Кооикерхонде

Originally, the pretty four-legged friend was used for duck hunting. This is where his name comes from. Find out everything about the behavior, character, activity and exercise needs, training, and care of the Kooikerhondje dog breed in the profile.

Spanish nobles probably brought the colorful four-legged friends with them to the Netherlands during their reign. As early as the 17th century there are many paintings showing small spaniel-like dogs that are very similar to today’s Kooikerhondje.

One of the oldest Dutch dog breeds

Originally, the pretty four-legged friend was used for duck hunting. This is where its name comes from: in the ponds, swamps, rivers, and old broken dikes there are trapping devices for waterfowl, so-called “duck kooien”. They consist of a koi pond and are surrounded by Kooi scrub, which provides breeding grounds and winter shelter for waterfowl. Here the Kooikerhondje developed together with the hunter, the “Kooibas”, a very special form of hunting. The ducks are caught with cages and trapping tubes. The dogs play the role of “decoy”. The Kooikerhondje runs into the trapping tube so that only the white tip of the tail can be seen from the bank. The curious ducks usually only recognize the dog’s hindquarters, which they unsuspectingly follow into the dark trapping tube. In the end, the fowl end up in a cage from which the “Kooibas” can easily get them out. There are still about 100 “duck kooien” in the Netherlands today, but in which the birds are mainly trapped for scientific study.

In the house, the attentive four-legged friend was an avid mole, mouse, and rat catcher, who also guarded his family’s property. Despite these good qualities, the breed would have almost died out if Baroness van Hardenbroek van Ammerstol had not campaigned for its preservation. She gave a lock of hair and a picture of a dog to peddlers to help them find other animals. In fact, a dealer tracked down some with whom the baroness built up her breeding in 1939. Her bitch “Tommie” is considered the ancestor of today’s Kooiker. In 1971 the breed was recognized by the Raad van Beheer, the governing body in the Netherlands. The international recognition by the FCI did not come until 1990.

The number of puppies is constantly increasing

It is not surprising that it is becoming increasingly popular here, too, since the pretty exterior hides an extremely charming and lovable core. The size of this intelligent bird dog is also very appealing. That doesn’t mean that the Dutch Spaniel is right for everyone. His needs must be taken into account so that he can develop his typical nature. The Kooikerhondje is and will remain an agile and alert working dog. Therefore, he also wants to be challenged in the family. He loves varied adventure walks with lots of fun and games. He is also enthusiastic about dog sports. Playful into old age, he literally sparkles with joie de vivre. Overall, he needs a lot of exercise and variety.

The Kooiker still shows a certain hunting instinct, which can be easily controlled with appropriate training. Of course, the breed also responds enthusiastically to hunting-related activities such as tracking, retrieving, or water work. Hunting training is also possible. In the house, with a reasonable workload, the spaniel is calm and unassuming, but also alert and courageous; however, it only strikes when there is a reason to. The Kooikerhund is very attached to his own family.

A lot of sensitivity is required when raising a sensitive four-legged friend. He does not tolerate hard, loud words and pressure. Despite this, consistency is very important, allowing the dog to recognize the owner’s natural authority. In addition, good socialization of the initially rather shy Kooikerhondjes is essential. Therefore, make sure that you have an optimal nursery with a responsible breeder. The care of the pretty four-legged friend is easy, but regular brushing is mandatory so that the coat does not become matted. So if you are looking for a fun, sporty companion dog in a practical format and have time to keep it busy, a Kooikerhondje is a good choice.