Hey Tresa, Kelly B, et al;

When I walked on to the SchH field last night, something off to the side caught my eye. In the separate exercise/potty area was a little fawn-brindled dog. Although, it seemed a tad small to my untrained eye, it was quite obvious that I was looking at a Dutch Shepherd. The owners were quite tickled at the fact that I was only the third person that had ever immediately ID'ed their pup.
The dog, Maybeline (sp?), is a 16mo pound rescue (well, almost. These owners were given the dog by a previous owner who was going to surrender the dog to pound during a relocation). I don't believe the dog came with a pedigree. She is about 20 inches at the shoulder and weighs 50 lbs. I always thought Dutchies were a little larger. How large should you expect a Dutchie to be? Is it likely that this dog is a mix?
These are not critical questions; this is me trying to learn a little more about the dogs I'm working with.

We did a little reactivity evaluation to determine what would be the best way to proceed with protection work, which is the owners' stated goal (but we convinced them that IPO would be a good foundation for anything they did later, and they immediately paid first year club dues in full). Even though she had never been tested, she immediately assumed a confident, happy posture, complete with enthusiastic tail-wagging and full-throated revier, and tug was all the reward she could hope for!

Does she look like a Mal with stripes? I've seen female dutchies and mals both that small...my Ali was just a little bigger 22 inches and approx 60 lbs.

Without a picture I can't say for sure but she sounds like a Dutchie to me. Most dutchies are about regular Mal size I'd say.

Logan and Koenig are a bit large for duchies, right kelly

Zactly like a small Mal with stripes, or same coloration as a brindle bulldog.; she's definitely a Dutchie, I was just not sure if she might have had a little cross in her.

Samantha has a Mal (not the one she posts about; he's a good size=85lb) that is about the size this dog will be when mature.

BTW I think some people fudge their dogs' weights. My Sadie is a solid 22" 55lbs... TD calls her a fat-ass. I just can't picture this tiny bitch weighing as much as my solid, fit GSD.

Edited by Duane Hull (05/24/2012 10:33 AM)
Edit reason: btw added

One more question... another club member said he had a neighbor with a solid-black, long-haired Dutchie. Is there such a thing? Sounded like a small Laekenois to me.

A Laek is a curly coated Belgian. You're thinking of a Groenendael. And no, you won't find a Dutch like that.

The pup you saw was probably just you're typical KNPV Dutch Shepherd. It came out brindle so they called it a Dutch Shepherd. Had it been fawn, it would have been a malinois.

 Quote: Katie Finlay

A Laek is a curly coated Belgian. You're thinking of a Groenendael. And no, you won't find a Dutch like that.

The pup you saw was probably just you're typical KNPV Dutch Shepherd. It came out brindle so they called it a Dutch Shepherd. Had it been fawn, it would have been a malinois.

Okay, you're right... I did mean Groenendael. I thought Laeks, Groenens, and Mals were all Belgian Shepherds. How does a fawn Dutch become a Mal?

Laeks, Groens, Tervs and Mals are the Belgian shepherds. Most KNPV dogs are not FCI registered because they are Malinois/Dutch Shepherd crosses. In those litters, the color of the dog (brindle or not brindle) determine the breed.

Gotcha! Not bad for a California girl...

Lol, don't worry. I have my moments!

Yeah... well, now I'm probably the only guy in Louisiana that knows his European Shepherds!!! ROFL