Litter 2 – The Swim & Snow Litter
17 February 2019 – Two males and five females
This litter was born without any complications on day 59 after natural mating. The puppies were born within 2.5 hours.
Sire: Swim – Nifty Dude I’m Awesome
Dam: Snow – Flatgold’s Going Nifty
About the Litter
I have received very positive feedback on all the dogs in this litter. All of them have shown a strong hunting drive, although some have inherited a bit too much enthusiasm and independence from their mother. This has, at times, affected cooperation when stress levels become too high, and a couple of them can also be vocal.
Five of the dogs have been awarded hunting results: Bliss has an Excellent in AK (novice class), Phoebe a Very Good, and Wish a Good, while Luna and Whisper have received Excellent in BK (beginner class). Zazu has also participated in many training sessions, where he has shown many fine qualities.
Sadly, Whisper and Luna both passed away far too early due to splenic tumours that ruptured—Whisper in June 2025 and Luna in June 2026. Phoebe began showing signs of itching around the age of six and has been on a hypoallergenic diet since then; otherwise, all the remaining dogs in the litter are healthy so far.
We have not seen the two dogs living farthest away very often, but we know the rest of the litter well through walks, training, and dog-sitting.
Overall, the dogs are well-functioning and get along well with everyone. The only one who stood out in this respect was Whisper, who did not like puppies. All the dogs are within or slightly below the breed standard in size.
Wish – Nifty Dude Swim’s Snowflake
Reg. No.: NO35055/19
Sex: Female
Height: 57 cm
Weight: 26 kg
Retriever Hunting Tests: Excellent BK (beginner class), Good AK (novice class)
Working Test: 1st place in the beginner class at the Norwegian Flatcoat Championship 2021
Unofficial working test
3rd place in AK (novice class) at the club championship, Norwegian Retriever Club Kongsvinger & Surrounding Area, 2023
3rd place in AK (novice class) in the Norwegian Retriever Club Oslo & Surrounding Area cup 2024 with 93/100 points
4th place in AK (novice class) at the club championship, Norwegian Retriever Club Oslo & Surrounding Area, 2024 with 93/100 points
Show: Very good
Offspring: Had a litter in 2023
Owners: Kirsti and Kristian – Nifty Dude Flatcoats
Whisper – Nifty Dude Swim’s Snowman
Reg. No.: NO35061/19
Sex: Male
Height: 60 cm
Weight: 29 kg
Retriever Hunting Tests: Excellent BK (beginner class)
Working Test: 3rd place in the beginner class at the Norwegian Flatcoat Championship 2021
Unofficial Working Tests
Club Champion BK (beginner class) – Norwegian Retriever Club Oslo & Surrounding Area, 2021
Club Champion AK (novice class) – Norwegian Retriever Club Kongsvinger & Surrounding Area, 2023
7th Place, Norwegian Retriever Club Oslo & Surrounding Area Hunting Cup AK (novice class), 2024 – 87/100 points
Show: Very good
Owners: Kirsti and Kristian – Nifty Dude Flatcoats
Whisper sadly died from a tumor in the spleen, which ruptured when he was 6 years and 4 months old ❤️
Zazu – Nifty Dude Swim’s Snowball
Reg. No.: NO35060/19
Sex: Male
Height: 60 cm
Weight: 30 kg
Retriever Hunting Tests: Passed Qualification Test (Bestått kvalifiseringsprøve)
Show:Very good
Intended use: Primarily a family dog, but also does some retriever training.
About Zazu
Zazu is one of my absolute favourites among all the dogs I have met that I have not owned myself. He has almost everything I want in a dog: he is extremely steady, friendly with everyone he meets, and he shows so many excellent qualities in retriever training. He is quiet and calm, while still working with great speed and focus.
Zazu is the dog we know best through training sessions, all the walks we have shared, and not least all the times we have looked after him. He blends seamlessly into the Flatcoat pack every single time.
Zazu lives in Blaker, just a few kilometres away from us.
Luna – NO RL CH RLI RLII RLIII RLE Nifty Dude Swim’s Snowfall
Reg. No.: NO35059/19
Sex: Female
Retriever Hunting Tests: Excellent BK (beginner class)
Rally Obedience: Champion (se tittel)
Show: Very good
About Luna
Luna sadly passed away suddenly from a tumor in the spleen, which ruptured when she was 7 years and 4 months old ❤️
Luna was described as a dog who loved everyone, both dogs and people alike. In her interactions with other dogs she was wonderful—soft, kind, and full of humour. She was very affectionate and loved to lie in your lap. She was an energetic dog, but she learned to control her impulses well and could therefore be trusted off lead in many situations. She was easy to handle and always came when called.
She could be taken anywhere and was generally unfazed by her surroundings. She was excellent in the mountains, both on foot and on skis. Wearing a harness and pulling line, she worked steadily and consistently, kept her position, and ignored passing dogs. However, if they showed signs of friendliness, she was always happy to engage.
