Flat-Coated Retriever Mix: Facts | Breed Info | Temperament

Flat-coated retrievers are one of six AKC retriever breeds.

They are boisterous, trainable, and tireless. 

They earned their name from their ability to mark where a bird fell and retrieve it on command.

They are good lake hunters and can swim a straight path to retrieve a gunned bird in their mouth. 

Aside from their exceptional retrieving trait, flat-coated retrievers are friendly, able to retrieve objects, willing to please, self-assured, happy, and are eager to work closely with an adored human.

These qualities make flat-coated retrievers good pets.

Nevertheless, the flat-coated retrievers also offer to their owners the likelihood that they will display a particular temperament or a specific color, shape, and size that may not be desirable.

Hence, the need for a flat-coated retriever mix.

Flat-coated Retriever Mix Personality

There are some excesses and undesirable traits in the flat-coated retrievers that can be corrected in a flat-coated retriever mix. 

For instance, a flat-coated retriever mix is a healthier pet.

Flat-coated retriever mixes have a lower chance of developing gene-related health challenges, such as hypothyroidism, cataracts, and hip dysplasia, etc. and other serious health challenges like cancer. 

Also, the lifespan of a flat-coated retriever is about 8 – 10 years but a flat-coated retriever mix may live longer as mixed breeds are believed to be healthier than purebreds.

More so, flat-coated retriever mixes may have more moderate personalities than purebred flat-coated retrievers because of their multiple ancestral ties. 

Hence, flat-coated retriever mixes do not exhibit any extremities in personality.

Therefore, keeping a flat-coated retriever mix as a pet holds more advantages than keeping a purebred flat-coated retriever. 

Are you thinking of getting a flat-coated retriever mix for your next pup?

Here are three different flat-coated retriever mixes that you should consider – Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie Mix, Chatham Hill Retriever (Flat-Coated Retriever plus Cocker Spaniel), and Aussie-Flat (Flat-Coated Retriever plus Australian Shepherd).

Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie Mix

This is a crossbreed between a purebred Flat-Coated Retriever and purebred Border Collie.

However, subsequent mixes may have different proportions of the two breeds. 

Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mix is not a common mix and may not be encountered frequently in shelters or rescues.

Breeds

Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mixes are large, black, and may have long hair.

Flat-coated Retriever sheds its fur but the Border Collie is a much heavier shedder than the Flat-coated Retriever. 

Therefore, expect frequent shedding of fur from a Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mix.

As a result, your mix would require routine grooming and baths as necessary.

Temperament

Both Flat-coated Retriever and Border Collie are friendly and Flat-coated Retrievers have good hunting and retrieving ability. 

So, it’s usually difficult to determine the exact traits or temperament of a mixed-breed dog and the Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mix is not an exception. 

However, based on the crossing, the mix can either be more like the Flat-coated Retriever or the Border Collie.

So, for any Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mix to do well, the owner must enjoy training his/her dog and give it lots of time in the outdoors or for carrying out interesting activities.

The Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mix is a great dog.

It is loyal, loving, very smart, and gets along fine with other pets and kids. It can also be very friendly and affectionate.

These behaviors make this mix a great family pet.

Since both Flat-coated Retriever and Border Collie are raised to work alongside their owners, their mix makes a good companion pet.

Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mix is an extrovert dog and would welcome everyone with a smile. 

This mix is a high-energy dog and requires a lot of exercise. It is eager to please and does not like being left alone.

So, don’t plan on leaving your Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mix for a long time else it may suffer from separation anxiety and stop doing well. 

More so, with early socialization, owners can prevent any bad habits that may try to develop.

Mind you, like any other dog, this mix responds well to positive reinforcement.

Differences Between The Border Collie and Flat-Coated Retriever Mixes

So you can expect either of the two qualities or an average of both qualities for your mix.

Health

Generally, mixes are healthier than purebreds and are less susceptible to diseases.

Nevertheless, the Flat-coated Retriever Border Collie mix is susceptible to allergies and hip dysplasia as these are common health issues in both Flat-coated Retriever and Border Collie.

Aussie-Flat (Flat-Coated Retriever Australian Shepherd Mix)

The Aussie-Flat is a combination of Flat-coated Retriever and Australian Shepherd.

This mix is a personable new hybrid that has not yet been registered with either the National Hybrid Registry or the American Canine Hybrid Club.

Aussie-Flats are large-sized, bright, easy to groom, and friendly with children and small animals.

They are often employed as guide dogs for the blind. 

Though Australian Shepherd has a high herding tendency, this is somewhat mitigated by the general retriever personality

They are good with children and small animals, and the herding tendency of the Australian Shepherd is somewhat mitigated by Flat-coated retriever’s personality.

Aussie-Flats are also very responsive and are high-energy companions that require lots of exercise to keep them healthy and happy.

Breed

The Flat-Coated Retriever Australian Shepherd Mix is relatively a new breed and no standard for appearance has yet been set by any necessary body. 

As a result, this mix has several variations even within the same litter of puppies. 

Flat-Coated Retriever Australian Shepherd Mix is a fairly large dog, usually weighing between 40-75 pounds and with a height between 20-24 inches. 

Though some Aussie-Flats have relatively flat heads, others have slightly rounded skulls. 

More so, the ears, eyes, and muzzle of Aussie-Flats vary quite a bit.

For instance, the muzzle can range from the more tapering muzzle of the Australian Shepherd to the broad and powerful muzzle of the Retriever.

 As both parents have almond-shaped eyes, the mix has the same eye shape with eye color switching between blue, hazel, and brown. 

