The name of this breed doesn't mean more or less coat care than like breeds, but you can be sure that there is considerable care required. The double coat, the tendency to get into water, mud, and underbrush, and the seasonal shedding all mean a lot of Flat Coated Retriever grooming for these fine, hard-working, and aptly named dogs!

Keeping a daily or nearly daily brushing session as part of your routine will help a lot toward keeping your Flat-Coated Retriever's coat shiny, her skin healthy, and your home easier to clean. If you use your Retriever to hunt or work in the field, it's not uncommon for burrs and other debris to get worked into her thick coat. These must be brushed out soon. Leaving things in the coat can irritate the skin, cause hot spots, and create matting that will invite fungi and infections. Most of this breed's care is easily done, and when it comes to trimming the hair, you can easily learn all the many things needed how to groom a Flat-Coated Retriever.

Twice a year, you should get ready for multiple daily brushings as well as a lot of sweeping, dusting, and vacuuming.

Simply put, Flat-Coated Retriever haircuts aren't necessary. Even so, some people think shaving a Flat-Coated Retriever coat to an inch or less will help keep the dog cool in summer and will reduce shedding. Both these ideas are myths.

Double coats on dogs act as natural insulation, and serve to regulate body temperature. On hot days, cool air is trapped between the layers to keep the dog from overheating--and the same happens with warm air in freezing temps. A shaved FCR will be more susceptible to heatstroke and sunburn, and will get cold very easily.

And even if a Flat-Coated Retriever is shaved, the coat won't shed any less; the shed hairs would just be shorter. Since it's the undercoat that sheds, unless the FCR is shaved bald--never a good idea!--the undercoat remains and the dog still sheds. And when the coat does grow back, it'll likely be uneven and softer in texture.

The only reason to shave any part of these dogs' coats is in preparation for surgery or other medical procedures. Your vet will discuss this with you further.

So to anyone considering shaving their Flat-Coated Retriever's coat: put those clippers away!