Flat-Coated Retriever vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison

Flat-Coated Retriever vs American Bulldog - Breed ComparisonFlat-Coated Retriever is originated from United Kingdom but American Bulldog is originated from United States. Flat-Coated Retriever may grow 9 cm / 3 inches shorter than American Bulldog. Flat-Coated Retriever may weigh 18 kg / 39 pounds lesser than American Bulldog. Flat-Coated Retriever may live 6 years less than American Bulldog. Flat-Coated Retriever may have less litter size than American Bulldog. Flat-Coated Retriever requires Moderate maintenance. But American Bulldog requires Low maintenance

History

flat coated retriever - historyThe Flat-Coated Retriever traces its heritage to 19th century England. A popular gamekeepers’ dog, the actual descendants of the breed are not entirely known. Like so many well-established breeds, there are many lines of thought about the breed line. There is an unverified line of ancestry that includes the St. Johns Water Dog – an extinct breed from North America. Another story has Canadian sailors bringing their Newfoundlands to England and mixing them with Colliers and Setters. This story has more truth to it and it took 20 years to establish the final breed type.

The breed was originally a retriever with two purposes – to retrieve the hunters’ bounty on land and on water.

The Flat-Coated Retriever was then introduced to the United States as a gun dog. By 1873 it was a “stable type” and in 1915 the AKC recognized the breed. After this, their popularity grew quickly until the American public fell in love with the Golden Retriever and the Labrador Retriever. Then the Flat-Coated Retriever’s numbers and popularity fell. The irony was that both the Golden and the Labrador credited the Flat-Coated Retriever as an ancestor. The survival of the breed was questionable following World War Two. They were brought back by a specific breeding program in the 1960’s.

Breeders in the ‘60s made sure they bred for both show dogs and companion animals. The Flat-Coated Retriever survived and is less popular than other retrievers, but he has his fans. The breed is more popular in the United Kingdom than it is in the United States in part because of Best in Show wins at Crufts

american bulldog - historyFollowing World War II, the American Bulldog was almost extinct.

Thanks to John D. Johnson from Summerville, Georgia the breed is still with us today. He gathered the best dogs he could find throughout the rural South and bred them back into popularity among his family and other rural families. His father bred the American Bulldog before John did and they have bred them longer than any other in any part of the world. His dogs were regularly used for tracking, hunting, guarding, watchdog and weight pulling. At some point Alan Scott joined Johnson breeding other bulldogs to Johnson's and forming the Standard American Bulldog.

The American Bulldog/ is popular today as a family pet and companion as well as a working dog.

Basic Information

Group:
Sporting dog
Working dog
Origin:
United Kingdom
United States
Height Male:
59 - 61 cm
23 - 25 inches
55 - 70 cm
21 - 28 inches
Height Female:
56 - 59 cm
22 - 24 inches
52 - 65 cm
20 - 26 inches
Weight Male:
27 - 36 kg
59 - 80 pounds
32 - 54 kg
70 - 120 pounds
Weight Female:
25 - 32 kg
55 - 71 pounds
27 - 45 kg
59 - 100 pounds
Life Span:
8 - 10 Years
14 - 16 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 8
10 - 12
Size:
Medium dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Flatcoat, flatt, Flattie Flatte (Sweden)
shades of brindle including red brindle, varying degrees of white, red, brown, tan, fawn and piebald.
Colors Available:
liver and yellow (blonde, black
Brindle, mostly white, white with brown or red and piebald.
Coat:
double, glossy and smooth
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Constant
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Outgoing
Affectionate, Courageous, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

flat coated retriever puppy - descriptionThe Flat-Coated Retriever has a straight and strong topline with unique head, strong jaws, a long muzzle and small ears. His eyes are dark brown almonds with a friendly and intelligent expression. He has an arched neck and a moderately long tail. The Flat-Coated Retriever is more of an athlete, lighter and certainly more elegant than any other type or breed of retriever.

american bulldog puppy - descriptionThe American Bulldog is a powerful and muscular dog in a sturdy and compact frame. The female is more refined than the heavy boned and stocky male, but both genders are athletic, agile and quick. The have large heads, strong jaws, a muscular neck and with a moderately deep and wide chest.

They have a square head, with muscular cheeks and a clearly defined furrow between his eyes. With broad, square and strong muzzles, they have a reverse scissors, scissors, moderate underbite and an even bite. Ears come in a variety of shapes and sizes and eyes can be any color as well. The nose however should be black and lips black as well. Their legs are strong, heavy boned and straight with well-defined muscles in the hindquarters. Finally ,they have a thick, low set tail that comes to a point at the end.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

flat coated retriever dog - characteristicsThe Flat-Coated Retriever is great with children. Just be careful they don’t knock over small children in their enthusiasm.