Also, Aussie-Flat’s ears tend to either hang from the side like that of the Retriever or fold forward like the Australian Shepherd.

More so, the Flat-coated Retriever has a single coat while the Australian Shepherd has a thick undercoat.

Hence, the Flat-Coated Retriever Australian Shepherd Mix may either have a single coat or a double coat.

Fact

Although Aussie-Flat requires relatively simple grooming, regular grooming should not be neglected. 

Frequent bathing is not necessary as it may strip your Aussie-Flat of its much-needed oils to coat their fur. So bathe your dog as necessary and not frequently.

Both Flat-coated Retriever and Australian Shepherd are moderate shedders. 

As a result, Aussie-Flat requires thorough brushing at least once a week but when the amount of shedding increases significantly during the spring and fall, thorough brushing is required several times a week to prevent tangling and to eliminate the dead hair.

Finally, an Aussie-Flat makes a good drool-free companion because both Aussies and Flat-coated Retrievers are unlikely to drool in great quantities.

Temperament

All Aussie-Flats are intelligent, alert, and friendly dogs and are very responsive to their owners. 

Typically, Aussie-Flats are bred for their great qualities as good guide dogs.

Also, with early and proper socialization, Aussie-Flats can become confident and attentive dogs with a strong awareness of their environments.

The herding and prey drives inherent in the Australian Shepherd may be so prominent in Aussie-Flats but may sometimes be moderated by the nature of the Flat-coat Retriever.

Though both Flat-coated Retrievers and Australian Shepherd are highly intelligent and can be trained for many situations, they can sometimes be stubborn, especially if early training was neglected. 

More so, Aussie-Flats are compassionate and patient with kids and smaller animals and are mostly easy and outgoing with strangers. 

They are also mouthy and vocal and may also try to lead their owners around by the hand. 

However, this behavior must be addressed early if not desired as it would become very difficult to train Aussie-Flats out of this behavior if it becomes ingrained when the dog.

Chatham Hill Retriever (Flat-coated Retriever Cocker Spaniel Mix)

The Chatham Hill Retriever is a cross between the Flat-coated Retriever and the Cocker Spaniel. 

Chatham Hill Retriever was first developed as a smaller sized Spaniel dog but with the retrieving nature and physical traits of the Flat-coated Retriever.

Both Flat-coated Retriever and Cocker Spaniel can assist with hunting and retrieving game birds. 

Chatham Hill Retriever was intentionally bred to create a smaller hunter that would assist hunters in finding, flushing, and retrieving prey.

Chatham Hill Retrievers are on the smaller side of medium, allowing them to easily get through thickets and bushes to reach birds that had been downed. 

Most Chatham Hill Retrievers end up as affectionate and friendly companions to owners, kids, and even other pets. 

Despite being a very good pet, they are also still quite capable of finding, flushing, and retrieving game birds and other small animals.

Breed

The Chatham Hill Retriever is a medium-sized dog with an average height of about 20 to 23 inches and an average weight of about 35 to 45 lbs.

Chatham Hill Retriever has a long, somewhat refined head with a rounded skull and round amber or brown eyes that project a gentle kindness as well as an energetic and alert nature. 

Chatham Hill Retriever is likely to be slightly longer than taller, with rounded, hanging ears that come down from the sides of their head and may sport feathering or longer hair. 

These breeds have fairly long, straight legs and a long, straight tail that they carry almost straight out from their bodies when they are alert and let hang when at ease.

Since Flat-coated Retrievers lack a dewclaw, some Chatham Hill Retrievers may inherit this and also lack a dewclaw. 

Chatham Hill Retrievers have a soft, dense undercoat that is overlaid by a straight or slightly wavy layer of fairly short hair.

This overlaying hair may be made up of the harder waterproof hair common to the Flat-coated Retriever or the silky hair common to the Cocker Spaniel. 

Although Chatham Hill Retrievers may emerge with many colors, the most common colors are yellow (fawn), brown, and black. 

Facts

Chatham Hill Retriever requires fairly simple grooming requirements. Though there can be exceptions in some cases. 

For instance, unless your Chatham Hill Retriever is rolling in things, jumping in lakes, or tracking through the wilderness, it doesn’t need grooming but should only be bathed every two or three months. 

However, Chatham Hill Retriever requires regular brushing depending on which coat the particular breed inherited – if the coat of the Flat-coated Retriever is inherited, brushing once or twice a week is required but if the coat of the Cocker Spaniel is inherited, daily brushing is required to prevent tangling or matting.

Also, occasional clipping may be necessary to keep the coat neat and free of dirt and debris. 

The inside of the ears should also be regularly checked and kept clean and dry as their long hanging ears predispose them to ear infections. 

Temperament

Chatham Hill Retrievers are very energetic and alert dogs.

They are not only an excellent bird-hunting companion but are also an outstanding family and home companion – good pets. 

Chatham Hill Retrievers are outgoing, friendly, affectionate, and playful with all family members – they make great companions for both adults and older children. 

They also get along well with most strangers. However, Chatham Hill Retrievers will bark to let you know that someone is around. 

Nevertheless, Chatham Hill Retrievers are too gentle and friendly to make a good protection dog or guard dog. 

Note that Chatham Hill Retrievers inherit the boisterous nature of the Flat-coated Retrievers and may cause bumps or falls in their enthusiasm. 

Chatham Hill Retrievers require a great deal of exercise to burn off their great deal of energy. 

Conclusion

Flat-coated retriever mix is an amazing dog and makes a better pet than keeping a purebred flat-coated retriever.

The three mixes discussed above are worth considering if you want