Grooming
Don’t be surprised if someone asks you how you’re managing with your “Dutch shedder.” Dutch Shepherd shedding is light for most of the year and can be controlled with brushing. However, these pups do shed a lot in the spring and fall, and you’ll need to up your brushing game during these times. You may want to keep both a hand-held vacuum and a lint brush at the ready—and opt out of wearing black pants for a while.
Short-coated Dutchies only need to be brushed occasionally (every two to three weeks) to keep their coat smooth and shiny. During shedding season, you’ll need to brush out your dog every day, and a slicker brush and deshedding tool will be your best friend in helping get rid of loose, dead hair.
Long-coated Dutchies (a rare trait of the breed) need to be brushed with a slicker brush followed with a comb every week to help remove tangles. Plan on upping that to daily during shedding season.
Rough-coated pups can be combed once a month, but their coats will need to be hand-stripped (when you rake through the coat with your hands or a stripping tool to get rid of loose, dead hair) in the spring and fall.
Bathing Dutchies, on the other hand, is far less complicated. The nice thing about this breed is that they really don’t need frequent baths. Provided your dog isn’t applying full-body mud masks on a daily basis, you don’t need to bathe them more than once every four to six weeks.
To make sure they’re staying healthy, do a weekly once-over of their ears and teeth. Look for any redness or swelling in their ears (signs of infection) and contact your veterinarian if you notice anything unusual. (They may advise you to clean their ears.)
Brush your dog’s teeth daily, and be sure to schedule an annual visit to your vet for a professional dental cleaning to keep those pearly whites in tip-top shape.
And don’t forget to clip your Dutch Shepherd’s nails once a month to make sure they don’t grow uncomfortably long. You’ll know it’s time for a trim when you hear them clacking on hard surfaces.
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Training
Dutch Shepherds are smart and independent—excellent traits! But if they aren’t taught what to do and provided structure in their lives, they might take matters into their own hands and try to take charge—not so excellent. Short, active training sessions are best for this intelligent breed to keep them engaged and eager to learn.
Fortunately, Dutch Shepherds excel at following directions and are eager to please their families. They’re quick-witted and driven to learn, and that makes for a highly trainable breed. Keep training sessions relatively short so your dog stays stimulated and focused. After you’ve mastered obedience training (the basics like sit, stay and come), you can move on to more complex skills like jumps, scent training, and protection training—and why stop there? Dutch Shepherds are so smart they can be taught to fetch your slippers and even pick up the mail. Using positive reinforcement, aka rewarding your dog’s good behavior with treats, toys and praise, will make the training experience more enjoyable for everyone. If you are a newbie Dutchie parent, you can get some advice from a reputable dog trainer who has experience with Dutch Shepherd types.
Daily decompression walks and and enrichment activities are ideal throughout the entirety of the dog’s life. These dogs do best with pet parents who are patient and can work at their pace.
Even though these pups are friendly, socialization is still important. Getting your dog used to new people, other animals and situations while they’re a puppy helps bring out their friendly qualities as they grow up. Enroll your dog in puppy school; this is a great way for them to learn how to play nicely with other puppies, and they get to meet other pup parents, too.
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Diet
The Dutch Shepherd is a big dog with a big appetite, and because they’re so active, they can benefit from a high-protein dog food that can help build muscle and sustain them all day long. Be sure to look for the statement on the package that says the formula meets the nutritional standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Consult your vet for the recommended serving size and frequency of whatever high-quality commercial dog food you choose for your pup and make sure it’s right for their life stage (puppy, adult, senior).
Treats will be key when you’re training, too. Counting calories isn’t usually necessary with this super-active breed of dog, but be conscious of how many fatty dog treats you’re giving your dog a day—those treat calories count! Even an extra few pounds can adversely affect your pup’s health. Veggies can be a good treat substitute during training. If you’re concerned about your Dutchie’s weight, talk with your vet. They’re in the best position to help you put together a meal and exercise regime to help your pup shed the extra weight.
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Exercise
Lonely hikers, bikers and runners, rejoice! Think of the Dutch Shepherd as your partner in all things athletic and outdoorsy, and count on needing to fit a lot of physical activity into your daily routine when this breed joins your family. Your Dutch Shepherd is built for running, endurance and speed and will keep pace with you on those long treks. And then, without a word of complaint, they’ll do it all again tomorrow.
These dogs are the opposite of homebodies and will be happiest when they’re right there by your side, whether you’re weeding the garden or walking to your pet-friendly neighborhood corner store. Dutchies need both mental and physical stimulation, so don’t forget to have toy puzzles around for them to engage their intelligent minds as well.
One to two hours of exercise each day, which could include a long stroll and/or dog sports like catch or fetch, and some time puzzle time should be plenty to burn off all that energy.
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Environment
Why don’t you see a ton of Dutch Shepherds in the city? The reason is right there in the name. This hardy breed has shepherd roots and needs lots of space to run and roam. Farms, country houses and homes with fenced yards in the suburbs are all perfect for this breed. Still, if you’re a city person with daily access to a large, fenced-in area, you can make it work.
Dutch Shepherds enjoy family life and are a good fit for homes with children. They’ll get along with other dogs in the household, but they may need extra training and socialization to do the same with cats. Above all else, they need a family with an active lifestyle or one that can prioritize getting these pups the high levels of exercise they need. In other words, you won’t find many Dutch Shepherds who enjoy sleeping the entire day away on the front porch. This dog really needs to run and play to live a happy, healthy life.
This is a robust breed who’s built to work outdoors, so cold weather and rain aren’t likely to faze them. Some Dutch Shepherds may be sensitive to warm weather, though, so a hot and humid climate isn’t their ideal home.
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