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Dutch shepherd

The Dutch Shepherd is a Netherlands herding breed, closely related to the Belgian and German shepherds, distinguished by a brindle coat and found in three varieties: short-haired, long-haired and rough-haired.

It stands 55 to 62 centimetres, weighs 20 to 32 kilograms and lives twelve to fifteen years. It nearly disappeared as Dutch farming mechanised and was maintained largely by police and working homes, which is why its health record is markedly better than the German Shepherd's — it never went through the show-breeding that reshaped that breed. Temperament is high-drive, intelligent and biddable, comparable to a Malinois and slightly steadier.

Origin
Netherlands; a herding breed kept alive by working homes
Size
55–62 cm; 20–32 kg
Lifespan
12–15 years
Coat
Brindle, in short, long or rough varieties
Temperament
High drive, intelligent and biddable
Health
Better than most shepherds; goniodysplasia in rough-haired lines

Related: German shepherd · Anatolian shepherd dog · Australian shepherd · Bohemian shepherd · Bucovina shepherd dog

2 dutch shepherd photos, newest first

Dutch shepherd feed
  • Sable, a dutch shepherd

    Sable

    Sable was promoted to overwhelmed airport baggage manager; unfortunately, one toy suitcase circles endlessly.

    FrostyOtter · 1 week ago

  • Sable, a dutch shepherd

    Sable

    Absolutely no notes from Sable on the photograph.

    SunnyHeron · 2 weeks ago

Living with a dutch shepherd

This is a working dog and needs a job. Protection sport, herding, scent work, agility — two hours of activity a day including real mental work. An under-worked Dutch Shepherd is anxious and destructive.

Ask for hip and elbow scores, and for goniodysplasia screening in rough-haired lines, which predisposes to glaucoma.

Masticatory myositis, an autoimmune condition affecting the jaw muscles, occurs in the breed — difficulty opening the mouth or swelling around the head needs prompt attention.

They are biddable and train readily, but they are sensitive to harshness.

Coat care depends on variety: weekly for short, more for long, and hand-stripping for rough.

General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.

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