1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? What is your kennel name?
2. What is your “process” for selecting show puppies? Performance puppies?
3. In your opinion, is your breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern?
4. As a Preservation Breeder, can you share your thoughts on the sport today? How’s the judging these days? What do you think about the number of shows?
5. In your opinion, is social media good for the sport? Is it harmful?
6. What are the biggest challenges facing the dog show community as a whole today and how can these be addressed?
7. What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in the sport over the past decade?

Doug Johnson

1. I’ve been in the sport of purebred dogs for 40 years and I breed English Toy Spaniels, Clumber Spaniel, Sussex Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels, and most recently, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje. I live in Bloomington, Indiana, and I am a breeder, judge, and exhibitor. And I’ve been breeding since the late 1980s.

2. In Toy breeds, you’re always looking for a dog that has a great temperament. That’s paramount in selecting a show animal or a companion animal. That would ALWAYS be number one, especially in English Toys who tend to be a little introverted. It’s very important that they have a rock-solid temperament. I’m not a big one to talk about a Performance puppy versus a Conformation puppy, because really, they should be able to do it all. You don’t see a lot of type differences in a Performance puppy bred to perform for a certain venue, Agility or Obedience, for example, in the Toy breeds. A Papillon, for example, could do both of those things very easily. They can be a Best in Show winner, but they can also have a Rally title and an Obedience title and still look the part of a show animal. So, I don’t think there are big distinguishing features. That is the beauty of sharing time with Toy breeds.

Once you have passed the temperament testing in a litter, you would then move on to looking for very specific breed details of your breed. We grow them up a little bit longer than most breeders in the breed. We believe our kennel has a bit of an advantage because they’re raised with other breeds that aren’t Toy breeds. So, they’re more empowered and braver than a lot of Toys Spaniels we meet in the ring. Toy breeds need to be brave, and sometimes when they live amongst dogs that are the same stature they don’t become as brave as they could. So that’s one of our advantages. All of this said, if looking for a structural concern in Toys, you must look at knees for fitness and strength to ensure functional soundness to perform in these venues as well. But for the most part, I think the aesthetic of the animal is the same.

3. I think the English Toy breed in the United States is varied in quality. I think we have a range of breeders who are not as progressive as others. I don’t think they see forward motion and movement in their kennels like some others, meaning there are several breeders who are very content with the dogs they have reproducing themselves, looking like what they have, retaining the qualities they have but not looking to improve or advance the breed in any certain way. I think that we have seen the profile of the breed elevated in the last 15 to 20 years. From the advent of someone like Karen Miller, who got involved and had a high-profile animal do some winning, it assisted in getting judges to recognize the breed as competitive within the Toy Group. From that, you’ve had people, including us, get involved who have produced a lot of puppies over a period that have been rather successful in the last two decades. So, there is movement for improvement in a faction of breeders, but I don’t know that it’s shared across the English Toy Spaniel community who are still very satisfied with retaining the certain type of dog that they have and perhaps is less competitive when exhibited outside of its littermates of the same quality. Of course, there are areas of concern in the current state of the breed in our country. We continue to see dogs exhibited and rewarded with their tails down in the ring. (Would you award a Cavalier a major with its tail clamped down? Crawling around the ring?) Every breeder in the country knows how I feel about this. I’m made fun of because I don’t tolerate a dog with its tail down, where most breeders don’t care about that. I see this breed’s mentality to be the exact same as the Cavalier. You would never show or reward a Cavalier that had its tail down, and I don’t think you should do the same in English Toys. So, we have great concerns about that. Knees are also an area of concern, as we see this at each National being ignored by judges as the exhibits gait around the rings with slipping patellas. That’s a problem, and that should be addressed in the whelping box and then assessed in the show ring, and judges should be less forgiving of it. And finally, one of the breed’s biggest challenges is the closed membership of the parent club. It has been unquestioned and unchecked for decades. This is a club that does not let people in who might not agree with the powers that be. I know of eight people turned down in the past year. I can’t imagine that is happening in other parent clubs. They have turned down our membership twice now. This restrictive behavior only fuels our passion to continue our successful path. We know the actions of the few hurt the club and the breed. We rise above to continue to advance without the small-mindedness of those who don’t know us but see the progress and run scared of competition. It is a sad state when a small club is so exclusive to the point of self-harm. It is unfortunate for the club but not for the breed, as we continue to support it with quality dogs

4. I think we have plenty of shows. I think there are perhaps too many shows to keep quality high. It’s nice to have maybe fewer shows where there’s more concentration of animals so that there’s direct competition rather than making something we call a kennel champion. (A kennel champion is a dog that has shown only against its kennelmates and isolated in its exposure to other breeders.) You can run away and take four bitches and one dog and get a major on a bitch and a crossover major on the dog. And before you know it, that dog is a new champion, and no one’s ever seen him. Well, that, to me, is not the point of the sport. The showcase of animals at a dog show is breeder-to-breeder competition so that you know where you stack up amongst those also breeding your breed. To me, that’s more important. The state of the sport is strong. The entries across the board are reasonable, but for a minor breed there’s not a lot of opportunity for breeder-to-breeder competition. I would like to see more of that.

