Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Flat-Coated Retriever Versus Harrier: Introduction
- Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier: Overview
- Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier: Comparison Table
- The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier
- The Similarities Between the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier
- Size (Weight and Height) of Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier
- The Popularity of Flat-Coated Retriever versus Popularity of Harrier
- Health Problems of Flat-Coated Retriever versus Health Problems of Harrier
- Tolerates Being Alone: Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier
- Which one drools more, the Flat-Coated Retriever or the Harrier
- Do Flat-Coated Retrievers shed more than Harriers?
- Does the Flat-Coated Retriever Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Harrier?
- Can Flat-Coated Retrievers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Harriers Tolerate Cold Weather?
- Can Flat-Coated Retrievers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Harriers Tolerate Hot Weather?
- Which is Easier to Groom, the Flat-Coated Retriever or the Harrier?
- Is the Flat-Coated Retriever Easier to Train than the Harrier?
- Do Flat-Coated Retrievers Bark and Howl? What about Harriers?
- Wanderlust Potential: Flat-Coated Retriever vs. Harrier
- Are Flat-Coated Retrievers good family dogs? What about Harriers?
- How Kid-friendly are Flat-Coated Retrievers and Harriers?
- Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Flat-Coated Retriever or the Harrier?
- Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Flat-Coated Retriever
- Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Harrier
- Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You
- Conclusion: Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier. Which One is a Better Pet?
Flat-Coated Retriever Versus Harrier: Introduction
Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier better suits you.
We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier.
Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.
Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Flat-Coated Retriever and for the Harrier. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier.
Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Flat-Coated Retriever or the Harrier
Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier: Overview
Both the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier are similar in size. The Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier are both medium-sized dogs.
Furthermore, the Flat-Coated Retriever belongs to the Sporting Dogs group. Sporting Dogs were bred to help hunters catch and retrieve feathered game. Some sporting dog breeds such as Retrievers, which were built for swimming, were bred to hunt waterfowl in water. Whereas sporting dog breeds like setters, spaniels, and pointing breeds were bred to hunt quail, pheasant, and other game birds nest on grasslands. Many Sporting Group breeds have thick, water-repellent coats that protect them from harsh hunting conditions.
On the other hand, the Harrier belongs to the Hound Dogs group. Hound Dogs were bred to pursue and hunt warm-blooded animals. Hounds hunt by using their good sight or their good sense of smell. Dogs that belong to the Hound Group have strong prey drives and often will stop at nothing to catch what they are pursuing.
Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier: Comparison Table
The table below compares the Flat-Coated Retriever to the Harrier based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.
When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets
Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.
However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.
| Factor | Flat-Coated Retriever | Harrier |
|---|---|---|
| Adapts Well To Apartment Living | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Tolerates Being Alone | 1/5 | 3/5 |
| Height | 1 foot, 10 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder | 19 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder |
| Life Span | 10 to 12 years | 10 to 12 years |
| Good For Novice Owners | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Does NOT Drool | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Does NOT Shed | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Does NOT chew on things | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Low Prey Drive | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| Tolerates Cold Weather | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Tolerates Hot Weather | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Easy To Groom | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| General Health | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Potential NOT to Gain Weight | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Easy To Train | 4/5 | 2/5 |
| Does NOT Bark or Howl | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Tendency NOT to Wander | 2/5 | 1/5 |
| Calmness/ Low Vigor | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Easygoing | 1/5 | 4/5 |
| Affectionate With Family | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Kid-Friendly | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Dog Friendly | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Friendly Toward Strangers | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Intelligence | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| NOT Rambunctious | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Minimal Exercise Needs | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Potential For Playfulness | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Weight | 55 to 70 pounds | 45 to 60 pounds |
| Average Lifespan | 11.0 years | 11.0 years |
| Average Price | $1350 | No Data |
| Price Range | $1150 – $1800 | No Data |
| Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests |
|
|
| Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds | 94 | 183 |
*Data from dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (the American Temperament Test Society)
Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Flat-Coated Retriever in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Harrier. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.
The Better-Pet score for a Flat-Coated Retriever is 78 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Harrier is 81 out of 125.
Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Harrier is a better pet than the Flat-Coated Retriever. So, you should get the Harrier!
Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.
The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier
Below is a list of where the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier are most different:
The Similarities Between the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier
The Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier are most similar:
Size (Weight and Height) of Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier
Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier.
Flat-Coated Retrievers weigh 55 to 70 pounds when fully grown. Flat-Coated Retrievers are 1 foot, 10 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder when fully grown.
On the other hand, Harriers weigh 45 to 60 pounds when fully grown. Harriers are 19 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.
The Popularity of Flat-Coated Retriever versus Popularity of Harrier
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).
The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier over the years.
Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Flat-Coated Retriever is more popular with dog owners than the Harrier. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Flat-Coated Retriever is 94 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Harrier is 183 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Popularity of Flat-Coated Retriever
Popularity of Harrier
| Year | Flat-Coated Retriever Popularity Rank | Harrier Popularity Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 94 | 173 |
| 2014 | 92 | 181 |
| 2015 | 86 | 183 |
| 2016 | 89 | 186 |
| 2017 | 96 | 183 |
| 2018 | 91 | 189 |
| 2019 | 104 | 186 |
| 2020 | 102 | 190 |
Health Problems of Flat-Coated Retriever versus Health Problems of Harrier
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. Therefore, there is nothing like a perfect puppy.
Both the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.
Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Flat-Coated Retriever is prone to more genetic health problems than the Harrier.
This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the Flat-Coated Retriever than for the Harrier.
3 health tests are recommended for Flat-Coated Retriever while 2 tests are recommended for the Harrier.
Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Flat-Coated Retrievers and in Harriers.
