THE FLAT COAT IS A SLOW MATURING dog retaining his delightful puppy-like qualities for several years. An extrovert, always happy and eager to please with an incessantly wagging tail, and full of good humour and bonhomie.

A tireless worker in the field, he is an excellent water dog and a natural swimmer. He loves human companionship and is definitely not the dog to be shut up on his own, when his Houdini-like qualities will soon become apparent in his endeavour to reunite himself with friends and family.

His deep bark makes him a good guard dog, giving warning of any strangers or intruders. He is in his element in the country and was at one time popularly known as the gamekeepers’ dog, attracting attention when widely used in the late 1800s on the large shooting estates. Mr Sewallis Evelyn Shirley, founder of the Kennel Club and its chairman from 1873 to 1899, helped stabilise the breed type.
Breed description courtesy of