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Gundog group · Netherlands

Nederlandse Kooikerhondje

Also called Kooiker, Dutch Decoy Dog, Kooikerhondje.

Small dog, moderate energy, quick to learn.

  • Alert
  • Friendly
  • Territorial
  • Intelligent
  • Lively
Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, a small gundog breed
Photo by Pexels on Pexels
Size
Small
Weight
9 to 14 kg20 to 30 lb
Lives
12 to 15 years
Energy
Moderate
Trains
High
Barks
Moderate

Training

Training a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje

Gundog breeds. Quick to learn and quick to get over-excited. The work is calm around distractions, not obedience.

  1. Sensitive Nature

    Start here

    Kooikers are sensitive to harsh treatment. Use positive, gentle training methods exclusively.

  2. Early Socialisation

    Natural wariness of strangers requires extensive early socialisation for confident adult temperament.

  3. Intelligence

    Quick learners that thrive with mental challenges. Vary training to keep them engaged.

The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.

Add your Nederlandse Kooikerhondje and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, on video with Atlas and Shango.

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Coming to iPhone first. The list hears the day it opens.

At home

Living with one

Bred to find, flush and retrieve game alongside a person. Biddable, busy, and happiest with a job.

Gets on with

  • ChildrenModerate
  • Other dogsModerate
  • StrangersLow
  • CatsModerate

Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.

Exercise
1 hour daily. Moderate exercise with mental stimulation. Enjoys fetch and agility.
Grooming
Moderate. Weekly brushing to maintain coat. Feathering needs regular attention.
Drool
Low
Coat
Medium length, Slightly wavy, FeatheredOrange-red and White
In a flat
Can work, with enough exercise outside it.

Health

Things to ask a breeder or vet about

  • Von Willebrand Disease

    Moderate

    Blood clotting disorder that can be tested for genetically

  • Hereditary Necrotizing Myelopathy

    Severe

    Spinal cord condition, genetic testing available

  • Patellar Luxation

    Mild

    Kneecap displacement common in smaller breeds

Where they come from

History

An old Dutch breed used to lure ducks into traps (kooien) for hunters. The distinctive white tail plume attracted curious ducks. Appears in paintings by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters. Nearly extinct after World War II, revived from just 25 dogs.

  • Tommy · Baroness van Hardenbroek's first Kooikerhondje who helped revive the breed after WWII

Similar breeds

All breeds

Titan Training Academy

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