5. In my opinion, social media has benefited the English Toy Spaniel greatly. Were it not for social media, the global exchange of quality animals across country borders and barriers would not be happening. Our kennel has certainly had a direct impact on the global community because of exposure from Facebook or Instagram. They allow you to showcase your dogs, and people acknowledge them who may not speak your language. Yet, on Facebook, you can communicate back and forth about your common passion for a breed. We’ve certainly benefited from a wonderful exchange with breeders in Russia who had bred to a dog of ours that we placed in Germany for a short period of time. That has led to a cooperation that has really brought to the fore some great English Toy Spaniels. The top-winning English Toy Spaniel of all time is a direct result of the influence of social media. Were it not for the fact that I was on Facebook and saw some dogs in Russia and reached out to a breeder in Russia, none of that would have happened because we didn’t know each other. I didn’t even know she existed! And despite a language barrier, we were able to communicate about animals and work to advance the breed, advance our kennels, and exchange genetic populations. We are still doing this and communicating about our breed. We share a common goal of advancement, improvement, and viability as well as working to increase the breed’s profile in the competitive Group that is the TOY Group!

6. The biggest issue facing the dog show community today is probably the cultural shift against purebred dogs. With that in mind, dog shows are a safe place to be a breeder, a safe place to display what you’ve bred. I think that we’re faced with a cultural shift where the “adopt don’t shop” mentality has taken over. This is sort of a tired mantra that we’ve been hearing. I think breeder-on-breeder drama is detrimental to the sport. I am probably one of the few who are not anti-doodle. I am pro-breeder. I don’t think you can be pro-breeder and anti-someone who breeds. I’m not an anti-high-volume breeder. I am a pro-responsible breeder. I’m actually pro-accountable breeder. So, if you’re accountable for your animals, if you have 100 litters a year or one, all power to you. If you have 100 litters a year and you take great care of them, super. If you have one disastrous litter and you throw your hands up in the air and ignore all of the problems, that doesn’t make you a better breeder than the high-volume breeder because you only had one litter. We have to support breeders across the board. We have to educate people on how we want breeders to breed. How we want them to be accountable for dogs, what are the methods in place to ensure the health and wellness of animals that we create, the welfare of the animals we create, and good positive relationships with those people who have dogs from us. Without those relationships, everything falls apart. So, keeping those relationships would be the biggest challenge we face as a collective group of individuals sharing the same sport.

7. I think, over the past decade, people have grown to realize how important the social aspect of dog shows has become. A growing family of dog friends means that you are reaching people socially. There’s a social aspect to dogs and dog showing that is very important, especially with Toy breeds where they become part of families. That’s a little different than some of these other Groups within the American Kennel Club system. These are dogs that sleep on your bed, watch TV with you, and share your life. We certainly have recognized the importance of the Toy breeds from day-to-day life. That’s one of the most important things about dog showing now, the community of dogs that we have, the aspect of dogs, all of which is positive, is where we all share in the companionship of an animal. It’s an integral part of the human experience.

Additionally, there have been several positive changes in the sport. I think that we are seeing a focus on a lot of testing to produce quality dogs. There are lots of advances in the medical field for animals to help our dogs live longer. There is a concentration of quality breeders still breeding dogs. Another big challenge is the fact that we don’t have a lot of breeders, so without them, you rely on a mass population to breed dogs. We want people to focus on breeding quality animals that are healthy. Fortunately, we do have several mechanisms in place to test animals for health, DNA testing to make sure that what you’re putting together is good. Then, there’s even something as simple as the microchip and utilizing that to track your dog and put that in place for the lifetime of the dog. These are medical advances that we didn’t have when I started. This type of thing is huge when it comes to the canine population.

The post Doug Johnson | Clussexx English Toy Spaniels and Clumber Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels & Nederlandse Kooikerhondje appeared first on Showsight Magazine.

The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, or Kooiker for short, is a lovely orange-red and white parti-colored spaniel with sable ear tips—called earrings—and occasional black tail rings where the color changes from orange-red to white. The breed has a long history, coupled with a unique method of capturing ducks for the table prior to the development of accurate fowling guns.

The Kooikerhondje’s very name indicates his task: Nederlandse just means “Dutch” in Dutch and was added to the breed name in 2010. In Dutch, “Kooi” is a trap.1 “Kooiker” is the man who runs the trap. “Hond” is dog and “Hondje” means little dog. So, the literal translation of the breed name is “The Dutch Duck Trapper’s Little Dog.”

