General Information
Breed
Kooikerhondje
Breed Origin
Netherlands
Breed Utilization
Companion and sporting dog used for trapping ducks
Alternative names
Kooiker, Kooiker Hound, Duck decoy dog, Dutch decoy spaniel, small Dutch waterfowl dog, Jan Steen's dog
Life expectancy
12-14 years
Litter size
2-8
Behavior and temperament
Lively and agile, self-confident and with sufficient perseverance and stamina, good natured and alert, however not noisy. The breed should be faithful, easy-going and friendly.
Outside the hunting season the dog is expected to find and kill vermin, hence he needs to be keen, swift and tough. He is a true sporting dog, being attentive and energetic and having a zest for working with a cheerful character.
Breed
Kooikerhondje
Breed Origin
Netherlands
Breed Utilization
Companion and sporting dog used for trapping ducks
Alternative names
Kooiker, Kooiker Hound, Duck decoy dog, Dutch decoy spaniel, small Dutch waterfowl dog, Jan Steen's dog
Life expectancy
12-14 years
Litter size
2-8
Behavior and temperament
Lively and agile, self-confident and with sufficient perseverance and stamina, good natured and alert, however not noisy. The breed should be faithful, easy-going and friendly.
Outside the hunting season the dog is expected to find and kill vermin, hence he needs to be keen, swift and tough. He is a true sporting dog, being attentive and energetic and having a zest for working with a cheerful character.
Breed Standards
The Kooikerhondje is a small sporting dog with an red-orange colored coat and quadratic body proportions. Kooikerhondjes move with their head held high; in action the well-feathered waving tail is carried level with, or above the topline. The ears have black hair at the tip which are known as earrings. The dog is presented with a natural, untrimmed coat.
Important proportions
The length of the body from the point of the shoulder (at the scapula/humerus) to the point of the buttocks may be slightly longer than the height at the withers. Skull and muzzle are of about equal length.
The Kooikerhondje is a small sporting dog with an red-orange colored coat and quadratic body proportions. Kooikerhondjes move with their head held high; in action the well-feathered waving tail is carried level with, or above the topline. The ears have black hair at the tip which are known as earrings. The dog is presented with a natural, untrimmed coat.
Important proportions
The length of the body from the point of the shoulder (at the scapula/humerus) to the point of the buttocks may be slightly longer than the height at the withers. Skull and muzzle are of about equal length.
Head
The head is of moderate length, fitting in with the general appearance, clean-cut, with flowing lines.
Cranial region
Skull: Sufficiently broad, moderately rounded.
Stop: Seen in profile clearly visible but not too deep.
Facial region
Nose: Black and well developed.
Muzzle: Seen from the side not too deep and slightly wedge-shaped; seen from above not tapering too much and well-filled under the eyes.
Lips: Preferably well-pigmented, close-fitting and not overhanging.
Jaws / Teeth: Scissor bite; complete dentition is desirable. Pincer bite is accepted but less desirable.
Eyes: Almond-shaped, dark brown with a friendly, alert expression.
Ears: Moderately large, set on just above the line from the point of the nose to the corner of the eye. The ears are carried close to the cheeks without a fold. Well feathered; black hair tips (“earrings”) are highly desirable.
Neck: Strongly muscled, of sufficient length and clean-cut.
Body
Topline: Smooth line from the withers to the tail.
Back: Strong and straight, rather short.
Loin: Of sufficient length and width, strongly muscled.
Croup: Slightly sloping and sufficiently broad; the length of the croup should be 1.5 times the width.
Chest:Reaching to the elbows with sufficient spring of ribs. Sufficiently developed forechest.
Underline and belly: Slight tuck-up towards the loin.
Tail: Set on so as to follow the topline of the body, carried level with the topline or almost straight up (gaily). Well-feathered with a white plume. The last vertebra should reach the hock joint.
Limbs
Forequarters
Shoulder: Shoulder sufficiently sloping in order to create a flowing line from neck to back.
Upper arm: Well-angulated towards shoulder blade that is of equal length.
Elbow: Close to the body.
Forearm: Straight and parallel, strong bone of sufficient density and length.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Strong and slightly oblique.
Forefeet: Small, slightly oval, compact with well-knit toes pointing forward.
Hindquarters
General appearance: Well angulated, straight and parallel seen from the rear. Strong bone.
Thigh: Well muscled.
Lower thigh: Length equal to thigh
Hock joint: Well let down.
Hind feet: As forefeet. Small, slightly oval, compact with well-knit toes pointing forward.
Coat
Hair
Medium length, slightly wavy or straight and close lying. The coat is soft with a well-developed undercoat.
Front legs should have moderate feathering reaching to the pastern joints. Hind legs should have fairly long feathered breeches; no feathering below the hock joints. The coat on the head, the front part of the legs and the feet should be short. Sufficiently feathered on the underside of the tail. Longer hair on throat and forechest. Earrings (long feathered black hair on the ear tips) are highly desirable.
Color
Distinct patches of clear red-orange color on pure white although a few small spots on the legs is accepted. The red-orange color should be dominant. Some black hair intermingling with the red-orange color and a slight mottling are accepted but less desirable.
