1. What is your relationship with the breed? When did you get your first Flatcoat?
I first came across and fell in love with Flatcoats back in the 1980s, when I saw Joan & Duncan Marsden working their dogs on shoots. Since then, I have had 11 Flatcoats, the first three were Tarncourt dogs which came from Joan Marsden. I have subsequently bred 3 litters and in doing so, have always used dogs from working lines.
2. What do you like the most in a working Flatcoated Retriever?
Their grace of movement when working and their ability to totally surprise you – finding game that other have missed.
3. What abilities do you look for when you are breeding a working Flatcoated Retriever
Bidability, a good nose and hunting instinct.
4. What could be done to promote the Flatcoat as a field trial/working test dog?
Primarily time and effort, which many owners/trainers do not have. I suspect that most retriever field trial judges her in the UK are looking for the “skills” displayed by the Ft labradors and as the Flatcoat tends to work in a different way, they are probably at somewhat of an disadvantage from the start.
5. How does a working Flatcoat excel as a picking up dog?
Their ability to find lost game and in particular to track and retrieve a “runner”.
6. What’s important to emphasize when training a Flatcoated Retriever?
The gentle approach and a lot of patience! No two Flatcoats are the same.