Personality
The Flat-Coat’s personality is described as outgoing, devoted, and friendly. They are an ideal companion with a strong bond to their owner and family. Flat-Coats are known for having a sunny optimism and a tail that is always wagging. They are capable of getting along well with cats, other dogs, small pets and strangers. However, due to their exuberant nature, they may tend to knock over very small children. Socialization and obedience training are highly recommended. Since they are inclined to be friendly to all, they make only adequate watchdogs to give warning.
Flat-Coats are versatile hunting dogs that retrieve well on land or in the water, flush upland game, mark downed birds, and generally perform all the tasks expected of a multi-purpose gun dog.
Although not as well known, and much less popular than the Labrador and Golden Retrievers, they have benefited from that lack of popularity by enjoying more careful breeding and better maintenance of its working ability.
Training
Flat-Coats love to please, but may be slightly more difficult to train than Golden Retrievers and Labradors. They are easily bored with repetitive training techniques and can exhibit a streak of willfulness at times. For this reason, it is best to make training sessions fun, varied, and relatively short for the dog. Flat-Coats are very sensitive and respond best to positive reinforcement. They cannot tolerate harsh handling or corrections.
Activity Requirements
Flat-Coats tend to have a good deal of energy, especially when young, and need to have appropriate outlets. They need plenty of activity and stimulation, both physical and mental, throughout their lives. They need to be an active participant in the daily life and activities of the family to lead a happy, well-balanced life.