What is a Kooikerhondje?
Kooiker Dog (Small Dutch Waterfowl Dog)
History
The kooikerhondje breed originated in The Netherlands (Holland). It is a very old dog breed, and in fact, paintings originating from the 16th and 17th century depict the dogs .The breed did not become officially recognised until June 18, 1966.
The kooikerhondje’s long history as a decoy dog is apparent in its name. A “kooi” is an elaborate duck trap built with screens and netting around a pond or canal. A “kooiker” is the duck hunter. A “kooikerhondje,” then, is the faithful companion to the duck hunter, without whom the hunter’s work would be in vain.
Kooikers are tolling dogs; that is, they lure ducks into a trap instead of chasing, herding, or retrieving.
Appearance
The Kooikerhondje is an medium size dog height between 14 - 16 inches (35 - 40 cms). Weight in average between 9 – 12 kilos. The colour varies from orange to deep chestnut red plates on a white background, with black tips known as earrings, on the ears. The coat is of medium length and is thick.
Eyes
Deep brown, almond-shaped, with an alert and friendly expression. (they have beautiful eyes which are full of expression)
Coat and grooming
The coat is waterproof and does not contain a lot of dirt. Once the coat dries, dirt can simply be brushed out. They are naturally very clean and do not need to be washed very often.
Temperament
The Kooikerhondje is an intelligent, active and agile dog with a very happy character. At home the Kooikerhondje is very adaptable, and his behaviour ranges from snuggling up to you on the sofa (if allowed) to the very playful and fun loving dog that it is. Kooikerhondjes are very alert, but my experience is that they seldom bark.. They get on well with other dogs, they like plenty of exercise, and are eager to learn new things. They are sensitive to the tone of your voice so you don’t need to shout at your dog, on the contrary. When off the lead you can really see how agile a Kookier is, and how fast they can run. They love water and are usually excellent swimmers.
A lot has been written about Kooikerhondjes by people much more knowledgeable about the breed than I am. All I can say is that a Kooiker is a fantastic dog, and out of the 6 different breeds of dogs that I have owned (and loved dearly) the Kooikerhondje is definitely the best breed of dog for me.
I would suggest that you look on the internet - Google “kooikerhondje” - and you will find lots of sites full of information about this wonderful breed of dogs. You can also look on the following homepages for information:
The Danish Kooiker Club www.kooikerhondje.dk
The Dutch Kooiker Club www.kooikerhondje.nl
The Kooikerhondje Club of Great Britain www.kooikerhondje-gb.com