Flat-Coated Retriever vs Bull Arab - Breed Comparison

Flat-Coated Retriever vs Bull Arab - Breed ComparisonBull Arab is originated from Australia but Flat-Coated Retriever is originated from United Kingdom. Bull Arab may grow 8 cm / 4 inches higher than Flat-Coated Retriever. Bull Arab may weigh 14 kg / 31 pounds more than Flat-Coated Retriever. Bull Arab may live 5 years more than Flat-Coated Retriever. Both Bull Arab and Flat-Coated Retriever has almost same litter size. Bull Arab requires Low Maintenance. But Flat-Coated Retriever requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Sporting dog
Sporting dog
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Australia
United Kingdom
Height Male:
63 - 69 cm
24 - 28 inches
59 - 61 cm
23 - 25 inches
Height Female:
61 - 67 cm
24 - 27 inches
56 - 59 cm
22 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
30 - 50 kg
66 - 111 pounds
27 - 36 kg
59 - 80 pounds
Weight Female:
27 - 46 kg
59 - 102 pounds
25 - 32 kg
55 - 71 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
8 - 10 Years
Litter Size:
8 - 10
4 - 8
Size:
Large
Medium
Other Names:
Australian Pig Dog • Aussie Pig Dog
Flatcoat, flatt, Flattie Flatte (Sweden)
Colors Available:
white with black, liver or tan[
liver and yellow (blonde, black
Coat:
short, harsh coat double
double, glossy and smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Constant
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Courageous, Energetic, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal
Affectionate, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Outgoing
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

bull arabIn the 1970’s feral pig hunters wanted a dog that could be aggressive in finding and capturing the pigs. The hunters crossed the German Shorthaired Pointer, the Bull Terrier and the Greyhound to develop the Bull Arab. It is believed that the hybrid is at least 50% Bull Terrier. It is also possible that there is some Doberman, Mastiff, Great Dane and/or Pointer in the hybrid as well.

The job of the Bull Arab is to hunt out the feral pigs, grab one by the ear and hold it until the hunter arrives. They have a strong sense of smell and that is how they find the pigs.

Mike Hodgens, an Australian, developed the hybrid and added some Bloodhound as well to get that ability to smell out the pigs at great distances. They are also capable of catching buffalo and cattle. Some Australians use the breed in cattle or buffalo ranching. They are registered with the DRA or Dog Registry of America, Inc.

flat coated retrieverThe 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

Description

bull arab puppy - descriptionMike Hodgens succeeded in developing a powerful, well built dog. The Bull Arab has a powerful head and muzzle. He has moderate length drop ears and bright eyes that match the color of his coat. His chest is neither shallow nor deep and his back is straight and strong. Their tails are tapered and pointed yet the base is thick. They are a double-coated dog. They can be white with black, tan or liver, flecked or bicolor.

flat coated retriever puppy - descriptionThe 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.

Characteristics

bull arab dog - characteristicsThe Bull Arab is intelligent, calm and loyal. Like Pit Bulls in the U.S., the Bull Arab has a reputation for aggression against both people and animals. There is no data to support these claims. They have been used as therapy dogs and companion animals very successfully. They are great with kids and very affectionate. The breed is cited as being used for companion and therapy animals

Children friendliness

flat coated retriever dog - characteristicsThe Flat-Coated Retriever is great with children. Just be careful they don’t knock over small children in their enthusiasm.

Special talents

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.

Adaptability

They are adaptable although their size might preclude small locations without yards.

Learning ability

Smart, thinking all the time, they are very trainable. However, they are considered the “Peter Pan” of dogs – they never grow up.

Health Problems

bull arab puppies - health problemsThis is an extremely healthy hybrid with no inherited issues, but they can possible have the same health issues as any of the parent breeds. This can include accidents while hunting, hip and elbow dysplasia and ear infections.

flat coated retriever puppies - health problemsFlat-Coated Retrievers have their share of health concerns from dysplasia to cancer. The breeds problems include:

  1. Hip Dysplasia – not very common
  2. PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) – can result in blindness
  3. Glaucoma - an eye disease that can result in blindness
  4. Epilepsy – very rare but still seen
  5. Bloat (Gastric Dilatation and volvulus) – fatal if not treated immediately

Cancers

Hemangiosarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Malignant Histiocytosis, and Fibrosarcoma. Studies show that about half of all Flat-Coated Retrievers die of cancer.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

bull arab dogs - caringThis is a working dog so he needs to eat the right kind of quality dog food. In order to avoid bloat do not feed large meals but rather feed one to two cups of food two to three times a day.

Health issues

Displaysia – can cause lameness and arthritis

Ear Infections – check and clean regularly

Hunting Accidents – this is the biggest reasons for health problems with the Bull Arab.

Exercise and games

These are working dogs that are inactive when not working. They need a lot of exercise if they are not used for hunting. Agility, Tracking and hunting games, and field trials.

Feeding the puppy

flat coated retriever dogs - caringHe 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.

Feeding the adult

Feed 2 times a day about !/2 cups of dry food per meal. Do not overfeed. They have a tendency to be obese.

Points for Good Health

Maintain a healthy weight and avoid exercise before and after meals. The good news is dysplasia and epilepsy are rare in the breed.

Games and Exercises

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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Flat-Coated Retriever vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Flat-Coated Retriever vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Flat-Coated Retriever vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Flat-Coated Retriever vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
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  14. Flat-Coated Retriever vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
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  26. Bull Arab vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Bull Arab vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Bull Arab vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Bull Arab vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Bull Arab vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Bull Arab vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Bull Arab vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Bull Arab vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Bull Arab vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Bull Arab vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Bull Arab vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Bull Arab vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Bull Arab vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Bull Arab vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Bull Arab vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Bull Arab vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Bull Arab vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Bull Arab vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Bull Arab vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Bull Arab vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Bull Arab vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Bull Arab vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Bull Arab vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Bull Arab vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Bull Arab vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison