Dutch Shepherd vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison

The Dutch Shepherd is of Dutch origin, hailing from the Netherlands. They were originally used as herding dogs on the farms, where they became a jack-of-all-trades type of dog.

The Dutch Shepherd in those days, 100 odd years ago, were also known as Hollandse Herders.

These dogs are more rare in modern days, but when you do find them, they are being used as police or security dogs, as guides for the blind, or simply as family friends.

In 1882 german shepherd was introduced in a show at Hanover. They were created by the cross breeding of the rural sheep dogs by a man named Max. In 1906 they were first exported to America. After that the breed became very popular in UK.

The Dutch Shepherd dog is very similar in appearance to the popular German Shepherds, being a medium to large sized dog.

The males are slightly heavier than females, but both males and females can stand between 55 and 62cm and weigh between 20 and 32kg.

There are actually 3 varieties found in the Dutch Shepherd dogs - short-haired, long-haired, and wiry or rough-haired. The dog has a double coat, consisting of a woolly undercoat and a top coat. The basic color of the coat is gold or silver through to red, giving rise to the brindle variations. Too much black or white seen in the fur is considered a fault.

In 1914 it was decided that brindle coats would distinguish them from the others.

The eyes of the Dutch Shepherd are dark, almond shaped and slightly slanting, while the medium sized ears are erect and high on the head and the thick tail is slightly curved. The dog has an unusually long tongue which is often found hanging out.

Temperament:

Early training and socializing for this dog is important so that he can learn to stay calm around new people, or visitors to the property.

The beautiful Dutch Shepherd doesn’t like being left alone for too long, loving rather to be involved with all that the family is involved in. They get on well with other pets in the home as well as being child-friendly.

They are happy dogs, who can also be smart and cunning, therefore highly trainable. They soak up new commands easily. Dutch Shepherds are also good watchdogs as they are fiercely loyal, and do not take kindly to strangers.

The GSD is very good for being a watchdog and hence it do not welcome guests to home. But when trained from a puppy it will suit itself for making new friends. GSD like to be always with somebody and they can be its master or his family members or else its partner. The GSD is very intelligent and active hence they should be always kept busy, exercised and playing. Nowadays many of them are trained well and made as four legged stars.

When we see all around the world many of them are involved in helping the physically challenged people. Also they are very important personnels in working with police and military for finding the criminals. Their excellent sniffing power works very good when given proper training for finding illegal smuggling. But basically the breed was set in to herd the sheep and protect them from predators.

Based on the popularity they are ranked 2nd in US and 4th in UK.

Your alert, intelligent and somewhat rare Dutch Shepherd is a loyal, protective dog, and while he can be aggressive around intruders and be a great guard dog, he can also be a gentle, loving animal around his human family members.

Though his tongue is long and often hangs out, you won’t have to contend with drooling. He is a wonderfully active dog and doesn’t easily gain weight. He isn’t a barker or howler, and his exceptional intelligence makes him highly trainable.

Whether there are children or other animals in the house, you can rely on your Dutch Shepherd to get on well with them, making him a wonderful family pet and canine friend.

Children friendliness

The GSD is a very good child friendly dog, they love to play with kids.

Adaptability

They adopts both hot and cold climates, but they like cold weather very much and also their body is suitable for cold than hot.

Learning ability

The GSD has high ability to learn tricks and also they are interested in learning. As they have very high intelligence they learn very easily and quickly.

The Dutch Shepherd dogs are the healthiest of the Shepherd breeds. They have relatively few health problems.

However, like the German Shepherds they may develop hip dysplasia, but this is in fact fairly rare. Get your pet to the vet if you suspect this in your dog because it can lead to lameness.

In 2018 the University of Minnesota identified a disease in Dutch Shepherds called Miositis. This is an inflammatory myopathy causing painful inflammation of the skeletal muscle tissue.

The GSD has the chances for getting orthopaedic diseases such as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. Other common orthopaedic problems which affects GSD are Panosteitis, Osteochondritis and cruciate ligament rupture.They also get some skin problems such as allergies and pyoderma. Digestive problems such as chronic diarrhea and colitis are also seen in GSD.

Hair fall

GSD is a continuous shedder. They are having a two layer coat. They should be brushed daily as it will remove the dead fur and thus prevents shedding.

Grooming:

Unfortunately Dutch Shepherds shed quite a bit of hair during their shedding period in spring and autumn. This makes regular brushing important during these seasons so as to remove the dead hairs, especially from the undercoat.

The wire- or rough-haired variety shouldn’t be brushed but should rather be groomed by a professional groomer every 6 months or so.

Their nails need to be trimmed when necessary, to avoid cracking, splitting, or an injury.

Their ears can be cleaned weekly to get rid of any debris or wax build-up. This, if left, can lead to infection. Brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week to avoid dental disease which brings on a host of illnesses.

Exercise:

These dogs do need regular exercising, and at the same time need to be physically and mentally stimulated. He is the kind of dog that has been used for herding purpose on the farm and he just craves activity. Take him with you on your walks and include him in ball games, hikes, jogging, swimming or when you go cycling – he is game for all kinds of activities.

Diet:

The formula for their diet would be that of a medium to large dog with high energy levels. The top commercially manufactured foods have been developed to include all the important vitamins and minerals. Fish oil can also be added to their food to keep the coat shiny.

Add in cooked rice, cooked vegetables and chicken from time to time and be sure to add in some raw meat occasionally to prevent problems with the skin. Always ensure that your pet has fresh, cool water to drink.

The GSD should be given an cool environment which they will enjoy a lot.

Feeding the puppy

The GSD puppy should be fed small quantities of food but several times per day as it needs to gain 2 gms weight per day. The preferred food for them is dry food along with raw liver pieces which would provide them excellent energy. The protein food given to puppy should contain 25 to 30% calories. Puppies consume more food when compared with adults.

Feeding the adult

The GSD needs a food which has a considerable amount of protein. They are carnivores in the nature. The protein can be given from cooked meat. The artificial food products will not be suitable for them. When are provided with protein food they will gain fat from itself. The recommended fat content for GSD is 5% to 8%.

Points for Good Health

The GSD should be provided with a nutritional food for their good health.

Games and Exercises

Physical exercises are very much needed for GSD since they are very energetic and power packed. It is highly recommended to make them play and run daily as they don't need to get bored. They can be made to climb in hilly areas as they want to explore their surroundings. They can be made to swim or play hide and seek and find the missing objects. Regular morning walk will be very good for them.