The Flat-Coated Retriever’s history can be traced to the 1800s, to dogs who served fisherman by retrieving fish and objects from the cold waters of Newfoundland.

This is one of the oldest of the English retrievers, and evidence suggests that it existed as early as 1803.

The smallest of the retrievers, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever was developed in the 1800's to toll and retrieve waterfowl.