They worked in the Eendenkooi—a Dutch invention. This is an elaborate man-made, hand-dug pond trapping system. “Eenden” is the Dutch word for ducks. Indeed, the English word “decoy” is derived from this trapping pond. A Duck Decoy, therefore, originally did not refer to a small-carved wooden replica of a waterfowl, as many would suppose, but rather a 3-5-acre pond with multiple catching arms or pipes coming off the pond.

The Duck Decoy trapping system has quite a lengthy history. It originated in the lowlands of the Netherlands but was exported to England early on. Duck Decoys existed at least back to the time of King John, and litigation regarding the ownership and use of the ponds is mentioned as early as 1280.2

Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey, in his 1886 work, The Book of Duck Decoys, preserves a description of the working method of the Kooikerhondje called “Dogging”:

“The dog having jumped into view from the corner of the screen, runs round its front between it and the ditch of the pipe, and pops back over the next dog-jump behind the same screen. He repeats this manoeuvre, springing into view of the ducks again from the jump he just disappeared over, and so encompassing screen number two. The Decoyman, hidden himself, also moves from screen to screen towards the tail of the pipe, keeping pace with his dog, and taking a quick look now and then…he encourages [the dog] by gestures to be smart and cheerful in his movements, rewarding him from time to time with tidbits of cheese, meat or cake. The sprightlier the dog works, the better, so long as he is absolutely mute and obedient.”

While these words describe an English Decoyman, they also apply equally to the Dutch “Kooi Baas.”

There was also an alternate working method employed in later years, described as “Feeding and Dogging,” in which tame ducks were also fed to entice wild ones to join them in following the dog.3

The breed was well known and established in the Netherlands by the 1500s. The Kooikerhondje is also linked to the founding of the Dutch monarchy. The founder of the House of Orange, Prince William the Silent (24 April 1533 – 10 July 1584) is said to have had a small orange-red and white dog named Kuntze, who was credited with saving his life on one occasion. The breed also appears in the paintings of numerous Dutch masters—Jan Steen being especially fond of the cheerful appearance of the striking little dog.

As fowling guns became more accurate, the need for the elaborate trapping system to put duck on the dinner table declined, and by the early 1900s the breed had as good as disappeared 4

Thanks, however, to the Baroness Van Hardenbroek Van Ammerstol, the breed was recovered before it disappeared entirely. As part of her silent resistance to the Occupation during the Second World War, she undertook the recovery of the breed. She sent peddlers out from her estate with a photograph of the dog and a snippet of cloth so as to help identify dogs of the correct orange-red color. In this way, she found Tommie, a bitch from Friesland in the far north of the country, who became the foundation of the breed. 5

The first breeding guidelines were written in 1961, and the breed was recognized by the Raad van Beheer, the Dutch Kennel Club,
in 1971.6

The first Kooikerhondje litter born to two FCI registered parents was in Palo Alto, California, in 1999 and the breed was off and running in the United States. Added to the Foundation Stock Service in 2004, admitted to the Miscellaneous Class in 2015 and to full recognition by the American Kennel Club—the first Dutch breed so honored—on Jan 1, 2018.

JUDGING THE NEDERLANDSE KOOIKERHONDJE

Dutch breeders and judges will tell you, first of all, that the Dutch are practical people, not fancy and not given to display. While the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje is striking in that it is a parti-colored orange-red dog with black eyes and pigment, it is still a working spaniel with moderation being its hallmark in all ways. For this reason, this breed should be seen and evaluated in a natural, untrimmed coat. To the eye of many an American fancier, they may look a bit unkempt with their tufts above the ears, long earrings, and un-scissored leg feathers. THIS IS HOW THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK! Please reward a dog for good structure, breed type, and movement, not merely for having a good groomer prepping it for the show ring. Structure and the easy-care coat do not need the fussing of chalk and scissoring to make them beautiful. The only allowed trimming is on the feet for tidiness.

Next, be mindful of the first words of the Breed Standard: “The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje is a harmoniously built orange-red parti-colored small sporting dog.” All parts should fit together in a complete package. No one feature should overwhelm any other.

Proportion is the next point to look for in the breed. The breed is slightly off-square, measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock. The elbow should be at the midpoint between the withers and ground.

Bone is strong but not coarse. Bitches should look like bitches. Dogs should look like dogs. No one should have to look underneath to tell the difference.

Size is strict—this is a “hond-JE” —a small dog. Please feel free to call for a wicket. Exhibitors know the importance of keeping the breed at the correct size lest a tendency towards “bigger, heavier, and hairier” overtake the breed. The breed is always examined on the table in the United States, to better evaluate size, to help calm the sensitive, alert dogs, and for the ease of our judges.

