THE DUTCH SHEPHERD

The Dutch Shepherd originated in the Netherlands and was used in the countryside to watch over the flocks. They guarded the flocks as well as kept them away from the crops. The Dutch Shepherd herded the animals and alerted the farmer to strangers which made them excellent watch and guard dogs. By the 1900's the flocks dwindled and with modernized farming the Dutch Shepherd was no longer needed or sought after. The Dutch Shepherd numbers also dwindled and the breed became rare and neared extinction. Today the breed is still somewhat rare and are used most commonly as police dogs, military dogs, and search and rescue dogs because of their high train ability. The Dutch Shepherd is a medium sized dog, 22"-25" tall and weighting 55-75lbs, that is highly intelligent and loyal with natural strong protective instincts. They can come in short, wire, and long hair coats and their brindle coloring is what makes the Dutch Shepherd. The Dutch Shepherd is reliable, alert, intelligent, and loyal. They love attention and love to learn. They are affectionate, happy, and obedient dogs. Some say the Dutch Shepherd is the most competent of all the shepherd breeds and a pleasure to train. This is what makes this breed a great choice for service work, police work, military work, search and rescue work, personal protection, dog sport, and a family companion. Since the Dutch Shepherd was bred to watch over the farmers flocks their natural guarding skills transfer to their handler or home and family, alerting them when a stranger approaches. The Dutch Shepherd has no serious physical or mental hereditary illnesses. There has been some reports of hip dysplasia but these have been quite low. The Dutch Shepherd has the work ethics of a German Shepherd and the energy of a Belgium Malinois which makes it the best of both worlds.