Dutch Shepherd Dog / Holland Shepherd, Dutch Shepherd, Hollandse Herder

 
Energy
3/5
Activity
4/5
Affection
4/5
Training
4/5
Friendship with other dogs
4/5
Friendship with strangers
2/5
Watch dog
4/5
Guard dog
4/5
Grooming
4/5
Origin: Netherlands
Height: 21.45 - 24.57 inch
Weight: 57.2 - 66.0 lbs

Breed history:

Like the Belgian Shepherd, whom it resembles, it is a descendant of the Persian Shepherd and is known only in its native country. It can be found in 3 varieties: with short hair, with rough hair and with long hair. The first variety is the most popular, the last two being nearly extinct.

Description:

The Dutch Shepherd Dog is a medium-sized dog, with a strong and powerfull body. The head is medium in lenght, thin and conical. The eyes are almond-shaped, slightly slanting and the ears are short and kept straight. The tail is long, with rich hair and slightly curved. The variety with short hair can be brown with golden or silver stripes; the one with rough hair can be greyish-blue, salt and pepper, or reddish-brown and the one with long hair is chestnut, with gold or silver stripes.

Personality:

It is an always alert, lively, active dog, eager to learn. Very devoted to its owner, it is passionate about its work. It gets along well with dogs from the same breed and other pets. They like playing with children but are not friendly with strangers.

Grooming:

The short and long hair varieties require regular combing to remove dead hair. The variety with rough hair doesn’t require brushing.

Living conditions:

It is not a pretentious dog, therefore it is resistant to bad weather and able to perform any kind of work. They need exercise and organized activities, being eager to work. They need socialization, training and exercise.

Training:

They are relatively easy to train because they are attentive and learn fast. They are good contestants in agility contests: flyball or training.

Usefulness:

It is used as a watchdog for herds and houses and as a companion.

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