The eyes can melt the hardest of hearts! Oval, dark, shining with intelligence, they are a striking feature of the breed. They should be neither round nor protruding but softly set in the middle of the face, with nice distance between. One picture is worth a thousand words on this point.

Dark eyes and pigment makes for a striking face in this breed. Few other red-patched dogs have this depth of color. It is all because, in reality, this is a sable dog, as the presence of black feathering on the ears and an occasional black tail ring where the color changes from orange-red to white attests. Sometimes, black hair can be intermingled within the red patches as well. Small amounts are permitted; too much is a fault.

The Standard calls for the chest, belly, and the majority of the legs and tail to be white. Color should predominate in patches on the torso only. Patches are more important than is the amount of coverage, according to the Dutch breed experts. Solid red backs—called mantles—are acceptable but are less desirable. Eye and head patches must fully cover the eyes and ears, with the color ideally ending at the corners of the mouth, with coloring on the cheeks.

Our Breed Standard describes color of the dog precisely and then closes with this statement: “Color should be a consideration only when all else between two dogs is equal.” In other words, markings are gravy—not meat and potatoes. Please know, markings are of less importance than the structure beneath.

Ears are moderately large, carried without a fold, and may have black feathers, called “earrings.” The earrings are highly desirable but not mandatory! They can be profuse or sparse, long or the same length as the rest of the ear. Young dogs especially will just be growing theirs. No dog should be penalized for lack of earrings.

Ears are set on a line from nose through the eye, but never above the top of the head. Tufts of hair that stick up above the ear may confuse, but these are another characteristic of the breed and should never be trimmed away, as are the whiskers adorning the muzzle.

Coat is an area that is a pride of the Kooikerhondje. This soft but weather-resistant coat with its functional undercoat has no tendency towards matting or snarling, thanks to the texture. This texture is apparent even in young dogs. Be mindful that a soft, open, cotton coat is not correct.

Another distinction is the difference between the dogs and bitches in the amount of coat. Most bitches carry far less coat than the boys. Males tend to have full, dense ruffs, longer tail and leg feathering, and more hair in general. The girls are prone to blowing coat completely after a season and frequently appear in their “bikini” look—with skin showing through! This is normal and should not be faulted, for doing so could set up the breed for an increasing profusion of coat. The easy-care nature of the breed is to be preserved above all else.

There are two breed specific “checks” we ask judges to perform. The first relates to the ears—the ear leather itself should easily cover the eye on the same side of the head. This gives the correct ear size and prevents small or overly large ears from creeping in.

The second relates to an important working feature of the breed—the tail. The tail vertebrae should reach at least to the hock joint. Short tails are less visible to the ducks following the dog in the traps and are considered a severe fault—one sufficiently serious as to preclude placement according to our Dutch mentors.

Lastly, in keeping with the sprightly working in the Duck Decoy, the movement of the Kooikerhondje should be light, effortless, and flowing. Think of a bubbling brook as it wends its way across a meadow. So too should the Kooikerhondje move about the ring—with ease and joy in every step.

REFERENCES

1 Payne-Gallwey, Ralph, The Book of Duck Decoys (1886) p. 3

2 Ibid, p 25-26

3 Ibid, p 27-28

4 Offereins-Snoek, Janny and Diana Striegel-Oskam, Amazing Dutch Dog Breeds, (2018) p. 143

5 Ibid, p. 144

6 Ibid, p. 147

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hancock, David, Gundogs, Their Past, Their Performan and Their Prospects (Crowood Press 2013)

Heaton, Andrew, Duck Decoys (Shire Publications 2001)

Offereins-Snoek, Janny and Diana Striegel-Oskam, Amazing Dutch Dog Breeds (Raad Van Beheer 2018)

Payne-Gallwey, Ralph, The Book of Duck Decoys (1886)

Whitaker, J. British Duck Decoys of Today, 1918 (Burlington Publishing Company 1918)

The post History of the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje appeared first on Showsight Magazine.

Interview with Kimberley Layman, Breeder of Dreamcatcher Kooikerhondjes

Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder?

Kimberley Layman: I live in Sebastian, Florida. I first became involved in dogs in 1976 and have four years as a breeder.

What is my kennel name? How many dogs do I currently keep?

Kimberley Layman: My kennel name is Dreamcatcher Kooikerhondjes. I currently have three dogs.

Which have been my most influential sires and dams?

Kimberley Layman: Cirtap’s Prinses Flow v Micra-A is an influential dam.

Can I talk a bit about my facilities? Where are my puppies whelped? How are they raised?

Kimberley Layman: My puppies are whelped in the house and raised in the house using a combination of Aviddog, Puppy Culture, and my own acquired knowledge.

Are Field Trials or parent club Hunt Tests important to me?

Kimberley Layman: Hunt Tests are not applicable to our breed.

