Breed Standard Discussion
The following pictures are meant to encourage discussion of various aspects of FCR breed type. The dogs pictured will illustrate both correct characteristics as well as incorrect characteristics, IN OUR OPINION. We use the AKC breed standard as our guide and evaluate type as described therein. Everyone interprets type differently, and some will disagree with our opinions. We are always open to learning more about type. It seems that many Flat Coated Retrievers in the USA are trending towards a generic black (or brown) retriever-type dog. Heads in particular really make our breed different from the other retrievers. Relevant parts of the breed standard are included above the photos, recognizing that breed type includes head, silhouette, coat, movement and character, and some of those things cannot be illustrated in photographs. This page will compare some dog photos, and click here to see the bitch page. Note: dogs identified with letters are always the same dog, from photo to photo.
Head
The long, clean, well molded head is adequate in size and strength to retrieve a large pheasant, duck or hare with ease. Skull and Muzzle-The impression of the skull and muzzle being "cast in one piece" is created by the fairly flat skull of moderate breadth and flat, clean cheeks, combined with the long, strong, deep muzzle which is well filled in before, between and beneath the eyes. Viewed from above, the muzzle is nearly equal in length and breadth to the skull. Stop-There is a gradual, slight, barely perceptible stop, avoiding a down or dish-faced appearance. Brows are slightly raised and mobile, giving life to the expression. Stop must be evaluated in profile so that it will not be confused with the raised brow. Occiput -not accentuated, the skull forming a gentle curve where it fits well into the neck. Expression- alert, intelligent and kind. Eyes- are set widely apart. Medium sized, almond shaped, dark brown or hazel; not large, round or yellow. Eye rims are self-colored and tight. Ears -relatively small, well set on, lying close to the side of the head and thickly feathered. Not low set (houndlike or setterish). Nose-Large open nostrils. Black on black dogs, brown on liver dogs. Lips -fairly tight, firm, clean and dry to minimize the retention of feathers. Jaws- long and strong, capable of carrying a hare or a pheasant. Bite-Scissors bite preferred, level bite acceptable. Broken teeth should not count against the dog. Severe Faults-Wry and undershot or overshot bites with a noticeable gap must be severely penalized.
Dog A Dog B Dog C
Dog A - In profile, this head is very desirable; definitely appearing to be cast in one piece. Note eye shape and placement, ear size and set, ratio of muzzle to backskull length, depth of muzzle and amount of finish at the end of the muzzle. The desired "fill" under the eyes is also very evident in this dog.
Dog B - This head is also of excellent quality, but is faultier than Dog A. Eye shape, placement and fill are similar, as is the ratio of muzzle length to backskull. This dog's ears are larger than desired, and his muzzle is a bit snipier at the very end. Still a very masculine head of excellent type.
Dog C - This dog also demonstrates good ratio of muzzle to backskull, but has more stop and less fill than the other 2 examples. Eyes are set deeply and the shape is good from this angle. Good finish to the end of the muzzle and the ear is a good size.
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Dog A Dog B Dog C
Dog A shot from the front. Eye shape and placement is excellent. The muzzle is uniformly strong, but then becomes more cheeky than is desired. Ear size and set remains very correct.
Dog B, shot from the front. Very strong through the muzzle, and eye shape, placement and fill are excellent. With a narrower backskull, there is no appearance of cheekiness in this head. This dog has a pleasing expression, with very mobile brows.
Dog C, front shot. Note the lack of fill under the eyes. Eye placement is good, but note that this eye is rounder than the other examples. The muzzle could be a bit stronger throughout, and the lack of fill is more evident in this view.
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Neck, Topline, Body (Silhouette)
Neck- strong and slightly arched for retrieving strength. Moderately long to allow for easy seeking of the trail. Free from throatiness. Coat on neck is untrimmed. Topline- strong and level. Body-Chest (Brisket)-Deep, reaching to the elbow and only moderately broad. Forechest- Prow prominent and well developed. Rib cage- deep, showing good length from forechest to last rib (to allow ample space for all body organs), and only moderately broad. The foreribs fairly flat showing a gradual spring, well arched in the center of the body but rather lighter towards the loin. Underline-Deep chest tapering to a moderate tuck-up. Loin -strong, well muscled and long enough to allow for agility, freedom of movement and length of stride, but never weak or loosely coupled. Croup- slopes very slightly; rump moderately broad and well muscled. Tail -fairly straight, well set on, with bone reaching approximately to the hock joint. When the dog is in motion, the tail is carried happily but without curl as a smooth extension of the topline, never much above the level of the back.
Dog A Dog B Dog C
Dog A - silhouette. Note the prominent prow, deep, long ribcage (forming the "blunted triangle" called for in the standard), correct angles front and rear and the gently sloping croup. Overall, a very pleasing and typey Flat Coat silhouette on a mature masculine dog. Coat is also very correct on this dog, with abundant feathering and a shorter, weather-resistant jacket. This dog is 24" at the shoulder and he is very retriever-ish in type (vs. a more elegant setter-like type), reminding one of old photos of some of our foundation stock.
Dog B - silhouette. This dog is more upright in the shoulder, so there is less appearance of prow (although he does have some forechest). He is a taller dog (25"), but also demonstrates excellent bone and substance for his size. Depth of chest and length of rib is outstanding in this example, but the croup is steeper than desired. Again, a clearly masculine individual.
Dog C - silhouette. Although 25" tall, this dog lacks some of the substance of the preceding examples. He is not as deep in body, nor very angled front or rear. His bone tends toward lightness. This dog demonstrates moderation in type, build, angles and movement. This dog is not as masculine in silhouette as the other examples.
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