Yes, Dutch Shepherds are great family dogs! While they may look intimidating, they're a friendly and playful breed who's ideal for families with children.
As an athletic breed of medium size, the most common issues afflicting them are hip and elbow dysplasia and other joint conditions. A Dutch Shepherd can also develop inflammatory bowel diseases and other digestive problems or atopic skin diseases.
Dutch Shepherds generally tend to be more affectionate with family—and more protective. They may cling to your side or love to cuddle in your lap! It's important to get all dogs used to being alone early in life, but especially clingier breeds, as this trait can lead to separation anxiety.
The Dutch Shepherd is an excellent watchdog and very loyal to their families. They are not known to be overly vocal, but they will bark if a stranger enters their territory.
While Dutch Shepherds are more rare than many other shepherd breeds, they are known to be some of the healthiest and easiest to train.
Dutch Shepherds. Overview – Dutch Shepherds make incredible protection dogs. They are versatile and highly intelligent and skilled which makes them very suitable for protection training. They have very strong protection instincts and, with some training, can become the ultimate protection dog.
The Dutch Shepherd is a lively, athletic, alert and intelligent breed, and has retained its herding instinct for which it was originally developed. Having an independent nature, it can be slightly obstinate and have a mind of its own.
Overall, the Dutch Shepherd is better bred than the German Shepherd, and it shows. While German Shepherds live just 10-13 years—quite short compared to breeds of similar size—Dutch Shepherds live a more average 11-14 years. American breeding standards are often lacking, leading to poor health in our dogs.
Not just an exceptional worker, the Dutch Shepherd is also a loyal, friendly and affectionate friend that craves companionship and family time above everything else. If left alone for too long, the Dutch Shepherd can get bored and lonely. It really flourishes when given a steady dose of good-natured play and affection.
Canine companions that follow their humans everywhere are often referred to as “velcro dogs” because of their desire to be attached to your side. “Dogs are pack animals, and we are their pack,” says Sally Morgan, author and holistic physical therapist for pets and people.
Dutch shepherds have great intelligence, temperaments, and working skills, but they can be quite independent. However, they are affectionate, steadfast and loyal dogs that form strong attachments with their family. With the right introductions, they live well with other dogs and children, too.
These all-purpose working dogs love to be on the move. Dutch Shepherds make great running companions and enjoy brisk walks, hiking, swimming, and trips to the dog park. These highly intelligent dogs also excel in agility, obedience, rally, dock diving, and—of course—herding. Mental stimulation is important, too.
Dutch Shepherds are bred for working and can be used as police, search and rescue, or guide dogs. They are also popular as family pets thanks to their loyalty and trainability. These dogs have the strongest bite force of 224 psi, which is one of the reasons they are often used in law enforcement.
We have mentioned above that the Dutch Shepherd has high energy levels and therefore has fairly big exercise needs. These pups should be exercising for around 30 to 60 minutes a day and it should be in the form of both physical and mental stimulation.
Because they are so in-tune with “their people”, separation anxiety is an issue that is seen in the breed. The Dutch Shepherd must be given firm leadership from the time they first arrive in the house or they may try to take charge.
The Dutch Shepherd is a playful, athletic breed with sky-high energy, so they're best suited for pet parents with an active lifestyle. Dutchies love a spacious home and yard and are great with kids. These pups are eager to please and thrive when given a job to do.
The Dutch Shepherd is a moderate shedder but the level will depend on the type of coat each particular dog has. For instance, long-hair Dutch Shepherds will shed more than short-haired and rough-haired Dutch Shepherds. This can affect the amount of grooming required.
Once nearly driven to extinction, the Dutch shepherd is a rare breed of dog from the Netherlands. At first glance, the Dutch shepherd is easy to confuse with his German cousin, but there are distinct differences between the two breeds, both physically and in temperament.
Coat Type: The Dutch Shepherd comes in four coat varieties: the smooth-coat, the long-coat, the rough-coat, and the inter-varieties. All varieties of coats are dense, double-coats with a woolly undercoat and protective outer coat.
Description. The Dutch Shepherd comes in three varieties: longhaired (long, straight, flat and harsh), shorthaired (quite hard, not too short) and wire-haired (medium length—dense harsh and tousled—more curly-coated than wire-coated).
Both breeds can trace their roots back to herding cattle and sheep, but Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherds serve other purposes in modern society. Belgian Malinois are described as a confident, smart and hardworking breed, while Dutch Shepherds are considered intelligent, lively and athletic.
He does require regular grooming, although the long-hair and wire-hair variety will require much more intensive grooming than the short-hair variety. A steel comb and natural bristle brush will be needed to remove any dead and loose hairs in the short and long-hair variety.
If your dog sees you as the alpha, they will permit you to eat first and refrain from snatching or stealing food. This is a sign of respect. In your home, you set your dog's feeding schedule. If your pup sees you as the alpha, he or she will patiently wait for food or subtly ask for table scraps.