Do I compete in Companion Events? Performance Events?

Kimberley Layman: I compete in Conformation, Agility, Rally, Dock Diving, and Fast CAT.

How would I define “conditioning” as it relates to my breed?

Kimberley Layman: I believe it’s important to get physical and mental stimulation. Strength and conditioning using wobble boards, fit balls and discs, ladders, etc., keeps the dogs engaged and gaining confidence as they get better and better at the task. I keep these sessions short so that they end while the dogs are still engaged and wanting to work with me. Running and playing ball or Frisbee, agility lessons, and swimming will all help to keep them well conditioned.

Are there any health-related concerns in my breed?

Kimberley Layman: There are a few things that we test for: Von Willebrand Disease (VWD), which is a bleeding disorder; ENM Hereditary Necrotizing Myelopathy, thought to be a recessive degenerative spinal disease; Polymyositis, which is a systemic, noninfectious, possibly immune-mediated inflammatory muscle disorder; and cataracts.

The complete health testing also includes hip X-rays and manual testing of the patellas for luxation. Nutritional needs are not special, but should be an excellent quality, well-balanced diet.

Do I think my breed is supported by a sufficient number of preservation breeders?

Kimberley Layman: I don’t feel there are enough at this point.

Is my breed well suited to be a family dog? Who are the best candidates to own my breed?

Kimberley Layman: The best candidates are those with a lot of experience. Respect for the dog’s space and reading the signals are very important.

What is the biggest misconception about my breed? What is my breed’s best-kept secret?

Kimberley Layman: The biggest misconception is that they are mini Golden Retrievers, Labs or Setters. The best-kept secret… they are smarter than Border Collies!

If I could share a comment or two with judges of my breed, what would I like to say to them?

Kimberley Layman: They should look at the Breed Standard in the country of origin.

For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing thing I’ve ever experienced with a Sporting Dog?

Kimberley Layman: Not sure it’s amusing, but the way they reach for your arm and bring it towards them to have you pet them is certainly endearing.

Are you looking for a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje puppy?

The best way to ensure a long and happy relationship with a purebred dog is to purchase one from a responsible breeder. Not sure where to begin finding a breeder?

Contact the National Parent Club’s Breeder Referral person, which you can find on the AKC Breeder Referral Contacts page.

Want to help rescue and re-home a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje dog?

Did you know nearly every recognized AKC purebred has a dedicated rescue group? Find your new best friend on the AKC Rescue Network Listing.

Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Breed Magazine

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Read and learn more about the friendly Nederlandse Kooikerhondje dog breed with articles and information in our Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Breed Magazine.

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Interview with Ann Knoop-Siderius, Breeder of Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes van den Iserman Hoeve

Where do we live? How many years in dogs? How many years as breeders?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: We are located in central Illinois. We have a beautiful country home, with a river running across the back of our property where our dogs love to swim! We imported our first Nederlandse Kooikerhondje pair in 2010 from our home country and the home country of the breed, the Netherlands. We grew up with Kooikers in the Netherlands!

What is our kennel name? How many dogs do we currently keep?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: Our kennel name is Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes van den Iserman Hoeve. This is a family name of mine from Friesland, an area in the Netherlands. We currently live with nine Kooikerhondjes in our homes; three live with my husband and I, three live with my son, who lives directly behind us, and three live with my daughter, who lives directly next to us.

Which show dogs from the past have been our noteworthy winners?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: We have imported and bred show quality dogs specifically to meet our standard for conformation and functionality and will continue to do so. Some of our notable puppies are last year’s Westminster Best of Breed winner, GCH Amazing Gerard Ravenswood Van Den Iserman Hoeve BCAT THDN CGC (Best of Breed at Westminster 2022), and several others from our breeding program, including:

• CH Amazing Catarina Haarlem Van Den Iserman Hoeve CM CD BN GN RA BCAT CGC TKI;
• MACH Amazing Lutcia Van Den Iserman Hoeve CDX BN GN RI FDC MXB MJB XF SWM TKP;
• GCH Amazing Luka Van Den Iserman Hoeve FDC BCAT CGC TKN ATT (attending Westminster this year).

Which have been our most influential sires and dams?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: Looking at our offspring has been a wonderful experience, as we can see how each dog/bitch influenced the lines. Likely a couple of the most influential have been our matriarch: Amazing Queen Achteraf (Evie), along with an influential sire, IRon Ravenswood von Wichtelhaus (IRon), whose offspring, Amazing Amerika van den Iserman Hoeve (Xena), has done amazing things for our breed, including a wonderful temperament and not being oversized. Offspring of Xena includes Amazing Luka Van Den Iserman Hoeve (Luka), who continues to show off the beautiful looks, structure, proper size, temperament, biddability, and work ethic of a true Kooiker.

