Hale and hearty! That's a good way to describe the Hollander. Before the 21st century, the Dutch shepherd, a muscular and alert dog, was kept busy on the farm, pulling small carts and guarding and shepherding sheep and cattle. They could even defend a flock of sheep from predators. With its insatiable desire to work, it was a valued member of the farm family.
Though obedient, affectionate, and faithful, this breed is not recognized by many people. 'Is it a German shepherd? A mixed breed?' some might ask. No and no. The Dutch might not guess correctly, as even in the Netherlands this dog is not a very common breed. At the moment there are about 3,700 Dutch shepherds here. Though originally the all-purpose fatal dog in the Netherlands, few work on farms today in the United States or in their native land.
Their popularity, however, is growing in the United Stales, where they are sometimes used as police dogs. In fact, because they are smaller and therefore easier to handle, they are sometimes preferred for police work over German shepherds, a breed most commonly known as a police dog. There are other reasons for their growing popularity as helpers. According to Trudy Donais, of Weiss Hauzahn K9 Training in Sonora, California, and owner of two Dutch shepherds, 'They have fewer health problems than German shepherds.'
The breed might have disappeared entirely once raising sheep began to decline in the Netherlands had it not been for a dedicated group of people. In 1898, the Dutch Shepherd Dog Club was formed and they kept the Hollander from going the way of the dinosaur because they simply loved shepherds of all kinds, no matter whether they were Dutch, German, Belgian, or French.
Little has changed in the temperament or abilities of this breed. They are very loyal and full of energy. 'They are dedicated to their owners,' Donais says. Like all shepherd dogs, the Dutch shepherds herd and guard. Bull Donais warns, 'This dog breed does not usually make good family pets because they need a great deal of stimulation and exercise.'
In other ways, they are relatively carefree. Though the longhaired variety need a brushing, this breed's generally easy to care for. Too much bathing could actually be harmful, as it would wash away the natural oils thai keep their coats clean.
At about 24 inches high and weighing about 65 pounds, its size is not too big and not too small. Hearly, friendly, smart--some might say it's the ideal working dog.
Ironically, the owner of Frits, one of the most famous Dutch shepherds, didn't think so. He sold his Dutch shepherd because he thought the dog was quilt stupid. Alas. he was quite wrong. Frits's second owner trained him to do police work and the dog went on to win the first place prize at an international competition for dogs in 1908.
Frits wasn't this breed's only high-performing dog. Another famous Dutch shepherd was Artessa 'Tessa' van Diepenalm, a Dutch shepherd that worked for the Dutch Customs department and carried her own identity card with a paw print. Though Frits and Tessa have gone down in history as remarkable Dutch shepherds, the many humble Dutch shepherds who make no claims to fame still have all the pleasant qualities of this breed, thus making this canine a dog the Dutch can be proud of.
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Peg Lopata is associate editor of FACES.
