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Dutch Shepherd Dog Breed Facts
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Breed: Dutch Shepherd
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Also Called: Hollandse Herdershonde
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Height: The Dutch Shepherd is about 22-25 inches tall.
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Weight: The Dutch Shepherd weighs between 65-67 lbs.
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Colors: The Dutch Shepherd can be different colors for the short and longhaired variety: gold or silver brindle. For the rough-haired variety the colors are: gold or silver brindle, blue-grey and pepper-and-salt.
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Physical Appearance: The Dutch Shepherd is a medium-sized, medium-weight, well-proportioned, well-muscled dog of powerful, well-balanced build, with intelligent expression and lively temperament. The Dutch Shepherd comes in 3 varieties: shorthaired, longhaired, and rough-haired.
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Temperament/Personality: The Dutch Shepherd is affectionate, obedient, tractable, alert, very faithful and reliable, undemanding, with plenty of stamina, vigilant, active and gifted with the true shepherd temperament.
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Care: The Dutch Shepherd comes in three varieties: short-haired, long-haired, and rough-haired. The short- and longhair varieties do not require a lot of grooming, except in the molting period. Brushing and combing the dog thoroughly once a week should suffice.
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Health Concerns/Problems: There are no significant health problems associated with the Dutch Shepherd dog breed.
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Training:
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Activity: The Dutch Shepherd need to be both mentally and physically exercised.
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Life Span: The Dutch Shepherd has an average lifespan of 12-14 years.
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Litter Size: The Dutch Shepherd has an average litter of 8-12 puppies.
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Country of Origin: The Dutch Shepherd originated in Holland.
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Brief History: It is said that the Dutch, Belgian and German Shepherd Dogs resemble each other and are closely related. The differences, especially between the Dutch and Belgian, are very small. Sometimes people say that the difference is artificial and they really belong to the same breed. The Belgian Shepherd dog comes from the Northern provinces of Belgium which borders the province of Nord-Brabant in the Netherlands. It is said that the Shepherds from the Netherlands and Belgium had crossed the borders and a significant relationship developed through the centuries. At present there is a greater difference between the Dutch and Belgian Shepherd, but at one point they may have been varieties of the same breed. Now breeders speak more of the differences than the resemblance's. At this time the most notable difference between the Dutch and Belgian Shepherd is the color. At one point in time there were fawn Dutch Shepherds along with the many different color brindles seen today. This is shown in the Kennel Club Belge stud book 1933 to 1937. There is a preference for a black mask, but not a necessity.
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