The Dutch Shepherd
Translated from Dr. L.F. Treibels and Lia Helmers-de Regt
Short - Curly - Longhair
From Regional to National Breed
Shorthair and Curlyhair.
Almost in the last quarter of the last century people from the official kynological clubs started to get interested in different "native" Shepherds. This was not only in the Netherlands but also in Germany and in Belgium.
Large pastures for the herds of cattle and sheep went across the National borders from these countries. The Shepherds with their dogs were roaming over these pastures with their herds and through the country.
People did not breed for the looks but for the character and the workability.
In those days there were more similarities between the "later" National Breeds than now. Shorthair, curlycoated hair and longhair were mixed together. There was no preference for color. The only thing that was important was the use as a working dog in all it's varieties. Only the Scottish Collie had become a "Showdog".
On April 11 and 12, 1874 there is an appearance of the first National Shepherd Dog Show in Amsterdam. A first breed standard can be found in the by "Nimrod" published book "records of dogs and books of 1875. In this book also is spoken about a "native" Shepherd-dog: "This dog is of medium size, slender, but strongly built, preferably a little high on his legs. His whole body is closely covered with thick hair, which will protect him for every weather condition. His head is long with a little bit high forehead and pointy snout. The eyes are placed deep, the ears are short and standing straight up, sometimes a little bit hanging at the tips. The tail, on the bottom usually with longer hair is, when the dog is in action, straight with a curve upwards".
In the catalog of the second dog show in 1878 there is no more "Native Shepherd Dog", but now for the first time Dutch Shepherd Dog. Here starts already a mistake that can be ver confusing. Our Shepherd Dog is not a "Holland Dog" but a "Dutch Dog". Instead of the provinces of North and South Holland the Shepherd Dog was seen the most in the provinces of Noord Brabant and Drenthe and the regions of "De Veluwe" and "Het Gooi". In those days one spoke a lot of "from Holland" instead of "from the Netherlands".
In the years between 1890 and 1898 the number of dog shows increased and very rarely you could find a "Dutch Shepherd". They were mostly dogs from the farms, bred without a real breed standard, without a known ancestry and maybe just brought for fun straight from their work (herding).
In 1892 in Belgium the "Club du Chien de Berger Belg" (Club for Belgium Shepherd Dogs was founded after having set up a standard the year before during a meeting where 117 dogs were examined and from what the meeting used from the dogs as being ideal for a standard. They chose for the "longhaired blacks" (Groenendales), the "ash-gray colored curly-coated" (Lakenois), the "pale-brown or brown brindle with black masks" (Malinois). Later the "longhaired with lioncoloring" would be added and a little bit later the curlycoated dogs had to have a "lion coloring". In Belgium people have been very smart to take a large number of dogs, examine them very thoroughly and make a breed standard based on what they had seen.
In the Netherlands the interest in the Dutch Shepherds was growing but the knowledge about them was little. Between 1874 and 1898 less than 10 dogs were shown on different shows and the public was not able to picture an image of a Dutch Shepherd, which varieties were allowed and what colors were typical.
On May 13, 1898 twelve people met to make preparations to start a Dutch Shepherd Club. The club was started on June 12, 1898 in the city of Utrecht during the first General Meeting. 17 people attended this first meeting and there were also some dogs. The Rules and Bylaws ere made and approved and the different functions were given to the members. The breed standard was set. At that time six varieties were recognized: Shorthair, Middlelonghair, Longhair with the hairs standing up, Longhaired with the hairs lying down, Middle longhaired with the hairs standing up and the curly-coated haired.
That probes that, unlike the Belgium's, they had no clear view about the different types and that particularly breeding was done for workability with all the different types. People did not care about color and white on the head, chest, toes and point of the tail was not uncommon.
From the beginning the NHC had problems with dogs that were too small and looked too much like greyhounds. The standards for sizes were to easy and there was no uniformity in the judging. In 1906 the standards were revised: the six hair varieties were changed into three:: shorthaired, longhaired and the curly coated hair: the minimum height for females was set to 50 cm and for males to 55 cm. From that moment the NHC was founded (second still existing dog club in Holland besides the in 1893 Dutch Great Dane Club), the faith of the Dutch Shepherd was in the hands of the NHC.
Because of the unclearness about the typical standards of the Dutch Shepherd "to be", a result of lack of knowledge, and the lack of persistent, consequent and strong leadership. After one year the first President resigned for personal reasons. Also in the following years the members of the Board changed too quickly.
In Belgium a good foundation could be made for the breeding and the judging by the very good leadership of Professor Reul, the man who took the intuitive in 1891 to bring together the 117 dogs to be able to get the best view of all the varieties and the different colors.
In Germany already in 1884 a club for German Shepherds was founded "Phylax", but already soon stopped because of internal troubles. Also in Germany part of the problem was the tiny showy dogs versus the strong working dogs. But in 1899 the strong and professional leadership of "Rittmeister Max von Staphanitz" was the start of the "Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde". This club grew very quickly even world wide especially because of the persistent management of the club to breed a strong all a round working dog. The color was, except for complete white, not important and the club brought together all the varieties to end up with the so called "stockhaar", between short and long hair.