General Info

Feeding a Puppy

I imagine most high quality foods are fine. I feed Ultra,
made by Nutro, to my puppies and to Diamond, but
feed ProPlan Sensitive Skin and Stomach to Duncan.
ProPlan Sensitive Skin and Stomach is a salmon based
food without corn or wheat. ProPlan is made by Purina
and is easily found in most major pet stores. Ultra is a
natural food also without corn or wheat. It has chicken,
salmon and lamb, whole grains, and can be found at
major pet stores. Depending on how your puppy matures
and grows will depend on when you switch from puppy to
adult food. I began to switch both of my dogs to adult
food at about six to eight months but mixed the two foods
for a few weeks. Some vets think puppies should be on
puppy food for a year, but I don’t think this is always
necessary.

I supplement both my dogs with fish oil capsules and
organic cold pressed Flax Seed Oil capsules. I did not
begin this until they were older. I think once they are on
adult food is a good time to start if you choose to
supplement.

Some breeder/owners like feeding raw or a combination
of raw and processed foods. If your dog does not seem
to like one food, switch to another, but be sure the
ingredients are high quality and contain no preservatives
that could be considered a carcinogen. If you do switch
foods, do so slowly by mixing some of the old food in with
the new for a few days to avoid upset stomachs.

I use Avoderm and Wellness biscuits for treats I NEVER
give my dogs raw hides and do not recommend them. I
use NylaBones. Return to top of page.

Grooming

Grooming Flat Coats is not difficult. I bathe my dogs
about every two weeks with a good quality shampoo and
conditioner. I do have a dog hair drier and a groom table.
I trim their ears, hocks, and paws, and do nails as
needed. Caution must be exercised when trimming nails
to prevent hitting the blood vessel, causing them to
bleed. Most groom shops or major pet stores will trim
nails for a nominal fee if you do not want to do it yourself.
Return to top of page.

Health Concerns

The major health problem for Flat Coats is cancer, and
unfortunately, cancer is a big problem for our breed, as it
is for Golden Retrievers, Boxers, Bernese Mountain Dogs
and other breeds as well. Since Flat Coats are smaller in
numbers than many of the other breeds, our rate of
cancer seems higher.

Flat Coats also can bloat, as can other deep chested
dogs. Bloat is a medical emergency and can lead to
death quickly if not treated immediately. Surgery is about
the only option I know of for bloat, and it must be done
quickly.

Ear infections can also be a problem in Flat Coats.
Floppy eared dogs of any breed can have ear problems.
Medicines usually clear up ear infections quickly.
Sometimes dogs who live in very humid climates or dogs
who swim a lot will have more ear problems.

Flat Coats can have joint problems just like any other
large breed dog, but my experience is that with proper
care, this is not a major concern. I recommend having
hips, elbows and knees x-rayed at age two to be sure all
is well, especially if the dog will be bred at some point.
Eyes also need to be checked, but eye problems are not
a major concern for Flat Coats. Return to top of page.


Solitaire Flat Coated Retrievers



		General Information About the Breed Training Feeding a Puppy Grooming Health Concerns More Info
		About the Breed Flat Coated Retrievers are wonderful animals. They are intelligent, energetic and love life. They are great family dogs and want to be a part of the family. They need exercise and training, but love to learn and want to please. Flat Coats do not do well if left alone for long periods of time as they are very social animals. Usually, they get along fine with other animals and are not known to be aggressive. When introducing a Flat Coat to a new home with other animals, normal precautions should take place. Flat Coats love the outdoors, but want to be with family, so in my opinion, they should not be relegated only to outdoor life. My experience with Flat Coats is that they prefer cooler climates but can tolerate some degree of heat. Since I live in Nevada, the summers here are brutal, and I am very cautious with my dogs. We walk very early in the mornings in summer, and after the sun goes down in the evenings. I do not train outside in the summer months here as it is just too hot. Return to top of page.

	Training Flat Coats are quick learners and seem to do well in obedience, agility, field, tracking, fly ball, search and rescue and just about anything else you can think of. I enjoy conformation also, but not all dogs do. Duncan, my male, did not care for the breed ring at all, but Diamond loved it. To each, his own. Training a Puppy (My Personal Experience) I recommend reading as much as you can about rearing a puppy if this is a new experience for you. There are a number of books on the subject. The AKC library has some good choices, as well as Amazon and the major book stores. Puppy training should begin as soon as your puppy comes home. Appropriate chew toys should be readily available and gentle encouragement to chew them is important. Puppies often think that any item on the floor belongs to them. I strongly recommend crate training from the beginning, making sure the pup is not in the crate for long periods of time. I also use exercise pens when I don’t want to use a crate. I think it gets the pup used to different types of confinement. I place some type of soft bedding or pad in the crate along with a toy so the puppy can snuggle in and be comfortable. Potty training should not take a long time but keep in mind that accidents happen, and the pup should never be punished for it. For the first few weeks, I spend most of my time at home with the pup, and we go outside A LOT! Suggested times are after the pup wakes up from a nap, after eating, after play time and several times in between. I keep a pocket of small treats with me and each time the pup does his thing outside, I praise like crazy and give a treat. I recommend choosing a name or phrase for elimination so the pup gets used to the action associated with a name or phrase. I use wee wee, but it makes no difference what you choose. Just be consistent. I also hand carry my pups from their crates to the outdoors when they wake up at night. I have found that pups normally do not mess in their crates, but once the crate door is open, they think it is OK once they exit the crate. I usually hand carry for about two weeks. After that, the pup seems to “get it” that outdoors is the best choice. My pups sleep in a crate close to my bed so I can reassure them that all is right with the world. Keep in mind that when a puppy is first brought to a new home, he might be scared and lonely for his litter mates and the only environment he has known up to that point. Formal training such as conformation, obedience, etc., outside the home can begin once the puppy has completed their immunizations. I do not recommend any major jumping activity or long runs until the dog is close to age two. My opinion is that their joints are not fully stabilized until then. Return to top of page.