History

The Dutch Sheep Dog originated from a type of shepherd dog found in various forms across Western Europe. These sheepdogs were versatile and adept at a range of tasks. Although they were no longer needed for fighting wolves and thus didn’t need to be very large, they still had to perform a variety of useful functions for the shepherd. This versatility led to a number of different variants. The Germans, Belgians, and Dutch each developed their own distinct breeding lines from these variants, with the Belgian and Dutch breeds showing clear similarities.

The Dutch Shepherd Dog is a medium-sized, energetic breed. Originally bred for hard work, it combines following the shepherd’s commands with independent initiative, effectively guiding the flock, preventing straying, and avoiding damage.

Behaviour

In our experience, he is a calm house dog when given ample opportunity to expend his energy through walking, working, or playing each day. He learns quickly and adapts easily to the household routine.

While his rapid learning ability is beneficial, it has both advantages and disadvantages. He swiftly grasps what is permitted and what is not, but he can also quickly learn to exploit any leniencies. Consistency in training is essential, as he has a tendency to challenge authority and interpret the rules in a way that suits him best.

Hereditary Health

The Dutch Shepherd has never been a breed driven by fashion trends, which is fortunate as many breeds that have experienced such fads have suffered as a result. High demand for puppies of a particular breed often attracts opportunistic breeders who focus on producing as many puppies as possible without regard for the breed’s typical qualities. This can lead to a rapid increase in hereditary defects.

While breeding too rapidly can be detrimental, breeding too infrequently is also problematic. A breed requires a minimum number of individuals to maintain a viable and healthy gene pool. The exact number is difficult to determine and depends on various factors.

One such factor is the willingness of owners to make their dogs available for breeding. Many people may desire a well-bred dog but are reluctant to manage the responsibilities associated with caring for a litter.

Longhair/Shorthair Crosses

To prevent the genetic base of long-hair breeding from becoming too narrow, long-hair breeders have periodically introduced fresh blood by interbreeding with short-hairs. This practice has occurred several times, most recently in the 1960s, 1988, 2001, and 2014, under the supervision of the Raad van Beheer op Kynologisch Gebied.

Offspring from such long-hair/short-hair crosses (the F1 generation) are all short-haired, as the hereditary factor for short hair is dominant over long hair. If a long-hair is used again in the next generation (F2), statistically 50% of the pups will be longhaired and 50% shorthaired. If a long-hair is used for the third generation (F3), all the pups will be long-haired. The F1, F2, and F3 generations are recorded in the appendix of the pedigree book. From the F4 generation onwards, the puppies are registered in the pedigree book as purebred long-hairs.

Since acquiring our first Dutch Shepherd in 1973, this breed has been, above all, a wonderful companion to me.