All canids and felids worldwide
Planethoster

Dutch Shepherd Dog

Dutch Shepherd Dog

FCI standard Nº 223
Origin
 The Netherlands
Translation
 N.H.C. (Nederlandse Herdershonden Club, 08.07.2008)
Group
 Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs
Section
 Section 1 Sheepdogs
Working
 Without working trial
Acceptance on a definitive basis by the FCI
 Wednesday 11 May 1955
Publication of the official valid standard
 Saturday 21 December 2019
Last update
 Thursday 09 January 2020
En français, cette race se dit
 Berger hollandais
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar
 Holländischer Schäferhund
En español, esta raza se dice
 Pastor holandés
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd
 Hollandse Herdershond

Usage
Companion dog and Sheepdog.

Brief historical summary
Originally the main function of the Dutch Shepherd Dog was that of a shepherd’s dog in the countryside. From early times, the Dutch had an arable culture that was – among other things – maintained by flocks of sheep. The dogs had to keep the flock away from the crops, which they did by patrolling the borders of the road and the fields. They also accompanied the flocks on their way to the common meadows, markets and ports.
At the farm, they kept the hens away from the kitchen garden, they herded the cows together for milking and pulled the milk carts. They also alerted the farmers if strangers entered the farmyard. Around 1900, sheep flocks had for the greater part disappeared in the Netherlands. The versatile skills of the Dutch Shepherd Dog made him suitable for dog training, which was then starting to become popular. Thus he started on a new career as a police dog, as a search- and tracking dog and as a guide dog for the blind. He is, however, still capable of herding sheep. The breed’s first standard dates from 12 June 1898.

General appearance
A medium-sized, middle-weighted, well-muscled dog of powerful and well-balanced structure. A dog with lots of endurance, a lively temperament and an intelligent expression. Depending on the coat the breed is distinguished in the following varieties: short-, long- and wire haired.

Important proportions
The length of the body (from point of shoulder to point of buttock) exceeds the height at the withers, approximately at a ratio of 10:9, as suits a trotting dog.
The proportion of the length of the skull to the muzzle is 1:1.

Behaviour / temperament
Very loyal and reliable, always alert, watchful, active, independent, with persistence, intelligence, prepared to be obedient and gifted with the true shepherding temperament. The Dutch Shepherd Dog works willingly together with its owner and he deals independently with any task which is assigned to him.
When herding larger flocks he must have the capacity to work together with several other dogs.

Head

Cranial region
Head
 In good proportion to the body. Seen from above and in profile it is wedge-shaped. Its shape is rather elongated, without wrinkles; dry, with flat cheeks and no pronounced cheekbones. Because of the coat, the head of the wire-haired variety appears to look more square, but this is an illusion.
Skull
 Flat. 
Stop
 Slight, though clearly present.

Facial region
Nose
 Black.
Muzzle
 Slightly longer than the flat forehead. Bridge of the muzzle straight and parallel to the top line of the cranial region.
Lips
 Tight and well pigmented.
Jaws and teeth
 Scissors bite, strong, regular and complete.
Eyes
 Dark coloured and medium sized. The eyes are almond shaped and slightly oblique. The eyes should not be set too wide and should not protrude.
Ears
 Medium sized. When the dog is alert, the ears are carried high and erect.

Neck
Not too short, dry, without folds and gradually flowing into the body.

Body
Body
 Firm, but not coarse.
Topline
 There is a smooth, gentle transition from the neck to the top line of the body, in which head and neck are carried in a natural pose.
Back
 Straight and firm.
Loin
 Firm, neither long nor narrow.
Croup
 Slightly sloping, not short.
Chest
 Deep and long enough, not narrow, ribs slightly sprung. Fore chest fairly well developed.
Underline and belly
 Slight tuck up.

Tail
At rest, hanging straight down or with a slight curve. Reaches to the hock. In action, carried gracefully upwards, never curled or carried sideways.

Limbs

Forequarters
Generality
 The forelegs are powerful, of good length, well muscled. The bone is solid but not heavy. Always generally showing a straight line, but with sufficient suppleness of pastern.
Shoulders
 Shoulder-blades well joined to the body and well sloping.
Upper arm
 Approximately equal length to the shoulder-blades and well angulated with the connecting bones.
Elbows
 Well attached.
Forefeet
 Oval. Well knit, toes arched. Black nails and elastic dark pads.

