Dutch Shepherds

Overview – Dutch Shepherds make incredible protection dogs. They are versatile, intelligent and trainable which makes them very well suited for protection training. They have very strong protection instincts and, with some training, can become the ultimate protection dog. Dutch Shepherds are trained and used as police dogs, search and tracking dogs, and guide dogs for sight impaired persons. 

Origins – Dutch Shepherds were originally bred as shepherd and herding dogs and have always excelled in whatever work they were given. They were (and are) easily trained, allowing farmers to use little time to teach simple commands and they were eager listeners making it easy for the farmers to put them to work. They proved a very moldable and versatile dog that excelled in all of their tasks. They continued to be bred because of their ability to assist and serve farmers and shepherds. Dutch Shepherds were introduced into other lines of work and continued to excel with the new skills they were given to master.

WWII Involvement – In WWII, these dogs accompanied soldiers on the battlefield because they have always been known for their loyalty, fierceness and strength. Because they are highly intelligent, they were able to be trained as messenger dogs as well. Many of them sadly died on the battlefield, and their breeding came to a halt during the war. Even though their numbers have risen, the Dutch Shepherd is still a somewhat of a rare breed because of the drastic dip in numbers during WWII. They are a highly desirable breed for protection work because of their impeccable ability to master any skill or task they are given to learn.

Dutch Shepherd Physical Traits – Dutch Shepherds always have a brindle coat, although their coat length, texture and coloring can vary. Dutch Shepherds coloring can vary between gold base brindle or silver base brindle and they can have short-hair, long-hair and rough-hair. They may also have some white markings on their chest or toes. They are medium to large dogs, usually ranging in weight from 75 pounds to 90 pounds. They have large strong heads and jaws and ears that stand erect.

We love these dogs for their sweet personalities, dedication to their owners, and incredible innate desire to protect.

Dutch Shepherds can be compared to Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds and Czech German Shepherds. View some of our protection dogs below.