Meet Bronte
Flatcoated Retriever, 2 years old
My favourite thing about Bronte is...
Her character. She is the first to tuck herself under my chin for a cuddle on the sofa but also the first to dig a sod-off hole in the garden and hide that days collection of shoes and soft toys and then lie on them all, proud and punch. She sticks by my side with her mother on walks, but will see off any evil looking squirrel or low flying pigeon. She always lets me know what she wants!
The biggest challenge with Bronte is...
Bronte is home bred and was born in June 2020, during lockdown. As we do not have any children in our home she is a little nervous around kids that can go from 0-60. She is wonderful with babies. I believe it is due to the unpredictability of older children that she is weary of. We have spent a lot of time on this and have rewarded her when she has not reacted. She has improved beyond measure.
The most surprising thing about owning a Flatcoated Retriever is...
The number of breeds that they get mistaken for. Friendly stranger: “What lovely Labradors! We have a lab at home” Me: confused face.
What I wish I’d known about Flatcoated Retrievers is...
Make sure you nail your recall ASAP. I knew FCRs were “air scenters” but I hadn’t fully appreciated what it meant. There is temptation everywhere for them to explore so make sure you’ve worked together on your recall. FCRs respond very well to a whistle and it saves you having to screech.
Did you know?
Flatcoats are known amongst fans as the ‘Peter Pan’ breed due to their slow maturing, puppy-like behaviour that extends well into adulthood and even old age.
