Friday, April 03, 2009

Happy Friday: Obsession

I have a secret obsession: Flatcoated Retrievers.

Funny Eh?

I can tell you more about genetics, history, and pedigrees in Flatcoats than I can about Cardigans. Really.

Why you ask?

Well because I am a closet Flatcoat lover.

I love their enthusiasm
I love their looks
I love their smarts
I love their work ethic
I love their sense of humour.

But.

I also have a hard time with the uncontrollable tongue, tail, and general excitement
They are stubborn and can be hard headed
They have a hard time focusing.
Boys take FOREVER to grow up
The cancer risk is super scary.
and they are tall. Way over my 16" height limit. :o)

But really I do admire the breed, and many of my friends have them. My friend Liz is a breeder and has a litter right now- I've been oggling Puppy #2 ever since I saw her and her little cowlick...utter cuteness.

My friends Judy and Sarah have Flatcoats, or a Flatcoat in Sarah's case- so I get my flatcoat fix regularily. The tongue is unavoidable however....

But the cuteness that is a flatcoat is hard to resist. They all have this charm about them. You see they suck you in with the soft eyes, and gently wagging tail, and then as soon as you are close enough to touch BAM! out comes the tongue....

one day I'll have a flatcoat- maybe by the time I am fifty I will have more patience...


Huxley the Handsome :o)


Tinbie is one of my all time favorite dogs. ever. I love this dog.


One of her current litter. Not Puppy #2 (who is my favorite) but still very, very cute!

ALL Pictures are courtesy of Liz Saunders of Blazingstar Flatcoats.

Thanks Liz!!!

7 comments:

Blazingstar said...

It's a healthy obsession, Amanda!! You describe them very well, especially the licking!!!

Sarah said...

LOL!!!!!!! x 10, Admitting it is the first step, and I'm glad the secret is out.

Your description of the "BUT" sort of sounded like a Corgi NO??

EXCITEMENT - you have Corgi's for crying out loud!!!

STUBBORN and HARD HEADED (do you mean Independent, Wicca)

HARD TIME FOCUSING (they are fee thinkers, too smart for their own good, Pixel)

BOYS TAKE FOREVER TO GROW UP (Vito LOL)

AMANDA, you will have LESS Patience when you are 50, you might as well get one now.

HA!

Funny #2 puppy is my fav too :)

manymuddypaws said...

okay, maybe they are a tad bit like corgis...

vito is an exception. he's special.

i figure when I am fifty and even more forgetful I will forget that the dog is annoying....

:o)

Katrin said...

LOL!! So very true! Obi is my sneaky tounge dog. Not all flat coats are like that. I've had 3 that weren't/aren't tounge dogs, very frugal with their kisses they are, but they're true flat coats in every other regard.

Joanna said...

LOVE Flatcoats. I agree with you that I can't own one (I had my heart broken already by Danes; not going to bring in another dog that dies young) but they are really, really cool dogs.

onecollie said...

you should TOTALLY get a flatcoat!!! Perhaps you can clicker train the tongue to stay in the mouth!!!

Judy said...

Joanna, I have an 11 yr old that is going strong!...except she is a tad stubborn (a free thinker).

When we are out walking and someone says"can I pet your dog?" I explain that "she might jump on you, or she might lick you" but by that time they are experiencing it all first hand.

Luckily Sarah and Amanda have their eyes on puppy 2....that way there are 2 for me.