Can we talk a bit about our facilities? Where are our puppies whelped?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: Our puppies are whelped in our home. We have a study/library just off our kitchen where our puppies enter the world and begin their first steps. We do lots of socialization on our small farm where they meet different animals and children of all ages. We have so many special places for them to explore and learn new things.

We follow several different puppy rearing programs, including Avidog, and as the puppies turn 7 weeks of age we do the Volhard temperament test. Puppy parents are encouraged to meet us at our home and see where their little ones grew up. Typically, our puppies leave for their new homes at 8 weeks of age, but sometimes we will keep them longer, depending on the litter.

What is our “process” for selecting Show Puppies? Performance Puppies? Field Puppies?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: We will not choose homes for puppies until 7 weeks of age in order to get the full view of their personalities and futures. Show homes are very special and we go into depth with those who are interested in showing or competing, since they are likely to be the future of the breeding program. We make sure our buyers have proper expectations of a Kooiker, its needs, its temperament, etc. Having a sit-down conversation to understand what the buyer wants from their puppy is important in helping us determine which puppy will best fit their needs. The Volhard test is used as a guide, but it is not the only tool used when selecting this very special puppy.

Do we compete in Companion Events? Performance Events?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: We personally compete in Conformation, Companion, and Performance Events, though not to the extent that we are gone every weekend. We do what our dogs enjoy, and currently they are loving Fast CAT as well as the show ring! Our puppy buyers are a wide variety of Performance, Companion, and show homes. We have many different types of jobs for a Kooiker and they do all of them well.

Some of them are Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, and Performance Stars (Agility, Dock Diving, Rally, Obedience, etc.), and some are very successful in the show ring. While our personal dogs may not have the long list of titles that their puppies do, we take pride in knowing we are producing dogs that can work and perform, as well as keep their families happy and safe.

Are Field Trials or parent club Hunt Tests important to us?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: Our breed does not place importance on Field Trials or Hunt Tests, because we are not a typical Sporting Breed. We place special value on temperament, ability to perform around the farm or house, and protecting their families. We prefer getting a Dutch Judge’s written evaluation on our (and other American) Kooikers as much as possible to add value to our Standard and maintain their purpose.

How would we define “conditioning” as it relates to our breed?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: Our breed is a healthy, active breed that needs conditioning exercise to stay in shape. A healthy Kooiker needs walks, fun, and a frisbee, but does not need biking, excessive fitness training, or other physical therapy. Our show homes keep their dogs active. They include stretching and core work in their exercise in the forms of tricks and play, and keeping their dogs well vetted with chiropractic adjustments and massage. Our breed maintains its shape and form with proper exercise.

Are there any health-related concerns in our breed? Any special nutritional needs?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: We are involved in the AKC national parent club and I am a member of the Health and Genetics Committee. We work very closely with the Dutch club and try to make sure that the US population is informed as new tests become available for our breed. There are currently five tests required by the breed club and the OFA. This is a healthy breed, and as long as health tests are conducted and followed in breeding practice, it will remain healthy.

Nutritionally, this breed should be fed the best quality food, as every dog should. There are not specific nutritional requirements, other than taking care of your pet with quality products. Luka’s (mentioned above) parents own a pet store, Roo’s Holistic Pet Supplies, which specializes in high-quality food. Not “boutique” or made-up foods, but truly balanced, nutritional diets that promote the best health possible in our dogs.

You can look at Luka and their other dogs and see the true care taken in their food selection, simply by how wonderful their dogs’ coats, stools, habits, and health are. Luka’s coat is healthy, shiny, has minimal shedding/breaking of the coat, and is not frizzy or unhealthy looking. His nutrition makes a difference in his performance and gives him an edge over the competition. The owners have been involved in sighthounds for a long time and have proven improved endurance, muscling, etc. from proper diet.

Do we think our breed is supported by a sufficient number of preservation breeders?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: We have several preservation breeders that we work with very closely, as well as the national breed club in the Netherlands. The hope, of course, is to preserve the true Kooiker and not give in to pressure from outside breeds/onlookers. Size, temperament, function, and health are very important. Preservation breeders are (and should continue) showing their dogs that are of proper size (many are too large), proper temperament, and untrimmed (as written in the Standard). They should not hide flaws so as not to create trends in the breed.

Is our breed well suited to be a family dog? Who are the best candidates to own our breed?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: The Kooikerhondje can be a wonderful addition to the right family. Not every Kooikerhondje is a good fit with every family, which is why we do not let people choose their own puppies. We use a questionnaire from prospective owners and the Volhard test as a guide to match the right puppy with the right family. The Kooiker is to be aloof to strangers, but not aggressive. They should be protective when appropriate, but true to their family.

