPet insurance
Straight answers for dog people, everywhere.
Hound Handbook
Insurance guide
Breed profile

Flat-Coated Retriever

A glossy black or liver retriever that stays puppyish for years. Joyful and friendly, but the breed has a high cancer rate.

A liver-coloured Flat-Coated Retriever stands on a grassy bank, its glossy coat catching the light
Flat-Coats keep their puppyish enthusiasm well into middle age.Photo: Fesoj-wr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Weight
25–36 kg55–79 lb
Height
56–62 cm22–24 in
Lifespan
9–12 yrs
Group
Gundog / Sporting
Origin
England
Popularity
#98 US#33 UK · 2025

Known for: Family dogsWorking dogsGood with other dogs

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Cheerful, Outgoing, Affectionate, Exuberant.

Health problems to know about

  • Histiocytic sarcoma and other cancers
  • Glaucoma (goniodysgenesis)
  • Patellar luxation
  • Hip dysplasia

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Two hours of exercise daily with retrieving and swimming, and training that feels like play. Brush a few times a week. Check for new lumps monthly and have any changes seen promptly.

A good fit for

Active families, shooting and dog-sport homes, people who enjoy an exuberant, sociable dog.

Probably not ideal for

Sedentary or house-proud homes, people out all day, anyone unprepared for a higher cancer risk.

Sources

  1. Royal Kennel Club: Flat-Coated Retriever breed information
  2. VCA Animal Hospitals: Flat-Coated Retriever
  3. NIH Intramural Research Program: Dog genome yields clues to human cancer
  4. Wikipedia: Flat-Coated Retriever

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

Similar breeds

All breeds
Backlit profile portrait of a yellow Labrador Retriever against a soft dark background

Labrador Retriever

The world's favourite family dog for good reason: steady, eager and food-obsessed.

Close-up of a brown roan Spinone Italiano with amber eyes and a shaggy beard, a second Spinone blurred behind

Spinone Italiano

Bearded Italian pointer with a soft heart and a steady trot. Easygoing with people and dogs; less so with your clean floors.

Pale cream Golden Retriever looking upward, backlit by golden evening light in a field

Golden Retriever

Gentle, sociable and endlessly patient, with a coat that gets everywhere.

Grey and brown Wirehaired Pointing Griffon standing side-on in a park

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Shaggy, sociable all-round gundog with a harsh, low-shed coat. Happiest working close to its people.

Related guides

Fluffy white Bichon Frise on a rock beside a lake, with the Manhattan skyline behind
Breeds

Best Dog Breeds for Apartments: 12 Honest Picks (and What Matters)

The best apartment dogs are calm and quiet, not just small. Twelve breeds with honest pros and cons, why mixed breeds are worth a look, and building pet rules.

9 min read · 8 sources