Flat-Coated Retriever Health Problems
Flat-Coated Retrievers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Flat-Coated Retriever puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.
The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.
If you want a Flat-Coated Retriever puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Flat-Coated Retriever breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Flat-Coated Retrievers for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Flat-Coated Retrievers here.
Harrier Health Problems
Harriers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Harrier puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.
The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.
If you want a Harrier puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Harrier breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Harriers for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Harriers here.
More Discussions on Health Problems in Flat-Coated Retrievers and Harriers
Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Flat-Coated Retriever Breed is Thyroid problems.
This is because the Flat-Coated Retriever ranks 28 out of 115 dog breeds for Thyroid problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 241 Flat-Coated Retrievers, 14 of them had Thyroid problems.
The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Flat-Coated Retrievers, and how common these diseases are in Flat-Coated Retrievers relative to other dog breeds, are given below:
Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Harrier Breed is Hips problems.
This is because the Harrier ranks 76 out of 198 dog breeds for Hips problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 375 Harriers, 58 of them had Hips problems.
The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Harriers, and how common these diseases are in Harriers relative to other dog breeds, are given below:
The table below lists the common health problems in Flat-Coated Retriever and in Harrier and the rank (prevalence), compared to other dogs, of these health problems in the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier:
| Disease | Flat-Coated Retriever Rank | Harrier Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Thyroid problems | 28 out of 115 dog breeds | Not Common |
| Patella problems | 85 out of 145 dog breeds | Not Common |
| Elbow problems | 129 out of 144 dog breeds | Not Common |
| Eyes problems | 129 out of 182 dog breeds | Not Common |
| Hips problems | 172 out of 198 dog breeds | 76 out of 198 dog breeds |
*To learn more about each of these diseases, go to OFA.org and search for the disease.
Again, most of these health problems can be prevented through health screening. Responsible breeders screen male and female dog parents for genetic problems. These breeders will only breed dogs that are free of genetic defects. That way, there is little or no chance that their puppies will grow up to have genetic health problems. Always ask a breeder for the list of health tests the breeder screens their dogs for before buying a puppy from such a breeder.
Is the Flat-Coated Retriever Better for Apartment Owners than the Harrier?
Flat-Coated Retrievers do not adapt well to apartment living.
Harriers do not adapt well to apartment living.
Tolerates Being Alone: Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier
Flat-Coated Retrievers do not like to be left alone.
Harriers can be left alone only for a short time.
Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Flat-Coated Retriever or the Harrier?
Flat-Coated Retrievers are not the best dogs for new dog owners.
Harriers are OK for new dog owners.
Which one drools more, the Flat-Coated Retriever or the Harrier
Flat-Coated Retrievers do have a very low tendency to drool.
Harriers do have a very low tendency to drool.
Do Flat-Coated Retrievers shed more than Harriers?
Flat-Coated Retrievers shed moderately.
Harriers shed moderately.
Does the Flat-Coated Retriever Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Harrier?
Flat-Coated Retrievers have a moderate prey drive. They can sometimes chase after smaller animals and pets.
Harriers have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.
Can Flat-Coated Retrievers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Harriers Tolerate Cold Weather?
Flat-Coated Retrievers can very well tolerate cold weather.
Harriers can moderately tolerate cold weather.
Can Flat-Coated Retrievers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Harriers Tolerate Hot Weather?
Flat-Coated Retrievers can tolerate hot weather.
Harriers can tolerate hot weather.
Which is Easier to Groom, the Flat-Coated Retriever or the Harrier?
Flat-Coated Retrievers are very easy to groom.
Harriers are very easy to groom.
Is the Flat-Coated Retriever Easier to Train than the Harrier?
Flat-Coated Retrievers are very easy to train.
Harriers are not easy to train.
Do Flat-Coated Retrievers Bark and Howl? What about Harriers?
Flat-Coated Retrievers are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
Harriers are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
Wanderlust Potential: Flat-Coated Retriever vs. Harrier
Flat-Coated Retrievers have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
Harriers have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
Are Flat-Coated Retrievers good family dogs? What about Harriers?
Flat-Coated Retrievers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
Harriers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
How Kid-friendly are Flat-Coated Retrievers and Harriers?
Flat-Coated Retrievers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
Harriers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Flat-Coated Retriever or the Harrier?
Flat-Coated Retrievers get along very well with other dogs.
Harriers get along very well with other dogs.
Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Flat-Coated Retriever
Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Flat-Coated Retriever that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Flat-Coated Retriever:
Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Harrier
Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Harrier that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Harrier:
Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You
You may also be interested in how the Flat-Coated Retriever and how the Harrier compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the Flat-Coated Retriever and of the Harrier to other breeds:
Flat-Coated Retriever Versus Other Dog Breeds
Flat-Coated Retriever versus Black Mouth Cur Flat-Coated Retriever versus Rhodesian Ridgeback Flat-Coated Retriever versus Fila Brasileiro Flat-Coated Retriever versus Dogue de Bordeaux Flat-Coated Retriever versus Cockapoo Flat-Coated Retriever versus Bracco Italiano Flat-Coated Retriever versus Sealyham Terrier Flat-Coated Retriever versus Bichon Frise Flat-Coated Retriever versus Bluetick Coonhound Flat-Coated Retriever versus Pharaoh Hound
Harrier Versus Other Dog Breeds
Harrier versus Beaglier Harrier versus Maltipoo Harrier versus Catahoula Leopard Dog Harrier versus Newfoundland Harrier versus Afghan Hound Harrier versus Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Harrier versus Affenhuahua Harrier versus Bluetick Coonhound Harrier versus Lagotto Romagnolo Harrier versus Cockapoo
Conclusion: Flat-Coated Retriever versus Harrier. Which One is a Better Pet?
In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Flat-Coated Retriever and the Harrier better suits you and your family.