What is the biggest misconception about our breed? What is our breed’s best-kept secret?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: Do not let their small stature and beauty fool you. The Kooiker is incredibly smart, and given the chance, will take the alpha position in your family. While adorable, they will protect their family and are fiercely loyal and loving.

Another misconception is that this breed must carry the duck within its mouth. The Kooiker worked quietly in the Eendenkooi (duck pond) to lure ducks into elaborate traps; nothing in their mouth. We love to explain the elaborate system to new people interested in the breed. They are not a typical Sporting Dog and should be treated, trained, and socialized differently.

If we could share a comment or two with judges of our breed, what would we like to say to them?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: We would like judges to watch for size and temperament within the breed. Understand that this breed’s name explains that it is to be a small dog: Kooiker-hondJE (hond means dog, and the JE at the end makes it small). There should be trimming on the FEET ONLY; there should never be any other trimming on the body, especially not the tail! We are seeing too many trimmed dogs, large dogs, and poor temperaments in the Breed ring. They can be flashy and beautiful without being trimmed and oversize.

Do we have any words of wisdom to pass along to newer breeders?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: Our breed is in need of genetic diversity. It is only with new breeders, or owners who are willing to keep their Kooikers intact and do the recommended/required testing, that we can bring it back to a healthy population. If you are considering breeding, please reach out to us!

For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing thing we’ve ever experienced with a Sporting Dog?

Ann Knoop-Siderius: It is always fun to hear people mispronounce our breed’s name. We have heard so many amusing names, but maybe the best is the Cookie Hound! When you say Kooiker, think Koi fish, not cookie!

Are you looking for a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje puppy?

The best way to ensure a long and happy relationship with a purebred dog is to purchase one from a responsible breeder. Not sure where to begin finding a breeder?

Contact the National Parent Club’s Breeder Referral person, which you can find on the AKC Breeder Referral Contacts page.

Want to help rescue and re-home a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje dog?

Did you know nearly every recognized AKC purebred has a dedicated rescue group? Find your new best friend on the AKC Rescue Network Listing.

Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Breed Magazine

Showsight Magazine is the only publication to offer dedicated Digital Breed Magazines for ALL recognized AKC Breeds.

Read and learn more about the friendly Nederlandse Kooikerhondje dog breed with articles and information in our Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Breed Magazine.

If you enjoy the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Breed Magazine, help us educate the community by sharing it.

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Interview with Sheryl Fuller, Breeder of Waterbound Kooikerhondje

Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder?

Sheryl Fuller: I live in a suburb of Houston, Texas, which is almost tropical. The climate couldn’t be more different than where the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje originally came from in the Netherlands. To keep the Kooikers cool and happy, we put in a swimming pool. The pool is their favorite place to be.

I got my first purebred dog, a Basenji, in 1982 and bred several litters under the kennel name Laika. I had Flat-Coated Retrievers for about 10 years, then I obtained my first Kooikerhondje in 2008 after admiring them for several years. I started breeding dogs in 1985 and whelped my first Kooikerhondje litter in 2010.

What is my kennel name? How many dogs do I currently keep?

Sheryl Fuller: My kennel name is Waterbound. I currently keep seven dogs at my house and have several in co-owned homes around the country that I breed with, due to the difficulty in keeping large numbers of intact dogs in the same house.

Which show dogs from the past have been my noteworthy winners?

Noteworthy winners include:

• GCHB Estaika’s Lucky Lukas CM CGC, a Finnish import and the first Certificate of Merit Nederlandse Kooikerhondje. “Luke” was also ranked in the Top 2 in Breed and All-Breed as well the No. 1 OH Kooiker for the first two years we were AKC eligible. Luke was acquired with Dr. Susanne Martin of Golden Gate Kooikers.
• MBIS GCHB Waterbound Everything Harvey vd Golden Gate OA OAJ CGC is a National Specialty Winner and the only BIS Nederlandse Kooikerhondje. “Harvey” was co-bred with Dr. Susanne Martin and owned by Dr. Marlene Valter and Louise Brady.
• GCHB Waterbound Making Waves RI BN BCAT CGC is the first OH BIS Nederlandse Kooikerhondje. “Breaker” was the No. 1 OH Kooiker as well as the No. 2 All-Breed for two years in a row.
• CH Waterbound Demi Delight UD RA CGC BCAT is only the second Kooikerhondje and my first dog to complete her Utility Dog title.

Which have been my most influential sires and dams?

Sire:

Hungarian import GCH Astro Dog from Wonderland BN RI NA NAJ CGC, sire of the only BIS Kooiker mentioned above (Harvey) and of multiple Group-winning GCHB Jubelend Waterbound Orion’s Belt (Archie) as well as many champions and up-and-coming young prospects.

