Flat-Coated Retriever is originated from United Kingdom but Tibetan Spaniel is originated from China. Flat-Coated Retriever may grow 31 cm / 13 inches higher than Tibetan Spaniel. Flat-Coated Retriever may weigh 29 kg / 64 pounds more than Tibetan Spaniel. Flat-Coated Retriever may live 5 years less than Tibetan Spaniel. Both Flat-Coated Retriever and Tibetan Spaniel has almost same litter size. Both Flat-Coated Retriever and Tibetan Spaniel requires Moderate 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
Known fondly as the Tibbie and being referred to as little lions’, the Tibetan Spaniel is an ancient dog breed.
They appear in ancient art dating way back to 1100BC. This tells you that this small dog has been around for a jolly long time.
When you look at him, you can see that his predecessors were the Pekingese and the Lhaso Apso. It’s odd actually that he is called spaniel, as he doesn’t look like a spaniel at all and he has certainly never been a gun dog. He is more of a companion breed.
Even today, you’ll find these dogs living with monks in monasteries. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1984.
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.
Weighing between 4 to 7kg and standing at 23 to 30cm, the silky, double coat is fairly long and it sheds throughout the year.
The coat can be any color really, from tan to cream to brown and black and even a mix of colors.
The eyes are dark brown, the ears medium length and feathery and the tail is long and feathery too. The nose is fairly short and blunt.
The Tibetan spaniel is a small, active dog breed but not known to be shy or timid. He is an assertive dog, and intelligent too.
He would be better off having training and socialization as he is strong willed, stubborn and independent. He is loving, sweet and devoted to his owners.
He makes a good watchdog dog and will adapt well to life in the city or in the countryside. He can be both social and aloof, enjoying having his human family around him even though he may not be interacting with them.
He is playful and gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He makes an excellent pet for older people too – he just needs to get his regular exercise.
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 Tibetan Spaniel dog is energetic and active, but doesn't require a lot of exercise. This makes him suitable for life in the city as well as the countryside.
They’re social dogs and will relish any interaction with their human family. Give him the love and care he deserves and you’ll be rewarded with a loyal, loving friend.
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.
Tibetan Spaniels are generally healthy, especially if you provide them with good food and exercise.
Whenever you’re looking to buy a puppy, make sure that you do research on where the puppy comes from. You don’t want to bring your puppy home and find that you’re faced with a host of health problems.
This eye problem effects photoreceptor cells which deteriorate over time and ultimately lead to blindness. It is an inherited disease that occurs in quite a few different breeds of dogs.
Dogs with this disease should never be bred. It isn’t a painful condition but you usually notice it when your dog has night blindness. Day blindness also occurs and later on cataracts can develop too.
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.
The Tibetan Spaniel isn’t fixated on games and exercise like some other dog breeds are, but even so he isn’t a couch potato either. He will certainly require some moderate exercise such as a good walk every day.
You canine friend relies on you to make good food choices for him. Just like human beings have to watch what they eat if they want to remain healthy, dogs can’t just eat anything.
Feeding him an inferior diet will allow sickness. Commercially manufactured dog foods should be chosen with care, and there is a lot of information on the packaging to guide you.
Getting enough minerals and vitamins is imperative for good health. You should also try to give him some simplistic home-made food, while steering clear of toxic foods that could give your pet a whole lot of digestive problems. These are things like chocolates, crisps, peanuts, grapes, onions and spicy, exotic foods.
Just stick to simple, nutritious foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables.
• Tibetan Spaniels will benefit from early socialization and training because then they become obedient and well mannered to have around with you wherever you go.
• Get your pet to the vet when he’s sick. As it is, he will need vaccines against serious pet illnesses as a puppy.
• Provide general grooming – a brush twice a week, checking inside the ears for redness, checking the eyes and checking for any unusual lumps.