MyDogBreeds
Flat-Coated Retriever is originated from United Kingdom but Dogo Sardesco is originated from Italy. Flat-Coated Retriever may grow 7 cm / 2 inches shorter than Dogo Sardesco. Flat-Coated Retriever may weigh 9 kg / 19 pounds lesser than Dogo Sardesco. Both Flat-Coated Retriever and Dogo Sardesco has almost same life span. Both Flat-Coated Retriever and Dogo Sardesco has same litter size. Flat-Coated Retriever requires Moderate maintenance. But Dogo Sardesco 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
This is an ancient working dog breed which hails from the Italian island of Sardinia. When you do research, you find that no one is sure as to this dogs exact origin, and there are a number of theories as to how the dog developed.
Regardless of how the Dogo Sardesco came about, it is a valued companion of farmers in Sardinia, being appreciated for its protective nature.
The dog is a kind of Molosser or Mastiff dog. In the past the dog has been used as a working and hunting dog, and today he is a popular dog in mainland Italy. He is also known as Sardinian Mastiff, Sardinian Molosser and Dogo Sardo.
The Dogo Sardesco isn’t recognized today by international kennel clubs, and breeders on the island of Sardinia have done nothing to form a breed club for the dog.
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 dog Sardesco is a medium to large sized dog generally measuring 56 to 68 cm at the withers and weighing roughly 30 to 45 kg.
Because the dog isn’t bred to specific standards, it varies in appearance, but it is a powerful looking dog, being lean and athletic. The dog’s tail is traditionally docked, but with tail docking being frowned upon, the tail is left long and the dog loses its distinctive look.
The head of the dog is large and the ears are also traditionally cropped to be very short. Left naturally, the ears fold down closely to the sides of the head.The eyes are small and amber colored. The coat is short and smooth, but thick, and while it comes in many colors, the more regular color is red, brown, black, grey or brindle.
The Dogo Sardesco becomes a loyal family pet, more so when he has been trained and socialized. Although he is a devoted and affectionate dog, forming particularly strong bonds with his human family, he isn’t recommended for homes where there are young children.
He also doesn’t take too kindly to other pets in the home. This is because they are a strong-willed, dominant breed and might therefore not be a good choice for first-time dog owners.
Because Sardinian breeders have focused on developing an aggressive dog, he has become a dog suspicious of- and aloof with strangers. He is stubborn and self-willed, and to make him more obedient and amicable, he will require training and socialization. He is an alert, intelligent dog and this makes him an excellent watch dog.
The Sardinian Mastiff is an active dog too and won’t do well in a home where the people aren’t interested in exercise. He is the kind of dog that will need to be taken with you on walks, and he will love to spend time running alongside you when you go running or cycling.
He won’t adapt too well to life in the city, particularly when there is just a tiny garden.
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 Dogo Sardesco has always performed his role as a working dog well, and this is a reliable watch dog as well as the dog takes his job of guarding his human family seriously.
With his aggressive temperament, he has appeared on the list of banned breeds, and this is why he isn’t an ideal choice for homes where there are small children, as some small children haven’t been taught how to treat a dog with respect.
However, when properly trained and socialized he becomes an excellent companion dog. He has an intimidating look about him, but when he is with his human family, another side comes out and he is affectionate, loving and protective.
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 Dogo Sardesco is a relatively healthy breed who is unlikely to suffer with ailments common to dogs, but nonetheless there are some diseases or conditions that you might want to be aware of with your dog.
Skeletal and visual problems can occur in this breed. Both hip- and elbow dysplasia are common orthopedic disorders in dogs and they can cause a lot of pain and discomfort and even cause lifelong disability.
Genes and environmental factors play a part in your dog developing this disease.If he has been diagnosed as having hip or elbow dysplasia, get your dog to the vet as there are treatments which can at least make your pet a lot more comfortable.
Remember that feeding your puppy Dogo Sardesco too much food which is particularly high in calories can mean him growing too fast, and this can contribute to this hip dysplasia problem.
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.
Dog owners who don’t like the idea of spending too much money on grooming will appreciate that the Dogo Sardesco is a very low maintenance breed, and that a good brushing twice a week will keep the dog’s coat shiny and healthy.
As with all other dogs, he will need to have his teeth brushed to remove plaque build up. Not only does plaque lead to dental disease, but bad teeth can lead to other health issues too.
Nail clipping will also be necessary if your pet doesn’t wear the nails down naturally from getting to run on a hard surface from time to time.