Although originally bred solely in the United Kingdom, Flat Coat Retriever Breeding now takes place all over the world. As with all show dogs, Flat Coat Retriever breeders must conform to a strict outline, set by the governing body in their country (such as the American Kennel Club in the United States of America).
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), a Flat Coat Retriever should stand, at the withers, between 23 to 24.5 inches for a male and 22 to 23.5 inches for a female. Whilst there is no set weight indicated for a Flat Coat Retriever, as a typical working dog, they should be considered lean with minimal excess weight.
The Flat Coat Retriever's Coat should be either completely black or liver all over, with no silky feel or prominent curls on any part of the body. A relatively short but thick Coat is required and unlike a lot of show dogs, no trimming to the Flat Coat Retriever's whiskers should take place, due to their use within the dog's working lifestyle.
There are many set points that should be taken if Breeding a Flat Coat Retriever for show purposes. Of course, many non-show Flat Coat Retrievers are bred, and although they may not conform to the AKC standards, they are still beautiful dogs with a wonderful personality.