Drentsche Patrijshond

The Drentsche Patrijshond originated in the 16th century from the Spioenen who was brought into the Netherlands from France and Spain. Once the Drentsche Patrijshond was developed, hunters in the province of Drenthe kept him pure and would not mix foreign breeds into the bloodlines. This practice was being done in other parts of the Netherlands. In the province of Drenthe even the common gentry were given the right to hunt and the right to use gundogs. That meant that the need for a multipurpose hunting dog became much greater. Thus, the Drentsche Patrijshond became the hunting dog of choice for those in Drenthe. Most other hunting breeds were exclusively owned by royalty and aristocrats and were expected to hunt only one or two types of game. The Drentsche Patrijshond was expected to hunt all game and even pests or vermin. He was also expected to be a watchdog, cart dog and companion since the common man did not have the money or resources to keep several different hunting dogs. Baroness Van Hardenbroek, Mr. Van Heek Jr. and Mr. Quartero began strongly promoting the Drentsche Patrijshond and pushing for him to be recognized. On May 15, 1943 the Raad van Beheer op Kynologisch Gebied in Nederland officially recognized the Drentsche Patrijshond as a breed. In 1948, the Vereniging De Drentsche Patrijshond, a Dutch breed club, was formed and established a breed standard based on three qualities: hunting, watch dog and pet. The Drentsche Patrijshond made his way into the United States following World War II although the exact year is not known. Breed enthusiasts in the United States began promoting the breed. In 2010, the Drentsche Patrijshond was accepted into the American Kennel Club’s Foundation Stock Service.