Searching for suitable K9s to build the breed of Dutch Shepherd, like their history, has not been easy. Much ado about sound hips, proven drive with even temperament, alongside some scenting qualities and a resilient confidence, in addition to a male that would balance my bitch, creates a swarm of almost rigid guidelines to follow. Granted, it takes the fun out of just having puppies, but to be respectful of the breed we must take great care.
Brief History that stole my heart
A bit more than 3 years ago while my husband and I were searching for a dog suitable for cadaver work, we reviewed many breeds. Okay… Truth be told, I researched many breeds and told Jamie about them. Admittedly, I am the insufferable nerd of the family. As I researched high drive working dogs, of course all brands of Shepherds pop up. The Dutch caught my eye because, as much as I love the German Shepherd, in comparison (in my opinion), the Dutch is a more stately and beautiful view. While the German is a gorgeous, wonderful animal with that characteristic sloped back, the Dutch is more square. More commanding. And not just brindle, but I found blue brindle? C’mon! How could I not fall in love?
What caught me most, though, was the fact that they are not only still fairly rare, but the breed almost died out. Extinct. It seems they were primarily bred for Netherlands farming way back to the early 1800s. Then the boom of the industrial age with all its machinery created an environment that really didn’t need a dog.
“WHAT? Not need a dog?” you say?
…I know, I know. How can any environment not need a dog? !! Seriously, though. That is part of what caused the decline in their numbers. Then, during WWII breeding in the Netherlands stopped altogether. On top of that, many dogs were forced to serve in the German military or they starved to death due to the conditions brought on by the War. Not long afterward, though, breeding in the Netherlands stepped up to revive the population of this magnificent animal. Because there were so few, cross-breeding with close cousins–such as the German, Czech (DDS) and Belgian Malinois–was permitted to restore the population. This is why, for example, you may find a handful or so ancestors in your dog’s family tree that are obviously not Dutch.
Learning all this and more caused me to fall in love with the Dutch Shepherd. Because one of my goals in getting another dog was to breed police pups, I became more excited for the opportunity to assist in building this marvelous breed.
Search for Stud
Looking for a suitable mate was proving almost fruitless. I first found a sperm bank where one can purchase frozen semen from proven KNVP studs out of the Netherlands and other places. That was exciting, but the wait grew long while I worked to save for the fees (semen + storage + paperwork, etc). Then one day I received a notice to update my password at Hoobly.com, which is a website where you can find all sorts of folks selling all sorts of great stuff, including puppies. So, I mosied over to change my password and, of course, got distracted looking at puppies 😉 …but then I found an ad for affordable stud services of a Dutch Shepherd in Ohio! Before I got Hanani it was impossible to locate an actual Dutch litter closer than a few states away. Now, God throws this right in my face!!
Finding Loki, who comes from great lines, was definitely God’s hand. An all-round family dog with K9 cops and KNVP in his ancestry that loves nose work (shed hunting) is the best of both worlds! Plus, who can resist this face? Look at those markings around his eyes! Oh my… I’m in love <3
His owners are enthusiastic about our pair and just keep pouring out their support, along with background and updates on Loki’s parentage.
Here are his parents, Kaiser and Keena.
It seems Keena and her peeps have been busy populating our military contractors, Netherlands KNVP championships, as well as police departments. Some of her brothers are in Afghanistan and her daddy (also from Czechoslovakia) is a K9 cop in Columbus, OH.
And together Kaiser and Keena brought into the world this little bundle of joy…
Keeping the breed standards while building it with a cousin or two, we have some well-accomplished, sound and beautiful animals.
Which is what my pupose… Oops. I mean purpose is here. I was searching for a Dutch that maintains the high drive, almost never-ending activity, but a bit more laid back, and intelligent, with an almost boxy build and clear Dutch brindle to balance out my overzealous girl. To carry on and build this unique and exquisite breed, by God’s grace, that payer was answered.
This is truly a magnificent dog… 