Dutch Shepherd Dog

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Dutch Shepherd is a purely bred herding dog which is Dutch in origin. Shepherds and farmers from long ago used them with their work as they needed a versatile dog that could adapt to the harsh and meager existence of that time. This dog was developed as an all-purpose working dog, used as a herder, farm dog, security/police dog and guard dog. Those working dogs are the Dutch Shepherd's ancestors. These dogs are also called Hollandse Herdershond.

They are very suitable as a family dog as they are loyal, affectionate and can get along well with kids and other house pets. Grooming for these dogs differ according to the type of coat. Keep these dogs happy and content with a calm, assertive human who can provide them with proper leadership.

Color

This dog's coat color can either be Brown or Gray or a combination of the two colors. Typically, it has stripes of either of these colors as well.

Coat

The Dutch Shepherd's coat comes in a variety of coat types. It comes in wire-haired, long-haired and short-haired coat types. Care for each coat type differs. The most common type is the short-haired variety.

Personality

This dog is affectionate, obedient, tractable, faithful, reliable and alert. They can sometimes be territorial and protective of their property especially their family. Not only the exceptional worker, they are also loyal and friendly. They will do fine with kids and other house pets but they still cannot be trusted to be left around small children.

Care

These dogs require regular grooming depending on the type of coat. Combing and brushing should remove the dead and loose hairs. The wire-haired coat type should be plucked by a professional groomer twice a year. Hair can also be clipped in some areas of their body as a finishing touch. Excess hair on their ears should also be removed. The wire-haired type should not be brushed although moderate combing with a coarse comb should be fine. Bathe the all-weather coat when necessary to avoid losing their skin's natural oils. The long-haired coat type requires grooming about once a week or more frequently depending on work and environment. The short coated type requires brushing and combing several times a week during the spring shedding season. Other times of the year, it will only need occasional combing. Typically, these dogs can live for about 12-14 years on the average. They are generally a healthy breed but as a large breed, some of them suffer from hip dysplasia and heart defects. It would help avoid hip and joint problems if the owners will keep the juvenile dog from running or jumping before they are done growing. Wait at least for the dog's first year before these activities.

Training

These dogs are fairly easy to train as they learn fast, are attentive and enjoy training. They are naturally dominating but very intelligent. These dogs respond best to consistent, gentle and firm training. Trainer should be able to gain the trust and respect of these dogs quickly. These dogs are the exceptional worker. They can compete in events such as herding, tracking, Schutzhund, flyball, obedience and dog agility trials.

Activity

They are generally a healthy breed of dog. They enjoy doing physical activity especially the more challenging ones. A regular exercise daily will keep this dog content and balanced. This breed is much more compatible with owners who are highly active on a regular basis. This dog is suitable for both indoor and outdoor living. They can endure varying degrees of temperatures. Do not keep these dogs indoors for long periods of time as inactivity can compromise the breed's health and could possibly lead to health issues.