Clear as Mud. Exactly.


I got lucky with my DS, Ram. He's extraordinarily stable, and good tempered. I know a whole bunch of Dutchies that wouldn't fit into my family AT ALL. Koenig and I just clicked instantly. Pure luck.

Ram we have similar tastes in the Dutch, I also have been doing a little research on Dutch Shepherds and have been thinking this may be my next dog.

FCI can certainly produce working dogs. Radar's parents are both FCI dogs and are both worked in bite sports. Many of their off spring also work bite sports. I don't know the extent of their venues, so I can't comment on what those particular dogs are doing, but Radar's pop is a PSA dog.

Many of the Dutchies up here are pure FCI dogs, and the breeder is quite proud of that fact. (and I don't blame him!!!) As a general rule KNPV dogs are bred to work, and FCI dogs are bred for the conformation ring. It's a gross generalization though. Many KNPV dogs are 'pretty' too, and a whole bunch of FCI dogs can WORK!

Wow that 2nd GSD pic looks like the way my Dutchie is built! Angulation and everything wow.

I'm late jumping in this one but here's we go. I rescued my dutchie from a sport/police dog breeder. The first time I saw Logan I tried to buy him, 1000, 2000...he wouldn't budge....6 mos later he gave me the dog. It was love at first sight though, he's everything I wanted and then some OMG. According to the breeder, he is from KNVP lines, his dad looks very dobe ish....he mom looks like a mal that somebody drew stripes on. His mom's mom, get this is 100% GSD. I personally knew these 3 dogs and many of his siblings. I have pix somewhere.

Only 2 f his relatives had bad nerves and were clearly caused by environmental thing. Ali, my previous dog and Logan's sister, was abused and was aggressive towards strange men and startled easily. His uncle Jagger was damaged by vaccination (I think rabies) and is schizophrenic I swear. The others are pretty stable. Logan hasn't shown any fear issues (accept after a rabies vacc, I don't vax him anymore). He is fine now, not afraid of anything.

Logan's tail is low set (from the GSD) but he often carries it up. He has a sloping croup (also from GSD) and I don't like it because when he moves it puts his rear feet too close. He's not too short in the back, its the croup I swear.

Anyway, I love his intimidating size but if you get a big dutchie, get in shape FIRST. He's 27-1/2 inches, 80+ lbs of muscle and I'm only 5-10 145 and playing tug IS a workout, esp your shoulders. I have back issues and have definitely learned how to move with him in a way that doesn't hurt me. Although he mad high drive, he knows I have a back problem an I swear he waits for me for a split second sometimes to reposition myself. Most dutchies are smaller more like 24-25inches 60lbs.

If you get a dutchie you can't ask for a smarter more intuned dog. When you have a good relationship your dutch will be awesome, if you don't work on the relationship he'll be a hell-raiser. LOL They're definitely different from GSDs, they're very sensitive not soft but sensitively intuitive.

They take a lot of energy to handle and smart enough to manipulate you. Maybe I'm stupid but my dog has tricked me before ex: He hates going in his kennel during times when he's normally out. I take him to the kennel by his collar and he pulls like mad "I wanna go in" I released him 3 inches from the gate and he turned 180 and sprinted around the yard "hahaha! sucker!"

I don't know exactly what climate you have but one thing...my dutchie hates hot weather, his drive only lasts like a minute or 2 when its warm. It has to be 60 or lower for him to be into it...when it 40 or lower then he's WIDE open, will work all day for anything. I have noticed GSDs don't seem to loose as much drive in the heat as dutchies. I don't know why. It maybe relative heat too, because a dog in one climate might think 75 is cool.

Anyway, I dunno how useful that information was.

Tresa

 Quote: Tresa Hendrix

I don't know exactly what climate you have but one thing...my dutchie hates hot weather, his drive only lasts like a minute or 2 when its warm. It has to be 60 or lower for him to be into it...when it 40 or lower then he's WIDE open, will work all day for anything. I have noticed GSDs don't seem to loose as much drive in the heat as dutchies. I don't know why. It maybe relative heat too, because a dog in one climate might think 75 is cool.

Tresa

I think that's just your boy. I know many DS's that'd work till they died in heat! We have to watch carefully, and decide when they are done, and becoming at risk for heatstroke as handlers!

 Quote: Ramachandran Subramanian

Does the dutch shepherd have some special ladder climbing genes? I see a whole bunch of you tube videos on DS climbing ladders and roofs and trees and all that.

It's an athletic drivey dog thing. Get a confident dog with some drive and you can have it climbing ladders pretty quickly. Kenzi loves to climb. Haven't don't a ladder as impressive as the one Koenig did, but she's done several. And seems to love it. She'll also walk across a round rung metal ladder that is has been lifted up in the air with cement blocks.

Hummm, that reminds me.... on my list of dream dogs would be a nicely bred working BC.....

 Quote: Kelly Byrd

I think that's just your boy. I know many DS's that'd work till they died in heat! We have to watch carefully, and decide when they are done, and becoming at risk for heatstroke as handlers!

Now that I think about it....Logan's father was one of those dutchies who would work in heat until he dropped but certain ones in Logan's linage are like him, it must be genetic (I am like that too). I overheat real easy and can't function in it...but cold...is wonderful.