Are they the same? What about Golden Retriever? Just curious.
Many thanks.
Val xxxx

They are completely different breeds Val. The Flatcoated Retriever is the best of the three ;)

liberty :)

LIBERTY!

Labrador, Chesapeake Bay, Curly Coated, Golden and Flatcoated are all separate breeds of Retrievers Val. Many years ago they were NOT breeds but were officially known as varieties and inter breeding within the varieties was, under certain circumstances, allowed. But for a good many years now they have become separate breeds with no inter breeding allowed.

Best wishes, John

PS. Don’t take notice of Librety, shes biased!!! ;)

:D :D :D LOL @ John :D :D The totally unbiased Lab Man ;)

liberty :)

Moi!! Biased??? Perish the thought!

i agree flatcoated are the best,got 4 for them,total over the years 7,i would not be with out a f/c.the list would be to long to write down.i still love the labs but not the coat lost that gos with them.

terri

Thank you everyone. But sorry the ignorance, but Retrieve is a breed or type of dog? Did yoyu mean the Retriever had only one kind of coat and now have many? Is it only about the coat - the difference? I am not sure but I think I read a few weeks ago they are all one type of dog with many names but then there were people talking like they are different breeds, I am still a bit confused, sorry...!
Val xxxx

Hi Val,
There is the Labrador Retriever, the Golden Retriever, the Flat-coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever .... all different breeds!
:)

Hi Val, John could probably explain this better, but I'll have a go, Retriever encompasses the group of dogs John mentioned in his earler post, plus some others, which have been bred to retrieve game etc. The same as you get many different breed of Sheepdogs, Border Collies, Belgian Shepherds, Rough Collies etc. All different breeds, but doing the same kind of work.

Hope that helps and hope I've got that right

liberty

Thank you Jean & Liberty, I don't want to get into trouble and offend anyone :D :D :D but I just re-read the post "I know this might sound stupid but..." and someone asked about Labradors and Labrador retrievers and was told they are the same??? Or did I misunderstand again? Sorry again.
Val xxxx

Yup, they are the same, the correct name is Labrador Retriever, commonly known as Labradors :)
Same as Flatcoated Retriever known as Flatcoats.

liberty :)

Thank you Liberty, John, Jean, Briedog I think I got it!!! :D :D :D
Val xxxx

Now we'll start testing you on spaniels, Val! ;) :D

In the UK the dogs used in a formal shoot are broken down into groups according to the job they do. The setters, pointers and retrievers. If for example you look at setters there are the English, Gordon, Irish (Sometimes called the Irish Red Setter) and the Irish Red and White. All of these are different breeds bred to do the same job, game finding. Once the game has been found and flushed (put in the air) and has been shot then it is the job of the retriever to go and fetch it. Again, all the retrievers are different breeds, different ideas on the ideal dog to do that particular job. The earliest retrievers were the Curly and the Flatcoated. Both big strong dogs but totally different to look at with the finer head of the Flatcoat compared to the "Filled in" cheeks of the Curly. The Chesapeake Bay was the American retriever. The Labrador came along in the mid to late 1800's (I can trace my Anna's pedigree back to 1875). The Golden is the newest of the retrievers.

All the different breeds have their advantages and disadvantages. The Flatcoat having possibly the best nose of the lot but is sometimes let down by it's head strong ways. It will find the bird but will do it in it's own way!

The Labrador is so much more controllable. Send it 300yds and stop it within an inch of where you want it. You need to because it's game finding is not on a par with the very best Flattie.

The Golden is the slower dog to train. Tends to need softer handling to get the best out of it but a good one is very good!!

The Curly Coat I’ll miss out because unfortunately there is almost no working Curlies left in the UK. It’s such a shame and I do know of one person who is trialing. I had one in my class for a while before the fella gave up the ghost and brought a Irish Water Spaniel.

The Chessie is the Sylvester Stallone of the retrievers. Comes into its own forcing through the marshes on the fore shore as a Wild Fowler's dog. Far and away the most powerful of the retrieves but can be an out and out thug! Very strong guarding instinct! A distinctive oily coat to keep the water out.

There are others, such as the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Although nominally in the retrieving group it is in fact a Duck Decoy dog!

The Irish Water Spaniel is a bit of an anomaly. In the show ring it is a Spaniel but in the field it is a retriever! (Although there are moves afoot to reclassify them as HPR’s) It can be a bit stand offish which does not help it working in close company. The one I worked with was reluctant to enter water!!!!!!

Best wishes, John

I agree with liberty flatcoated is best, i have one he is beautiful,
no im not biased ;)

:D :D :D Don't tell John though, ;)

liberty

P.S. what is yours called, any backround info gratefully received; purely out of curiosity :)

:D :D :D