Coloring on the head
A clearly visible blaze running down to the nose. There should be coloring on the cheeks and around the eyes. A blaze that is too narrow or too wide or only partly colored cheeks is less desirable. A black tail ring where the color changes from red-orange to white is permitted.
Size
Ideal height at the withers: Males: 40 cm / Females: 38 cm
Tolerance: 2 cm over or 3 cm under ideal heights are permitted.
N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
The head is of moderate length, fitting in with the general appearance, clean-cut, with flowing lines.
Cranial region
Skull: Sufficiently broad, moderately rounded.
Stop: Seen in profile clearly visible but not too deep.
Facial region
Nose: Black and well developed.
Muzzle: Seen from the side not too deep and slightly wedge-shaped; seen from above not tapering too much and well-filled under the eyes.
Lips: Preferably well-pigmented, close-fitting and not overhanging.
Jaws / Teeth: Scissor bite; complete dentition is desirable. Pincer bite is accepted but less desirable.
Eyes: Almond-shaped, dark brown with a friendly, alert expression.
Ears: Moderately large, set on just above the line from the point of the nose to the corner of the eye. The ears are carried close to the cheeks without a fold. Well feathered; black hair tips (“earrings”) are highly desirable.
Neck: Strongly muscled, of sufficient length and clean-cut.
Body
Topline: Smooth line from the withers to the tail.
Back: Strong and straight, rather short.
Loin: Of sufficient length and width, strongly muscled.
Croup: Slightly sloping and sufficiently broad; the length of the croup should be 1.5 times the width.
Chest:Reaching to the elbows with sufficient spring of ribs. Sufficiently developed forechest.
Underline and belly: Slight tuck-up towards the loin.
Tail: Set on so as to follow the topline of the body, carried level with the topline or almost straight up (gaily). Well-feathered with a white plume. The last vertebra should reach the hock joint.
Limbs
Forequarters
Shoulder: Shoulder sufficiently sloping in order to create a flowing line from neck to back.
Upper arm: Well-angulated towards shoulder blade that is of equal length.
Elbow: Close to the body.
Forearm: Straight and parallel, strong bone of sufficient density and length.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Strong and slightly oblique.
Forefeet: Small, slightly oval, compact with well-knit toes pointing forward.
Hindquarters
General appearance: Well angulated, straight and parallel seen from the rear. Strong bone.
Thigh: Well muscled.
Lower thigh: Length equal to thigh
Hock joint: Well let down.
Hind feet: As forefeet. Small, slightly oval, compact with well-knit toes pointing forward.
Coat
Hair
Medium length, slightly wavy or straight and close lying. The coat is soft with a well-developed undercoat.
Front legs should have moderate feathering reaching to the pastern joints. Hind legs should have fairly long feathered breeches; no feathering below the hock joints. The coat on the head, the front part of the legs and the feet should be short. Sufficiently feathered on the underside of the tail. Longer hair on throat and forechest. Earrings (long feathered black hair on the ear tips) are highly desirable.
Color
Distinct patches of clear red-orange color on pure white although a few small spots on the legs is accepted. The red-orange color should be dominant. Some black hair intermingling with the red-orange color and a slight mottling are accepted but less desirable.
Coloring on the head
A clearly visible blaze running down to the nose. There should be coloring on the cheeks and around the eyes. A blaze that is too narrow or too wide or only partly colored cheeks is less desirable. A black tail ring where the color changes from red-orange to white is permitted.
Size
Ideal height at the withers: Males: 40 cm / Females: 38 cm
Tolerance: 2 cm over or 3 cm under ideal heights are permitted.
N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Faults
Any deviation from the aforementioned points should be considered a fault. The seriousness of the fault should be considered along with its effect on the health and well being of the dog and its ability to perform the traditional work.
Faults
Severe faults
Disqualifying faults
Any deviation from the aforementioned points should be considered a fault. The seriousness of the fault should be considered along with its effect on the health and well being of the dog and its ability to perform the traditional work.
Faults
- Ears too small.
- Ears half-erect, “flying ears”.
- Tail that is curled.
- Hackney gait.
- Curly or silky hair.
- Color that is heavily interspersed with black hairs in the orange-red patches.
- Too much mottling.
- Over maximum size or under minimum size.
Severe faults
- Anxious behavior.
- Distinctly low on legs, out of proportion.
- Wall eye / blue (glass) eyes.
- Undershot or overshot bite.
- Tail too short, not reaching hock-joint.
- White color on ears, partly or completely.
- White hair around eyes, one or both.
Disqualifying faults
- Overly aggressive or overly shy.
- Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioral abnormalities.
- Color that is black and white or tricolour.
FCI-classification
Group 8 Retrievers – Flushing Dogs – Water Dogs.
Section 2 Flushing Dogs.
Without working trial.
These are the official standards from the Dutch Kooikerhondje club, Vereniging "Het Nederlandse Kooikerhondje", as well as FCI Kooikerhondje Standard.
Group 8 Retrievers – Flushing Dogs – Water Dogs.
Section 2 Flushing Dogs.
Without working trial.
These are the official standards from the Dutch Kooikerhondje club, Vereniging "Het Nederlandse Kooikerhondje", as well as FCI Kooikerhondje Standard.