The Dutch Shepherd – What Breed Is that Beautiful Dog?

The Dutch Shepherd – What Breed Is that Beautiful Dog?

I’m often told that I have a beautiful dog and then asked the question: “What breed is it?” I proudly reply that it is a Dutch Shepherd. While new to the AKC, the breed has been recognized in Europe for over 125 years. The original Breed Standard was created by the Netherlands Shepherd Club (Nederlandse Herdershonden Club or NHC) in the year 1898.

Admirers are taken by the distinctive brindle coat that is a hallmark of the breed. What may come as a surprise is that the coat comes in three varieties; Shorthair, Longhair, and Roughhair. The coat varieties may give the appearance of three different breeds, but underneath their coats they have the same structure and are subject to the same Breed Standard.

The AKC Breed Standard is modeled after the Standard written by the NHC and it mirrors as closely as possible the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) Standard. Maintaining this long-standing international Standard is of the utmost importance to the AKC parent club, the American Dutch Shepherd Association.

The Dutch Shepherd is so much more than an attractive dog; it is a lively, athletic, alert, and intelligent breed that has retained the herding instinct for which it was originally developed.

Medium-sized and well-balanced, the Dutch Shepherd is a dog of great endurance, lively temperament, and high intelligence, indicative of a true shepherd dog. Having an independent nature, it can be slightly obstinate and have a mind of its own. The Dutch Shepherd is competitive in the show ring and skilled in performance competition and in working activities (search and rescue, scent detection, military and police work).

Origins of the Dutch Shepherd

The Dutch Shepherd is a natural land-breed of Dutch origins. Since its original duties were to keep flocks of sheep in a particular location, it is able to run all day, and this is reflected in its physique and structure. The Dutch Shepherd was discovered as a naturally occurring shepherd’s dog living in rural areas of the Netherlands. It was developed as an all-purpose farm dog, working originally as a farm guard, drover, and livestock dog. They also watched the children and alerted the farmer if strangers entered the farmyard.

The Dutch Shepherd in the Show Ring

A few things to look for which differentiate the breed (besides being brindle).

All three varieties are the same under their coats. They are medium-sized, middle-weighted, well-muscled dogs of powerful and well-balanced structure. The difference between sexes is clearly recognizable, especially in the shape of the head and build of the body.

Proportions

• The Dutch Shepherd is NOT square. The length (measured from point of breastbone to point of buttock) compared to the height at the withers should be a 10 to 9 ratio.
• Bone structure is solid and moderate in proportion to height.
• Appearance is well balanced, neither too light nor too heavy.

Head

• Wedge-shaped. Skull and muzzle are equal in length, with a moderate stop; bridge of the muzzle is straight and parallel to the top of a flat skull.
• Lips are tight and black.
• Remember to put your hands on the muzzle of the Roughhair variety. It may appear square but it is most certainly wedge-shaped.

Eyes

• Eyes are dark and almond-shaped, of medium size and set at a slightly oblique angle.

Ears

• Medium-sized, stiff, and erect.

Tail

• At rest, it hangs down or with a slight curve.
• Reaches at least to the hock.
• In action, it is carried gracefully upwards, never curled or carried sideways.

Angulation

• Not excessively angulated. With a correctly angulated rear, a perpendicular line dropped from the point of buttock will meet the top of the rear foot.
• Nothing should be exaggerated about a Dutch Shepherd.

Coat

The dog is shown in natural coat without excessive grooming. Excessive grooming makes it difficult to discern whether the outer coat is hard vs. the wooly undercoat.

Whiskers are present in all coat-types.

• The Shorthair coat is uniformly quite hard, close-fitting, and not too short, with a woolly undercoat. Ruff, breeches, and tail plume are clearly visible.
• The Longhair coat is long, straight, and well fitting, harsh to the touch, without curls or waves, also with a woolly undercoat. Ruff and breeches are distinct, the tail is abundantly coated. The head, ears, feet, and hind legs below the hocks are short and densely coated. The backsides of the forelegs show a strongly developed coat, the feathering shortening in length towards the feet. There are no fringes at the ears.
• The Roughhair coat is dense, harsh, and tousled with a woolly, dense undercoat. The coat is close-fitting. The upper and lower lips should be well covered with a beard. Two well-defined, coarse, rough eyebrows are distinct but not exaggerated. In profile, it seems as if the head has a more square appearance. Strongly developed breeches are desirable. The tail is covered all-round with hair. The brindle pattern may be less pronounced because of the tousled coat. The Roughhair coat should be hand-plucked twice a year.

Color & Markings

• Brindle pattern with a base color that is golden or silver. Golden can vary from sand color to chestnut red. The brindle may be black or a dark brown and is clearly present all over the body and in the ruff, breeches, and tail. A small amount of white on chest or toes is permitted. A black mask is preferred.

Movement

• This dog is a trotter with free, smooth movement without exaggerated drive or stride. The backline remains firm
  and level.
• The Dutch Shepherd should be moved on a loose lead. Pulling the head up with the lead will distort the dog’s natural, effortless movement.

But What About Health?

The Dutch Shepherd is generally a healthy and athletic breed with a life expectancy of 12-14 years. Health screenings along with regular veterinary care contribute to the long-term health of the Dutch Shepherd.

The American Dutch Shepherd Association (ADSA) recommends the following health-testing on all three varieties:

• OFA Radiographic Hip Evaluation or PennHIP Evaluation – To assess and rule out hip dysplasia.
• OFA Radiographic Elbow Evaluation – To assess and rule out elbow dysplasia.
• CAER Eye Evaluation – Annual eye screening to detect hereditary conditions such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and other eye diseases.

Dogs that meet these health-testing protocols are eligible for Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) certification, verifying their compliance with breed-specific health standards. Although not required for CHIC certification, the ADSA recommends testing for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), a DNA test to screen for this degenerative spinal cord disease.

In addition, there are some health issues that are variety-specific. The ADSA encourages breeders to conduct the following tests to ensure the health of breeding stock:

For the Longhair variety:

• Autoimmune Thyroiditis – To detect thyroid dysfunction.
• Von Willebrand’s Disease – A DNA test for a
  clotting disorder.

For the Shorthair variety:

Spongy Degeneration with Cerebellar Ataxia 1 & 2 – DNA testing is recommended as these genetic conditions affect the cerebellum and can lead to severe coordination issues. Like other herding breeds, there is some concern for anesthesia sensitivity. This should be mentioned to your veterinarian before any procedure that involves general anesthesia. Monitoring and adjustments to anesthesia protocols may be necessary.

The American Dutch Shepherd Association

The American Dutch Shepherd Association is the AKC parent club for the Dutch Shepherd and is responsible for developing the AKC Dutch Shepherd Breed Standard. The Standard is written to maintain the Dutch Shepherd as one breed with three distinct varieties (Shorthair, Longhair, and Roughhair), just as it was established by the breed’s foundation club in the Netherlands, the NHC (hollandseherder.nl).

The mission of the ADSA is to promote and protect quality and versatility in the purebred Dutch Shepherd, to educate members and others about the breed, to encourage the highest standards of ownership and breeding, and to strive to bring the breed’s natural qualities to perfection.

For more information on the Dutch Shepherd, and to determine which variety may be right for you, visit: dutchshepherd.org,
or contact the American Dutch Shepherd Association at: info@dutchshepherd.org.