Luna sometimes needed a bit of support, so she was probably not the strongest mentally, but she functioned very well overall. This seems to be something she may have inherited from her father Swim, who also occasionally needed a little support. Luna was also described as an incredibly fun dog to train, and she likely needed a fair amount of mental stimulation to thrive.
She worked well during gunshot exposure in training, and also when hearing gunshots during grouse hunting in the mountains, but she was afraid of fireworks and reacted to shooting ranges.
Luna loved berries: blueberries, redcurrants, lingonberries, crowberries, and cloudberries. She could recognise ripe cloudberries, which sometimes led to a little competition for them! She also ate apples and plums, and would happily pick them herself. Both her father Swim and her grandmother Rikke also used to pick apples straight from the tree.
It was a great shock when Luna suddenly passed away, just a couple of weeks after becoming a Rally Obedience Champion. Luna meant an incredible amount to the family and is deeply missed ❤️
Enya – Nifty Dude Swim’s Snow Crystal
Reg. No.: NO35058/19
Sex: Female
Intended use: Primarily a family dog, but also does some obedience training.
About Enya
Enya was the smallest puppy in the litter when she was born, and she is also the smallest of the litter as an adult—very much like her mother, Snow! Because Enya was so tiny and wore a yellow identification marker from birth, she was nicknamed “Little Yellow” in the whelping box—and she will probably always be remembered by that name. Even though she was much smaller than the other puppies in the litter, she was strong and full of vitality from day one.
Enya is a confident and environmentally stable dog with a great desire to work. She is small and fast. At the same time, she has a good off-switch and transitions easily between activity and relaxation; she is focused and enthusiastic when it is time to work, but calm when she is not working. She is eager to learn and prefers play as a reward. Enya has also had some retriever training, but most of her training has been in obedience and tricks.
Around other dogs, she has clear, calm, and appropriate canine communication. She lies flat if any conflicts arise. She is good with puppies and is kind to everyone—both people and other animals. She is gentle yet resilient and is often described as the family's little star. Like her sister Wish, mother Snow, and father Swim, Enya also “talks” when she is happy.
In the summer of 2024, Enya came to visit us. We had not seen her for several years, but she and Snow immediately reconnected and raced around the lawn playing together. It was wonderful to see how much Enya still resembles Snow.
Enya lives in Fredrikstad, about 2 hours from us, together with a younger Flatcoat and several children in the family.
Bliss– Nifty Dude Swim’s Snowstorm
Reg. No.: NO35057/19
Sex: Female
Retriever Hunting Tests: Excellent AK (novice class)
Working Test: Passed novice class (AK) twice and qualified for open class (EK)
Unofficial Working Test:
Winner of open class (EK) Hunting Cup, Norwegian Retriever Club (NRK), Norwegian Retriever Club Oslo & Surrounding Area, 2025
2nd Place novice class (AK) Hunting Cup, 2023
Obedience: 2nd Prize and 2nd Place in Obedience Class III
Show: Very Good
About Bliss
Bliss is perhaps the dog in the litter who most resembles her father Swim in appearance. More information about Bliss will follow. Bliss lives in Rælingen, about half an hour from us, together with her half-sister Brava.
Phoebe – Nifty Dude Swim’s Snowboarder
Reg. No.: NO35056/19
Sex: Female
Height: 55 cm
Weight: 24 kg
Retriever Hunting Tests: Very Good AK (novice class)
Working Test: Passed novice class (AK) twice, including one Excellent and a 4th place, and qualified for open class (EK).
Unofficial Working Test: 4th place novice class (AK) Hunting Cup, Norwegian Retriever Club Oslo & Surrounding Area, 2023
Show: Very Good
About Phoebe
Phoebe is described as a dog who probably should have been named “Fus” (“Fus” is a Norwegian word children use to claim priority when they want to be first in choosing something), as she always wants to be first in everything. To achieve this, she combines her strengths: focus and speed. She is bold and optimistic, which has also led to several trips to the veterinarian due to bumps and falls.
In retriever training, her greatest strength lies in independent work. Her marking ability has repeatedly been described as excellent—she never forgets a mark and never gives up. Her hunting/search ability is very good, with great speed and stamina. Her main challenge is handling directions; she becomes too independent and prefers to solve tasks on her own. She can also become overly “hot,” which has led to vocalisation and poor heelwork.
In everyday life, she is kind to everyone and very gentle when meeting other dogs. She has even demonstrated outstanding dog tolerance during retriever hunting tests. She is a total mummy’s girl, but affectionate with the whole family. She is relaxed at home, but will alert when someone arrives. She always sleeps with her tongue hanging out, she swims year-round, and at veterinary visits she answers with a bark when her name is called!
Phoebe started itching at around six years of age and has since been on a special diet that works well. I have not yet added this to FlatcoatData. I am waiting to see whether it was coincidental that the itching stopped at that time or whether she has reacted to a specific protein source. So far, she has not shown any signs of itching from eating chicken or salmon.
Phoebe lives in Oslo with a younger Flatcoat. During her first year she lived with her aunt Nella from my first litter.
