![Kooikerhoundje Dog Breed](/sites/default/files/styles/square_medium_440x440/public/2022-07/Kooikerhoundje.jpg?itok=wCf52kTG)
Family-friendly: | 3/5 |
Exercise needs: | 5/5 |
Easy to train: | 1/5 |
Tolerates being alone: | 2/5 |
Likes other pets: | 2/5 |
Energy level: | 4/5 |
Grooming needs: | 3/5 |
Shedding: | 3/5 |
The Kooikerhondje breed can suffer from:
- Patellar luxation¹
- Hereditary necrotising myelopathy which is a serious disease affecting the spinal cord which can result in paralysis.
- Von Willebrand's disease² () which is where a dog produces insufficient or faulty clotting factors which can result in uncontrolled bleeding.
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
None but there are several recommended schemes that the Kennel Club recommends which can be found here.
¹L. Evers, 'Inherited disorders and harmful breed characteristics in the Belgian Malinois, English Cocker Spaniel, Shetland Sheepdog and Dutch Kooiker Dog in the Netherlands', 2014, Masters thesis, Utrecht University
²B. A. van Oost et al, 'DNA testing for type III von Willebrand disease in Dutch Kooiker dogs', June 2008, Journal of Internal Veterinary Medicine
Friendly, alert, intelligent and good natured with people, the Kooiker can be aloof with those they do not know well, but loving and loyal to their family. Early socialisation working on keeping their attention around other dogs is vital as they can be unfriendly or even argumentative. However, they love training and being given challenges and problems to solve.
In the UK the Kooikerhondje was originally placed in the Gundog group along with the other duck decoy breed, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. However, when they came off the import register, and after some discussion with breed clubs and breeders, it was decided to move them to the Utility group, because Kooikerhondjes do not work to the gun - instead they lure ducks into netted traps, and therefore they cannot be considered a gundog.