Hindquarters
Generality
 The hind-legs are powerful and well muscled. The bone is solid but never heavy. Not excessively angulated.
Upper thigh
 Thigh and lower thigh of approximately equal length.
Hock
 Perpendicular below the point of buttock. Dewclaws none present.
Hind feet
 Oval. Well knit, toes arched. Black nails and elastic dark pads.

Gait and movement
The Dutch Shepherd Dog is a trotter with free, smooth and supple movement, without exaggerated drive or stride.

Coat

Short hair
Hair
 All over the body, quite hard, close-fitting, not too short coat with woolly undercoat. Ruff, breeches and tail plume are clearly visible.

Long hair
Hair
 All over the body, long, straight, well fitting, harsh to the touch, without curls or waves and with a woolly undercoat. Distinct ruff and breeches.
Tail abundantly coated. Head, ears and feet and also the hind legs below the hocks are short and densely coated. The backsides of the forelegs show a strongly developed coat, shortening in length towards the feet, the so-called feathering. No fringes at the ears.

Wire hair
Hair
 Dense, harsh tousled coat and a woolly, dense undercoat all over the body except for the head. The coat should be close.
Upper- and lower lip should be well-covered with hair, the whiskers and beard, and two well defined, coarse rough eyebrows that are distinct but not exaggerated. Furnishings are not soft. The hair on the skull and on the cheeks is less strongly developed. In profile it seems as if the head has a more square appearance. Strongly developed breeches are desirable. Tail is covered all round with hair. The brindle colour may be less pronounced because of the tousled coat.
The wire hair coat should be hand-plucked on average twice a year.
Colour
 Brindle. The basic colour is golden or silver. Golden can vary from light sand- coloured to chestnut red. The brindle is clearly present all over the body, in the ruff, breeches and tail. Too much black is undesirable. A black mask is preferable. Heavy white markings on chest or feet is not desirable.

Size and weight
Height at withers
 Males : 57 - 62 cm. Females : 55- 60 cm.

Faults
• Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.
• Faults listed should be in degree of seriousness.

Disqualifying faults
 Aggressive or overly shy.
 Lack of breed-type.

NB :
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• The above mentioned faults when occurring to a highly marked degree or frequently are disqualifying.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

Bibliography
http://www.fci.be/

 

Additional information from visitors
lumped under the name of Continental Sheepdog with them in the past, although some old Bullenbeisser blood is thought to flow through its veins as well. Developed in Brabant and other parts of southern Holland and what is now northern Belgium in the early 1800's, the breed was originally common in a variety of types, but by the beginning of the 20th century, the Hollandse Herdershond was standardized in three coat variants, these being the longhaired, shorthaired and bearded types. Like its Belgian cousin, the Malinois, the Dutch Shepherd has been periodically enriched with the blood of other breeds, such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, German Shepherd and its aforementioned relative from Belgium, as well as a few other breeds used as outcrosses with intentions of increasing agility, prey drive and trainability.
This is a very versatile worker, traditionally used for livestock herding and guarding, cart-pulling, property protection and police duties. Not as popular as the GSD or the Belgian dogs, the Dutch Shepherd Dog is still quite rare outside Netherlands, but its fantastic drive, agility and trainability are slowly, but steadily making it more common in America, especially with the U.S. Military. An agile breed of great intelligence, it makes a good watchdog and family pet. The body is muscular, with a straight back, deep chest and strong legs. The head is fairly narrow, but substantial. The stop is slight, the muzzle is long and the cheek muscles are well developed. The ears are naturally erect. The dense coat is weatherproof and easy to take care of. As stated earlier, there are longhaired, short-coated and rough-coated dogs accepted by the Standard, but regardless of coat type, the common colourings for the Dutch Shepherd are fawn, brown, gray, black and brindle. The average height is around 24 inches.
Details
Also available: Français (France) Deutsch (Deutschland) Español (España) Nederlands (nl-NL)
Hits: 292

No comments

The latest updated breeds

Recognized cat breeds
  • Ojos azules

    Ojos azules

    Ojos azules Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Ojos azules is a breed of cat native to the United States. This cat is characterized by its blue or odd-colored eyes, regardless of coat color. A brief historical overview The history of the Ojos Azules began in the early 1980s with the discovery in New Mexico of Cornflower, a tortoiseshell...
  • Ocicat

    Ocicat

    Ocicat Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Ocicat is a breed of cat native to the United States. This medium-sized cat is characterized by its mottled fawn coat, reminiscent of the Ocelot. A brief historical overview The Ocicat was created in 1964 in the United States by a breeder, Mrs. Virginia Daly. She wanted to breed Siamese tabby...
  • Norvégien

