The origin of the herder breed, the standard of appearance, the character of the animal and its health, advice on care, training, interesting facts. Price when buying a puppy. This dog is proud of its good health, remarkable endurance and excellent working qualities in its homeland - in Holland. These animals are considered a national treasure. The breed and working qualities of these animals preserve and increase. For people, they are helpers capable of performing a lot of functions. They perfectly guard houses, graze livestock, save people, serve in the army and police. These are wonderful pets - they love all family members, from children to old people, but they always have one owner.
The origin story of the Dutch Shepherd
These dogs are practically unknown outside Holland. There are a small number of animals in Belgium, which is very close, in France and Switzerland. There are literally few of them in Russia and Ukraine. There Hurders can only be found at major dog show championships. Throughout their history, they have served people, guarding their homes, livestock and property.
The population of these dogs was formed in Holland in the second half of the 18th century. The progenitors were the Belgian Shepherd Dogs. The initial scattered clubs of this breed were organized around 1860. In the city of Amsterdam in 1874 there was a city dog show. There, for the first time, this breed was demonstrated under the name - "local shepherd dog". True, such an incomprehensible and non-binding name did not last long.
The official birthday of the new canine species can be considered June 12, 1898. It was on this day that a large dog show took place in the city of Arnhem, and the "local shepherd dog" was presented under a different name - "holland herder dog". Which means - Dutch working dog. At that exhibition, the first national Dutch shepherd club was organized and a herdbook was opened, in which the first 17 individuals were entered.
Herder is not a common breed. In the world, no more than three hundred puppies are born annually. But at home, this breed is cherished and very sensitive to it. The Herders have never been bred commercially. Maybe that's why they retained their remarkable working qualities. They are used in the army, police, fire services. These are very temperamental animals with a huge potential for a wide variety of application functions, with a great desire to work and be of benefit to humans.
Herder is a very rare breed - it is an almost endangered type. But the Dutch love their country and preserve historical values in literally everything, including in every possible way trying to preserve these beautiful dogs.
The breed is little represented abroad. Well, in the Lower Netherlands they still work as shepherds, grazing huge herds of cattle.
Hurder external standard
Outwardly, the Dutch Shepherd Dog is quite large, at the withers it reaches up to 60 centimeters, but at the same time, according to the standard, it should be quite light in weight - no more than 26 kg. The length of the dog must be greater than the height. At the age of 27 months, the animal reaches its peak of good shape, and can take part in competitions and exhibitions.
- Head. In good proportion to the body. Elongated enough. The frontal part merges smoothly into the muzzle.
- Muzzle herder. Equal in length with the cranial part of the head, tapering towards the end. When viewed from the side, it is almost in line with the frontal part. The upper lips slightly cover the lower jaw, tightly pressed. Scissor bite. The teeth are powerful with tightly fitting canines.
- Nose - Well pronounced. The nose is only black.
- Eyes. Set wide apart. Small, almond-shaped. Dark to light brown in color. Drawn with black edging.
- Ears. High landing. Long, erect, triangular in shape, tapering towards the end. Broken ears and rounded tips are considered a big flaw in the Dutch Shepherd.
- Neck. Moderately long, muscular, blending smoothly into the shoulder blades, without dewlap.
- Frame. Powerful, slightly elongated. The musculature is mesomorphic. The back is straight. The rib cage is muscular. The croup is short, slightly sloping. The belly is not tucked up.
- Tail at Herder. Slightly longer than average. In a calm state, the dog keeps the tail straight or slightly bent upwards. When moving, the tail is raised higher and straight, but not to the side.
- Extremities. Strong boned, well muscled. The forearms are dry and long with flexible ligaments, the thigh is very muscular - forms an obtuse angle with the lower leg.
- Paws. Oval, slightly elongated. Fingers in the form of a vault, well pressed together. The claws are painted black.
Heder's coat
There are three types of wool:
- Shorthaired - hair throughout the body is uniform. The coat is slightly longer on the hips and tail. The undercoat is dense.
