Top Activities For Kooikerhondjes

Introduction

A Kooikerhondje is a small doggo, similar to a spaniel, and in Old Dutch, their name means small caging dog. How cute is that? Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes were originally bred as working dogs, especially in the eendenkooi, which is a fancy Dutch word for a duck cage, where their job was to lure the ducks. These adorable dogs appeared in many paintings by famous Dutch masters, particularly Rembrandt and Jan Steen, and since then their popularity has been on the rise all over the world. When thinking about activities for your Kooiker, never forget that they have a high prey drive, so watch out around small animals such as hamsters or birds.

Hide and Seek

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Free

Easy

1 hr

Items needed

treats

Activity description

What better way to spend an afternoon inside or outdoors than a good old game of hide and seek? Your Nederlandse Kooikerhondje is a pup that likes to hunt and lure their prey, so this game is a perfect way to refine their senses, teach them some new commands, and solidify the ones that they already know. A perfect command for this game is the classic “stay,” and you can practice their knowledge and agility through a game fun for adults, children, and dogs alike. All you need is somewhere to hide and enough room to run, and you’re golden!

Step

1

Pay attention

Take your doggo’s favorite treat or their most beloved toy and get their attention. Make your Kooikerhondje look at you and then run away and hide. It is okay if they see you the first couple of times until they get the idea of what you want to do.

Step

2

Call them

Next, call out for your doggo to let them know they should start looking. The point of this is to show your dog what they should do, and after a while, they will start using their super keen sense of scent to find their prey, aka you.

Step

3

Praise

When they manage to find you, each time reward them with a treat and lots of love. Give them a belly rub, pat them on their cute head, and don’t forget to tell them that they are the best dog ever, before hiding again. Vary the challenge by heading outside or by adding a few friends into the mix.

Dock Diving

Popular

0 Votes

Sunny Day

Cheap

Normal

30 min

Items needed

Toy

treats

Doggy Lifejacket

Activity description

What better way to spend a hot summer day outside than go to a dock, river, or a lake, and do some dock diving with your lovely Kooikerhondje. When the day is scorching hot, and you just need to chill and cool down, get outside, hit the lake, river, seaside, or just a pool and start diving! Before you do that though make sure that your doggo knows how to swim to avoid potentially fatal consequences. It can’t hurt to even take a class on dock diving at a local dog club and make sure that your pup is ready for the challenge.

Step

1

Scout the area

If you are going to a lake, river, or the seaside, scout the area first and make sure that there are no rocks or other dangerous things in the water. You don’t want you or your pup to get hurt, especially in an area that’s a little farther from civilization. Better yet, bring along a friend or family member to join in the fun, in keeping with the saying, "never swim alone."

Step

2

Swim first

Put your Kooikerhondje's lifejacket on before beginning the fun. To avoid a temperature shock, before you dive, get into the water slowly, and swim around a little bit. Then when your pup’s body is adjusted to the water temperature, you can start diving.

Step

3

Jump right in

Finally, it is time to show your Olympic jumping skills. Jump as far as you can into the water with your pup and splash around. Make a swimming competition for the return to land and let the winner have the tastiest snack on the shore! Additionally, make sure that your pup takes plenty of rehydration breaks.

Lure Coursing

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Moderate

Normal

2 hrs

Items needed

Pulley

lure

treat

Activity description

Your Kooikerhondje is, as mentioned, a dog that was bred to lure ducks into their cages. They are dogs who love to chase their prey and that’s why you should be mindful if you have other small pets such as kittens, hamsters, chinchillas, and even birds. However, you can satisfy your Kooiker’s lure desires by taking them to Lure Coursing, a fun group activity that even became a competitive dog sport! Lure coursing goes like this: the lure is tied to a pulley which then moves ahead of the dog who chases after the prey. Easy, right?

Step

1

Go to a course

The best way to start is to go to a Lure Coursing class. The professionals have all the necessary equipment needed for your doggo’s abilities to shine, and they know exactly how to start training them for a competition. Ask around at the dog park or search online for a class that suits you. Then, head on over to check it out as an observer before making a commitment.

Step

2

Amp the speed

Your Kooikerhondje should love the classes and dive right in. Make it a weekly affair! In the meantime, because your doggo will eventually be scored on this, try to improve on their speed at home. You can do this by going on regular runs, chasing after the prey, possibly an automated toy or even a “carrot on a stick.”

More Fun Ideas...

Explore the Hood

When you just want a nice, calm afternoon, you can go on a relaxing stroll around the neighborhood. Let your dog sniff every corner, pee on every tree, and explore all the nooks of your hood.

Doggy Playdate

Your pup needs friends too! Make a doggy playdate and go to a dog park to enjoy your weekend. Your sugar will surely love to play with other pup’s and run around the park.

Conclusion

No matter where you live, what your fitness level is, or just how experienced of a dog owner you are, you can still have loads and loads of fun with your Kooikerhondje. You can enhance their natural abilities through lure coursing, take a refreshing dip with dock diving, or just chill in your neighborhood and soak up all the beauty. Whatever you choose to do, never forget to praise and love your little ray of sunshine!