    Norvégien

    Norvégien Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Norvégien, also known as the Norwegian Forest Cat or Norsk skogkatt, is a semi-long-haired cat breed from Norway. This large cat is characterized by its very thick semi-long-haired coat and its wild look. A brief historical overview Cats are thought to have arrived from southern Europe and were...
  • Nebelung

    Nebelung

    Nebelung Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Nebelung is a cat breed originally from Russia. This cat is the semi-long-haired variety of the Russian Blue, whose genetic characteristics it shares. A brief historical overview The instability of the early 20th century was very difficult for many breeds, some of which almost disappeared. Such is...
  • Munchkin

    Munchkin

    Munchkin Translation Francis Vandzersteen Origin This cat is characterized by its very short legs, hence its nickname of “basset cat”. This cat is characterized by its very short legs, hence its nickname of “basset cat”. Standard For a cat to be recognized as a Munchkin, it must conform to the breed standard. If certain criteria are not met, the...
  • Mau égyptien

    Mau égyptien

    Mau égyptien Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Egyptian Mau is a cat breed originally from Egypt. Developed from 1953 in Italy and then in the United States by a Russian princess. A brief historical overview Nathalie Troubetzkoï was a Russian princess exiled in the palace of the Egyptian ambassador to Italy during the Second World War. A...
  • Mau arabe

    Mau arabe

    Mau arabe Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Mau arabe is a cat breed from the Arabian Peninsula. This medium-sized cat is characterized by its ancestral origins. A brief historical overview The Mau arabe is a natural breed, but was only recognized in 2009. These cats have occupied the Arabian Peninsula for thousands of years, living in...
  • Manx

    Manx

    Manx Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Manx is a breed of cat originating from the Isle of Man (British Isles). This cat is characterized by its lack of tail. A brief historical overview The Manx cat (kayt Manninagh or stubbin in Manx), also known as the Isle of Man cat, originated, as its name suggests, on the British Isle of Man.The...
  • Mandarin

    Mandarin

    Mandarin Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Mandarin, also known as the Oriental longhair and Javanese, is a breed of cat native to the United States. This cat is the semi-longhair variety of the Oriental. A brief historical overview The history of the Mandarin begins with that of the Oriental. In fact, the Mandarin is a semi-long-haired...
  • Maine coon

    Maine coon

    Maine coon Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Maine coon is a longhaired cat breed from the state of Maine in the United States. This rustic-looking cat is characterized by its large size, plumed tail, square muzzle, plumed ears and long coat. A brief historical overview The Maine Coon is probably one of North America's oldest natural...
  • LaPerm

    LaPerm

    LaPerm Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The LaPerm is a cat breed originally from the United States. This medium-sized cat is characterized by its curly coat. A brief historical overview The breed was created in 1982 in the U.S. state of Oregon by a woman named Linda Koehl. The curly hair is due to a natural mutation in the genes of one of...
  • Korat

    Korat

    Korat Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Korat is a breed of cat native to Thailand. This small cat is characterized by its blue coat and green eyes. A brief historical overview The Tamra Meow, or Book of Cat Poems, is a richly illustrated Thai collection of verses written between 1350 and 1767, describing seventeen different cats, some...
  • Khao Manee

    Khao Manee

    Khao Manee Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Khao Manee is a breed of cat native to Thailand. This cat is characterized by its white shorthair coat. Its eyes can be yellow, blue or mint. Standard Official recognition of the Khao Manee is underway, notably through TICA and GCCF. It has been possible to register adult and juvenile Khao...
  • Himalayen

    Himalayen

    Himalayen Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Himalayen, also known as the colorpoint or colorpoint (US), is a cat breed originating in the United States. In some European countries, this breed does not exist and is considered a coat of the Persian. A brief historical overview The Himalayen is a colorpoint Persian. These Persians are...
  • Highland Fold

    Highland Fold

    Highland Fold Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Highland Fold is a breed of cat originally from Scotland. The name Highland Fold is given to the shorthair variety. A brief historical overview The first known specimen of a cat with folded ears is Susie, a cat living on a farm north of Dundee in Scotland. She was discovered in 1961 by...
  • Scottish Fold

    Scottish Fold

    Scottish Fold Translation Francis Vandersteen Origin The Scottish Fold is a breed of cat originally from Scotland. The name Scottish Fold is given to the shorthair variety. A brief historical overview The first known specimen of a cat with folded ears is Susie, a cat living on a farm north of Dundee in Scotland. She was discovered in 1961 by...