- Longhaired - the hair is long, straight, with a thick undercoat. The muzzle, ears, hind legs up to the hock and feet are covered with short hair. The dorsum of the forelimbs is feathered. The hair on the tail is long. Ears without feathers;
- Wire-haired - the rarest species of dogs even in their homeland. The coat all over the body, except for the muzzle, is short and coarse, tousled with undercoat. There is a peculiar beard on the face. The eyebrows stand out noticeably. There is less hair in the frontal part of the head, on the ears and on the cheekbones. On the hind legs, the wool forms "feather-trousers".
Herder with short and long hair has a color typical only for this breed. They have yellow hair interspersed with black stripes. When shedding, yellow hair is more noticeable, then darker. The muzzle has a black mask. Breeders aim to achieve a spotted pattern with a golden hue. The final color becomes visible by one and a half or two years of life of the animal.
In the wire-haired variety, the colors are: gray with a blue tint, pepper and salt, variegated or brindle on a pale, and sometimes yellowish-brown background.
Disadvantages of all types of colors:
- the presence of white spots;
- lack of a mask;
- solid color;
- other colors not specified by the standard.
Dutch Shepherd personality
These are exclusively country dogs. Of course, they can be kept in the city, but it is better that they live in nature in active movement. In no case are these animals kept on chains in a confined space. Even if the pets are kept in free conditions, it is imperative to walk with them and find time for communication. They badly need the attention of the owner and close contact with him.
If the breeder is not a villager, then he must certainly be an active person, for example, an avid hunter or sportsman. So he will be able to give his pet the necessary physical activity. Go in for running, cycling with him. Also, with a four-legged friend, you can visit the grounds equipped for training with dogs. When you observe the behavior of a Dutchman, one gets the impression that he seems to be busy with something all the time. If you do not give the command, the dog is able to find something to do on his own. But not for long. Usually bored, he begins to jump to draw the attention of his master. Does not stand still, moves all the time.
In the protection of the house, they have an interesting feature of behavior. They do not let a stranger into the house, but outside of it they no longer show aggressiveness towards a stranger. The harder standard states that they should not be aggressive towards outsiders, but will treat them with distrust - wary.
Dogs are not shy and confident. Dutch Shepherds have a very sharp mind. Savvy, understand their owner at a glance. They love the members of the whole family, but they choose one owner, and for life. They are very sensitive and attentive to children and the elderly. They not only play with them, but they diligently guard and even educate them if possible. Dutch Shepherds often work as guides and very often entertain people in nursing homes.
Dog health
Not only are these very beautiful animals, they are also distinguished by good health. Herders have passed natural selection and therefore have strong immunity. They never have the hereditary genetic diseases that so often plague many varieties of dogs.
In very rare cases, there may be the following diseases: cataracts, hip dysplasia, arthritis.
But of course, in order for your pet to grow up healthy and always feel in good shape, proper attention must be paid to its feeding and maintenance. In addition, the pet's diet needs to be enriched with vitamins and minerals in the required amount.
The animal must be regularly and routinely vaccinated. Permanent antihelminthic and antiparasitic procedures are carried out. After all, fleas and ticks are the spread of many serious diseases. Dutch Shepherd Dogs definitely need to be subjected to physical activity, because these are not couch lapdogs at all. To maintain a good condition of the muscular system, they are engaged in active training.
Herder Care Tips
- Wool. The hair of the Hurders requires constant attention. These dogs need to be combed regularly, especially long-haired and wire-haired, because their undercoat is very thick. The frequency of the procedure is once a week. During the molting period, the animal is combed out almost every day. Thus, you will help the dog to quickly get rid of dead hairs. This manipulation is best done in the yard or while walking, away from crowded places. This way you will also avoid cleaning your house or apartment. The animals are combed with a slicker. The beauty guidance is completed by smoothing with a rubber mitten. This procedure removes the remaining hair and is a good massage for the pet's body. The wire-haired type must be trimmed. They are trimmed in the torso area along the back using a special tool. The hair on the ears, paws, belly, tail, as the final touch of the procedure, is carefully trimmed with scissors. It is necessary to bathe harders only if the coat is dirty. After all, these are not decorative dogs, but working guards and shepherds. It is necessary to use only branded shampoos for water procedures, so as not to wash off the protective lubricant from the dog's hair. To avoid colds, the dog should be kept in a warm, draft-free environment until the dog is dry.