Special talents

They are confident great family dogs. They are “thinking dogs” and need something to work for or they will work for themselves. They can be clowns.

Adaptability

They are adaptable although their size might preclude small locations without yards.

Learning ability

Smart, thinking all the time, they are very trainable. However, they are considered the “Peter Pan” of dogs – they never grow up.

american bulldog dog - characteristicsThe American Bulldog is characteristically loyal, brave and reliable. It is a friendly, gentle dog that truly loves children. There is not a hostile bone in his body despite his history and reputation for bull baiting. Though he is protective of its family and affectionate with most, he still needs a human companion who is strong willed and a genuine pack leader. Without this he might become aggressive around other dogs and pets. They are immensely self-confident and they do slobber and drool and will become excited and hard to handle without daily exercise of both their body and their minds.

Health Problems

flat coated retriever puppies - health problemsFlat-Coated Retrievers have their share of health concerns from dysplasia to cancer. The breeds problems include:

  1. Hip Dysplasia – not very common
  2. PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) – can result in blindness
  3. Glaucoma - an eye disease that can result in blindness
  4. Epilepsy – very rare but still seen
  5. Bloat (Gastric Dilatation and volvulus) – fatal if not treated immediately

Cancers

Hemangiosarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Malignant Histiocytosis, and Fibrosarcoma. Studies show that about half of all Flat-Coated Retrievers die of cancer.

american bulldog puppies - health problemsThough generally healthy, the American Bulldog is prone to a few problems.

Hip Dysplasia

This is a serious issue in many breeds of dogs and is especially prevalent with the American Bull Dog. This may seem ironic in such a short legged dog but it is unfortunately very common. It is a genetic disorder that causes the bones in the joint to separate and causes the dog much pain and lameness.

Skin and Ear Issues

Due to skin folds you need to be care and watch for irritation and infection in the folds. They are also prone to ear infections.

Obesity

The American Bulldog is prone to overeating and all the health issues that presents. With short legs and a genetic predisposition to arthritis and hip dysplasia, obesity is a real health risk for your bulldog.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

flat coated retriever dogs - caringHe will be a medium size dog. Feed puppies 3-4 times a day about a 1/8 cup of high-quality food. Feed a puppy food designed for medium size dogs or specifically for retrievers.

Feeding the adult

Feed 2 times a day about !/2 cups of dry food per meal. Do not overfeed. They have a tendency to be obese.

Points for Good Health

Maintain a healthy weight and avoid exercise before and after meals. The good news is dysplasia and epilepsy are rare in the breed.

Games and Exercises

They are very energetic and need good exercise. Long walks and a yard to run in. Remember they are hunting dogs and will chase to retrieve things so don’t let them off leash outside your yard. They will excel at agility, tracking. Rally, obedience, swimming, hunting, and jogging. They make great therapy dogs.

Feeding Puppies

american bulldog dogs - caringThree times a day from 12 weeks to a year for a total of 3 cups per day.

Feeding Adults

After 6 months cut back to one cup twice a day of high quality dry dog food.

Bulldogs will eat anything at anytime and are prone to obesity. Don't overfeed them.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. French Spaniel vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  2. Flat-Coated Retriever vs East Siberian Laika - Breed Comparison
  3. Flat-Coated Retriever vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  4. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Finnish Spitz - Breed Comparison
  5. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Ariegeois - Breed Comparison
  6. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Beagador - Breed Comparison
  7. Flat-Coated Retriever vs English Water Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  8. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Field Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  9. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Artois Hound - Breed Comparison
  10. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Curly Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  11. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Braque Francais - Breed Comparison
  12. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Braque Francais (Pyrenean Type) - Breed Comparison
  13. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Braque Saint-Germain - Breed Comparison
  14. Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  15. Lagotto Romagnolo vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  16. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  17. Shikoku vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  18. Slovakian Hound vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  19. Small Munsterlander vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  20. Sussex Spaniel vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  21. Kooikerhondje vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  22. Welsh Springer Spaniel vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  23. West Siberian Laika vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  24. Wetterhoun vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  25. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  26. American Bulldog vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  27. American Bulldog vs Australian Kelpie - Breed Comparison
  28. Border Collie vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  29. Sakhalin Husky vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  30. Alaskan Husky vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  31. Catahoula Leopard vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. German Pinscher vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  33. Portuguese Water Dog vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  34. Puli vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  35. Griffon Bleu de Gascogne vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  36. Borador vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  37. German Spaniel vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  38. Canadian Eskimo Dog vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  39. McNab vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  40. Porcelaine vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  41. Finnish Lapphund vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  42. Berger Blanc Suisse vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  43. Griffon Nivernais vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  44. Hokkaido vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  45. Petit Bleu de Gascogne vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  46. Pumi vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  47. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  48. Basque Shepherd vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  49. Istrian Sheepdog vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  50. Jamthund vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds