1. What is your relation with the breed? When did you get your first Flatcoat? As a child I got my first Flatcoat, and my love for the breed started. This dog was just a pet, when I got to my adult years I had the opportunity to buy my own, a bitch out off mixed show and working lines, she was strong headed but I managed to bring her to Openclass trails on cold game. After that I did much calling around to top breeders in England Amelia Jessel – Chris Gwilliams and got in touch with Kate Butler that was planning at well breed working litter.
2. What do you like most in a working Flatcoated Retriever? The Flatcoated Retriever has the ability to perform well in heavy cover, they don’t give up, they are stylish.
3. What abilities do you look for when you are breeding a working Flatcoated Retriever I look for a trainability – honesty – will to please – and that they are quiet in stress situations.
4. What could be done to promote the Flatcoat as a field trial/working test dog? That breeders are willing to take puppy buyers under their wings, make sure they get basic training, and a good introduction to the field trail world.
5. How does a working Flatcoat excel as a picking up dog? They are hard going, strong on duckshoots, as they have the stamina to keep going in water, on the pheasantshoots they are very good markers and they follow up on the birds.
6. What’s important to emphasize when training a Flatcoated Retriever? They need a little extra time in maturing, but with an well breed working dog, they will perform just as good as a Labrador. As a youngster the Flatcoat needs basic training and the trainer should be aware off that not go too far too soon, they need training, were they get to use their brain, not throwing dummies all over the place, but more area searches, lines, memories.