- Ears. These dogs are working dogs. Therefore, regularly monitor the condition of the ears. If necessary, it is imperative to clean them with aids.
- Eyes. They do not require special care. If necessary, wipe their eyes from dirt and physiological secretions (towards the inner corner of the eye) with a special cotton napkin, dipped in soothing and soothing herbal decoctions.
- Teeth. Need to clean regularly, there will be no further problems with the oral cavity. Use edible animal pastes and special brushes for procedures. And sometimes pamper your four-legged pet with bones to prevent plaque.
- Claws. Usually the claws of the harders are grinded off themselves, and they are specially cut off only on the dewclaws (if they are not amputated at a young age). Dutch Shepherds spend a lot of time in wildlife. In this regard, check your pet's paw pads. Keep them free of cuts, splinters and cracks. Lubricate the paw pads periodically with softening vegetable oil.
- Feeding. The natural diet of such a dog, first of all, should include lean meat (beef, veal, lamb, chicken, turkey), offal (liver, lungs, heart). The animal's diet is supplemented with cereals (buckwheat, barley, wheat), fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir) and vegetables (carrots, apples, zucchini). Dry food and canned food are selected according to the condition and characteristics of the animal. Concentrates must be of high quality and tested. Do not buy cheap feed from unknown manufacturers. Regardless of which diet you have chosen for your pet, be sure to give him vitamins and minerals according to the age and condition of the body. Never give a harder bone - it clogs the intestines. Particularly dangerous are the bones of birds, which can cut the intestines, which often leads to death.
- Walking. In order to keep the "Dutchman" healthy, he needs to get regular physical activity. In rural areas or in a farm environment, the pet gets quite actively and moves a lot, helping a person. But if he is kept in a city apartment, then he needs to be trained on specially equipped dog grounds. You can go in for sports activities with him. For example, cycling or running.
Dutch Shepherd training
The Dutch make sure that this dog is regularly trained and does not lose its working qualities. Therefore, when breeding these dogs, special attention is paid to their training. And the first thing a herder should learn is obedience (obedience training).
The animal must be one hundred percent controllable, move near the owner's leg without a leash. Unquestioningly carry out all kinds of commands, both at a distance and near the owner, regardless of weather conditions. Even if the owner tells the dog to lie down in a puddle or on cold ground, it must immediately obey. Moreover, commands to the animal are received not only with the help of voice, but also with the help of gestures. The animal should not be distracted by strangers and other dogs.
The main thing in training is to find contact with a four-legged friend and to interest him. It is rather difficult to captivate Herders with food, but they love all kinds of toys. For possession of the ball, the "Dutch" are able to do anything. Of course, you need to teach a four-legged pet from "young teeth" and you need to do this regularly.
Young individuals can be quite aggressive, treats their fellows. This is easily eliminated. You just need to teach the puppy from an early age to communicate with his own kind, with people and other animals, to teach him to behave appropriately on city streets, in public places and offices.
Interesting facts about Hurders
The Dutch Shepherd standard is one of the oldest in Holland. The first society of this breed was founded back in 1898. At the same time, the first standard of the species was established, which changed only twice during the entire existence of the Herder. Since then, the breed has only improved, although sometimes small adjustments are made to the usual standards. In photographs taken in the last century, these wonderful dogs look almost the same as they do now, which cannot be said about many other breeds of modern shepherd dogs.
Price when buying a Dutch Shepherd
To get a Herder with an excellent exterior and a decent pedigree, you need to go to their homeland in the state of the Netherlands. Only in this country are the best kennels of this breed. In Russia and other CIS countries, dogs with good data are likely to be very difficult to find.
The average price for a purebred Dutch Shepherd puppy ranges from $ 1000 to $ 3000, varying from gender and exterior to the dog. In addition to the cost of the cost of the puppy, there will also be expenses - for the round trip.
But in any case, good luck making your dreams come true!
What a Dutch shepherd looks like and how it is trained, see this video:
