Dutch Shepherd

Many people often mistake the Dutch Shepherd and the Belgian Shepherd since they share a very similar breed standard. The main differences are coat color, size and proportion requirements. Although the Dutch Shepherd’s origins are somewhat muddied, it is suggested that they descend from the same herding dogs that also created the Belgian Shepherd and German Shepherd. He was originally bred in the early 1800s in the southern part of the Netherlands. The largest population of Dutch Shepherds was found in Brabant which bordered Belgium. The Dutch Shepherd’s original purpose was a farm dog, guard dog, cart dog, herder, security or police dog. The Dutch Shepherd is virtually an unheard of breed outside of Holland. In Holland, he is still valued as an excellent herding dog. The number of Dutch Shepherds has decreased over the years. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Dutch Shepherd was almost extinct because modern farming reduced his need on the farm. During World War II all breeding was stopped in the Netherlands. Many dogs died from starvation or were taken into Germany for use in the German military. This caused many of the Dutch Shepherd bloodlines to become extinct. The Dutch Breed Club began actively trying to resurrect the Dutch Shepherd and added new blood to the gene pool by using the Malinois. After a time, the cross breeding was stopped by the Dutch Breed Club. The Dutch Shepherd is still a rare breed. The United Kennel Club officially recognized the Dutch Shepherd in 1995. In 2012, the American Kennel Club allowed the Dutch Shepherd to begin being recorded in its Foundation Stock Service. This is the first step toward the breed being officially recognized by the American Kennel Club.