| Country of Origin: | Netherlands |
| Registries: | DKC, FCI, KCF, KCC, UKC, ARBA, KCUSA, DKC, KCGB, APRI, ACR, DRA, NAPR, AKC/FSS |
| Breed Group: | FCI: Group 8 Section 2 #314, AKC: Sporting (FSS), KC (UK): Gundog, UKC : Gun Dog |
| Occupation: | Sports dog, duck hunting and tolling |
| Size: | Height:35 to 40 cm (14 to 16 inches) Weight: 9-11 kilograms (20 to 24 lbs) |
| Longevity; | 12–14 years |
| Exercise: | Daily long walk or jog |
| Training: | Lots of socialization and play |
| Grooming: | Moderate |
| Colors: | Red & White |
Kooikerhondje dog breed was developed in the 16th century in Netherlands. This was a tolling dog breed, used to lure and drive ducks into specific cages with traps, called “kooien” where the “kooiker” (hunter) was able to easily catch the prey. Dogs used by those hunters were called “Kooiker’s hondjes”, so this is from where they got their name. In translation, this means – Kooiker’s dogs.
During the World War II this breed almost got extinct. The truth is that Baroness van Hardenbroek van Ammerstol rescued the breed. In that time, this breed was officially recognized only by the Raad van Beheer, the Dutch Kennel Club, in 1971. Kooikerhondje dogs are still unknown in USA and Canada, even though they have been accepted into the UKC and ARBA.
In January 2013, the Kennel Club decided to re-classify the Kooikerhondje from the Gundog group to the Utility group. This will be effective from January 2014. Also, it is important to note that some breeders believe Kooikerhondje dogs might played a huge part in the development of the Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever.
The Kooikerhondje dogs are tall around 15 inches. They have a square body structure. However, depending on their gender, these dogs usually don’t weight more than 24 lbs. The Kooikerhondje dogs have medium long hanging ears, set very closely to the head. Their tail is long and furry.
This dog breed also has a waterproof medium length coat that can be very easily cleaned. Their bicolored and shiny coats can take even up to 2 years to mature. Their coat is medium long, and can be slightly wavy or simply straight.
The Kooikerhondje dogs are very good natured, cheerful and friendly. They are also intelligent and well behaved dogs, always on alert. They love to please their owners and are able to adapt to different situations very quickly. Even though they are not very trustworthy towards strangers, however once they get to know someone, they will trust that person until the rest of their life.