# What is the Dutch Shepherd like?



## JPJ9M (Apr 23, 2017)

Does anyone here own or have experience with the Dutch Shepherd? How do they compare to the German Shepherd? The Belgian Malinois? How are they similar and different to these two breeds. Also, the Dutch Shepherd is not very common, but it seems that they're also an incredible working dog that has great potential for police and military work!


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## thegooseman90 (Feb 24, 2017)

JPJ9M said:


> Does anyone here own or have experience with the Dutch Shepherd? How do they compare to the German Shepherd? The Belgian Malinois? How are they similar and different to these two breeds. Also, the Dutch Shepherd is not very common, but it seems that they're also an incredible working dog that has great potential for police and military work!


What I've seen people say is that they're basically a smaller gsd with no off switch. Not really an ideal pet from what I gather but good working dogs if they're bred well. I remember seeing a YouTube video of someone talking about mals and he was talking about how breeders will add in other breeds from time to time to gain some other traits. I.E. size. They run smaller in the 55-65 lb range. I think mals are already the more preferred breed for the military due their smaller size they're better for harnessing to you and jumping out of a plane. A friend has a dog that's allegedly Dutch x pb and she's a lunatic. Zero off switch and will work for hours. She was intended to be used as a strike dog - or in other words the dog we use to find pigs. However she was way too gritty (meaning she'd put teeth on a hog and most of the time outright catch it) which is dangerous for the dog so she was retired from that but he still has her. She's a cross so I can't say exactly what a Dutch would be like. I'll ask him to send me a pic of her later.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

I would go with a malinois. I haven't been particularly impressed with any dutchie I've ever seen. They seem stupid compared to mals. I know there are some out there that are basically brindle malinois but I've only seen two like that, and I didn't particularly like either one of them.


They are a wildcard. Many malinois lines are fairly predictable in outcome as to what you are going to get. Dutchies not so much. I don't think they have anything to offer the malinois doesn't from a working perspective.

Most don't have FCI paperwork so they are ineligible for competition as a pedigreed dog which is another big reason to stay away from them.  Having a really nice pedigreed dog that can get the job done is nice. I wouldn't whelp puppies myself but the stud fees is a nice perk.


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

Lots of variation here. There are two lines of dutchies. FCI (so called purebred) and KNPV lines. KNPV are bred for work(biting mostly) and the mals and dutchies in this line are just color variations. One litter often has both. KNPV lines in Europe are clearly noted as crosses and not purebred. In the US they seem to drop that notation and they seem to be presented as purebred.

KNPV dutchies are said to be more common in the US then the FCI lines. They tend to be bigger than FCI lines but it sure seems that both are getting bigger which bums me out a bit. Mine is just a hair under 70 lbs. Loganhaus is one of the well known US breeders of KNPV lines. You can google that.

I think with any high drive, high energy, protection breed you better go with a good breeder. Weak nerves in this (as well as GSD) breed often is sadly disastrous. Generally compared to the GSD (and again lots of variation) they are much quicker in physical and mental reaction. They can be a bit more reckless. They need a handler with good skills (speed, clarity and timing). I think the GSD is more forgiving of mediocre or sloppy handlers. I really had to invest in my handler skills.

My FCI Dutch was an insane puppy. He was insanely energetic and a dominant little..... guy. Not easy at all. I don't think they are beginner dogs and I don't think they make great, lets just stick him in the backyard and take a puppy kindergarten class. I don't think any of the working dogs be it dutch, mal or GSD make good dog park dogs. Like a mal and some GSDs, they love to work and if you structure their life and yours around work they are pretty great dogs. 

At 4 years old, mine is well trained and is fine in the house. I could not let him roam the house when we were not here until he was about 1.5 years. He would have destroyed something. He is a SAR dog and trains 2 x week... more when he was younger. He takes his work very seriously and is very committed. The vest goes on and he is on point. 

I also went with one of the top breeders in the US.

So there you have it from my perspective.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

The one I saw matched exactly what DutchKarin said in her second and third paragraph


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

I agree with Karin, there are basically two lines the FCi and KNPV lines of DS. I have a KNPV line Dutch Shepherd. The KNPV dogs are basically a mix of the Malinois and the Dutch Shepherd. I have some very experienced friends from Holland that are KNPV National Judges, they say that if a dog is fawn colored in a litter it is a Malinois, a brindle colored pup is a Dutch Shepherd. In the KNPV line dogs, malinois and Dutch Shepherds can come from the same litter. 

I work a lot of GSD's, Malinois and Dutch Shepherds at work. I own GSD's and a Dutch Shepherd. As Karin stated, they are more reactive than a GSD. Speed, ehh my GSD was faster than most any Malinois I have seen. His recall was clocked at 32 mph, so speed is not a big factor for me. More reckless, yes a good Malinois or a Dutch Shepherd can be reckless when working. You need to monitor them for their own safety. The main difference that I see comparing Malinois to Dutch Shepherds is handler sensitivity. Many Malinois, especially the pedigreed ones can be very handler sensitive. Dutch Shepherds seem to be more "handler hard" and even more handler aggressive to unfair corrections. I think the handler sensitivity in some Malinois lines make them more manageable to a skilled handler and better for sport. 

I like high drive dogs and have had GSD's with as much or more drive than any Malinois Patrol dog that I have seen. GSD's can be more clear headed and less frantic. Malinois and DS can definitely get frantic or hectic under stress and in drive. "Capping" or drive containment is very important with all working dogs, bit more so with a Malinois or DS. 

Overall, for a strong handler a DS can be an excellent dog. I really like them as Patrol dogs, but they must be matched with a confident calm handler that appreciates them. A good DS is an excellent dog for Police or Military, even ou tier 1 teams. I also like Malinois and have some excellent ones in my unit, but they need to be handled and worked differently than a GSD. 

I will say that it has been a lot of work with my brindle Malinois or Dutch Shepherd, but I am very happy with him. Not a dog for a novice handler and he is a full time job. But, that Brindle DS has impressed me more with his drive, hard surface tracking, building searches, obedience and bite work than any fawn colored Malinois that I ever seen. With that said, I wouldn't recommend him to a family or some one that doesn't have the experience working a quick and reactive dog. A pedigreed Malinois would be an easier and possibly better sport or family dog to own than a KNPV DS.


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## RZZNSTR (Jan 24, 2015)

That was an interesting write up Jim.


Be safe!


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