Flat-Coated Retriever is originated from United Kingdom but Porcelaine is originated from France. Both Flat-Coated Retriever and Porcelaine are having almost same height. Flat-Coated Retriever may weigh 8 kg / 18 pounds more than Porcelaine. Flat-Coated Retriever may live 4 years less than Porcelaine. Both Flat-Coated Retriever and Porcelaine has almost same litter size. Flat-Coated Retriever requires Moderate Maintenance. But Porcelaine requires Low Maintenance
The 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
The Porcelaine is an attractive dog hailing from France. It is thought to be the oldest of the French scent hounds.
The dog also goes by the name of Chien de Franche-Comté. The dogs were developed for hunting purposes. It is believed to be an ancient dog breed, dating way back to the 1700s.
It is thought that dogs used to bring about the Porcelain are the Talbot Hound, the English Harrier, the Montaimboeuf, as well as some smaller Laufhunds of Switzerland.
The Club du Porcelaine was established in France in 1971 and the breed was recognized by the FCI in 1975. It is a rare breed virtually unknown outside of France.
The 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.
The Porcelaine has got such a gentle, amicable face that he looks like he wouldn’t hurt a fly.
His interesting name comes from the fact that he has a shiny, gleaming single coat that looks like white porcelain.
He has a distinguished look to him with his slender neck, slender head with longish muzzle. The body is well proportioned, lean and muscular. Another noticeable feature of this dog is the long, floppy ears which can have a hint of orange. His nose is black and he has dark eyes and a long tail. He is a medium sized dog standing at between 53 to 58cm in height and weighs about 25 to 28kg.
Elegant and beautiful, the Porcelaine isn’t your usual looking dog. He is amicable and easy-going and always ready for a pat on the silky head.
His temperament, kindly and easy going, makes him the perfect pet for therapy purposes and for search and rescue work. He is a quiet, well behaved dog, indoors and out. He is an energetic dog and loves nothing more than a hunt and he has a keen sense of smell.
He loves being outdoors but is such a good friend of yours he can happily turn into a couch potato to be by your side.
The Flat-Coated Retriever is great with children. Just be careful they don’t knock over small children in their enthusiasm.
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.
They are adaptable although their size might preclude small locations without yards.
Smart, thinking all the time, they are very trainable. However, they are considered the “Peter Pan” of dogs – they never grow up.
The Porcelaine is a working, hunting dog but he is more than willing to become a companion animal, being loving and loyal to his human family.
He is a balanced, kind natured dog and can get on well with children and with pets in the home.
He enjoys his human family, and typical of hounds he is friendly, energetic and amusing. Bring this beautiful white dog into your home and start a wonderful, long, loving friendship with him.
Flat-Coated Retrievers have their share of health concerns from dysplasia to cancer. The breeds problems include:
Hemangiosarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Malignant Histiocytosis, and Fibrosarcoma. Studies show that about half of all Flat-Coated Retrievers die of cancer.
The Porcelaine has so many good features, and good health is one. He is described as a truly healthy breed that can easily reach up to 14 years of age with good care.
As a Porcelaine owner, look out for some of the more common heath conditions such as cancer, bloat and skin infections.
A working, hunting type dog such as the Porcelaine can be devastated with hip dysplasia. It’s a disease that can be genetically passed on and if your dog has it,it should be spayed or neutered. The condition, where your pet becomes more and more reluctant to participate in exercise can be painful and debilitating.
There are different treatments available for pain relief and mobility.
The long, floppy ears of the Porcelaine can result in a tendency towards ear infections. Ear infections can be painful and frustrating and you’ll see your dog scratching his ears and shaking his head. The ears may be red inside and there may even be a discharge. Don’t allow your pet to suffer and get him to the vet.
He 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.
Feed 2 times a day about !/2 cups of dry food per meal. Do not overfeed. They have a tendency to be obese.
Maintain a healthy weight and avoid exercise before and after meals. The good news is dysplasia and epilepsy are rare in the breed.
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.
Porcelaines have a very high activity level and require lots of exercise - ball games and walks. Because of this, they aren't recommended for people living in small homes in the city. He will ideally suit life on a big property.
The Porcelaine Dog is a single coated dog with very short hair and is looked upon as being pretty low maintenance.
Apart from brushing him twice a week, to keep the coat shiny and healthy, wipe him down with a hound mitt to get rid of loose hairs and to remove dust.
Because of the long, floppy ears, clean the insides very gently to avoid dirt, moisture and wax buildup. There are veterinarian-recommended ear cleansers, but if you don’t like the idea of doing it yourself, the vet or groomer will do it for you when you take him to have his nails clipped.
Your beautiful Porcelaine dog needs the very best food there is so as to ensure he remains the healthy, shiny, lean specimen he is.
He can live a long, healthy life if you choose quality dog food packed with the right mix of vitamins and minerals. If you buy commercially manufactured dog food for him, it needs to be the high quality ones to ensure its properly formulated.
Your Porcelaine, like any other dog, wants consistency and simplicity. Home-made food is always an excellent choice for your pet’s diet. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots can be very healthy for him.
Chop it up and add it into the dry kibble a couple of times a week. Its providing him with some variety from the dry kibble and gives him a tasty treat.
Some raw meat added in occasionally will also ensure his coat and eyes remain bright and vibrant. Always make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.