Dam:

My foundation bitch, UKC CH Vonlin’s Temple of the Winds CD RE AX AXJ CGC. “Lucy” is where it all began for me. Acquired before AKC recognition, she never competed in AKC Conformation. Now 14 years old and going strong, Lucy is extremely biddable and temperamentally stable, and has passed this on to her offspring. Lucy is the grand-dam of Harvey and great-grand-dam of Breaker.

Can I talk a bit about my facilities? Where are my puppies whelped? How are they raised?

Sheryl Fuller: I am very fortunate to share my home on two fenced acres with my husband and the dogs. The property is surrounded on three sides by cow pastures and includes two large running pens, covered dog runs, and a large puppy play yard. My dogs live in the house and several share our bed.

My puppies are whelped in my spare bedroom and moved to the kitchen at 3-1/2 weeks. They also have an outdoor puppy play yard where they spend most of the day, weather permitting.

My puppy raising has been greatly influenced by Gayle Watkins and Avidog. I use ENS and introduce a novel scent each day. My puppies are exposed to numerous different surfaces, sounds, toys of all types, and lots of visitors. They are also introduced to swimming in our pool, weather permitting.

What is my “process” for selecting Show Puppies? Performance Puppies? Field Puppies?

Sheryl Fuller: The “process” begins at birth when the puppies are still wet and continues until they leave. Stacked photos at 6 and 8 weeks are useful, but just sitting on the floor and watching them move is the most useful for me. I love to get in the pool and watch the puppies playing alongside the pool. It gives me a view at eye level.

For Performance Puppies, again, observation as well as aptitude tests are performed by an unbiased evaluator. Because Kooikers can be reactive to sounds, I look for puppies that are not sound sensitive when choosing Performance Puppies.

Kooikers have been approved to run Flushing Spaniel Hunting Tests, but to this date, I haven’t trained or sold any for this venue.

Do I compete in Companion Events? Performance Events?

Sheryl Fuller: I currently compete in Obedience and Rally with my Kooikers. I used to compete in Agility and Flyball as well. In the past, I competed in Hunt Tests with my three Flat-Coated Retrievers and all earned their Senior Hunter titles. I have dabbled in Fast CAT and am currently training my Kooikers for Scent Work, but have not yet competed.

It has been truly fulfilling to work with my dogs in all these different venues. Kooikers are extremely smart and biddable, and can be successful in all these areas.

Are Field Trials or parent club Hunt Tests important to me?

Sheryl Fuller: There is not a test to evaluate the work for which a Kooikerhondje was bred to do. They were bred to work with their handler to lure ducks into traps in an “eendenkooi” or an elaborate system consisting of a pond that was connected to a number of small canals leading to traps.

They are now eligible to run Flushing Spaniel Hunting Tests, but, in my opinion, there is an inherent contradiction.

I believe any competition venue that requires close communication and cooperation with their handler is useful in evaluating a Kooiker’s working ability.

How would I define “conditioning” as it relates to my breed?

Sheryl Fuller: Kooikers really love to have some free-run time. Swimming, where possible, and hiking are great ways to condition without “formal” conditioning.

Are there any health-related concerns in my breed? Any special nutritional needs?

Sheryl Fuller: The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje is generally a healthy breed that lives to an average of 13-14 years. Available genetic testing has virtually eliminated two diseases affecting Kooikers; Von Willebrand disease and hereditary necrotizing myopathy. While they only affect a very small percentage of Kooikerhondje, kidney disease and polymyositis are still concerns.

There are no special nutritional needs, but Kooikers love to eat and can have a tendency to become overweight.

Do I think my breed is supported by a sufficient number of preservation breeders?

Sheryl Fuller: Everyone who breeds Kooikers is a preservation breeder because of the small gene pool. I do not think that is enough. There are a few experienced breeders that I partner with, but I am hoping for some more experienced breeders to become involved with Kooikers.

Is my breed well suited to be a family dog? Who are the best candidates to own my breed?

Sheryl Fuller: Kooikerhondje are well suited to be a family dog for a family with school-age children. They bond closely with their family and are always game for whatever activity the family wants to include them in. However, Kooikers are sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements as well as wary of new people, making them a challenge for families with very young children. The children need to be old enough to respect the Kooikerhondje’s sensitivities. Active, experienced dog owners who enjoy the outdoors make the best owners. Kooikers love to exercise both mentally and physically.

What is the biggest misconception about my breed? What is my breed’s best-kept secret?

Sheryl Fuller: The biggest misconception I see is that the Kooiker has the typical trusting, outgoing temperament of most Sporting breeds. In reality, the Kooiker is extremely intelligent, wary of new people, and a little independent compared to most Sporting breeds.

The best-kept secret is that the coat is amazingly easy to maintain and does not mat. If a Kooikerhondje goes out and gets all wet and muddy, you can put it in a crate for an hour to dry and it comes out clean.

If I could share a comment or two with judges of my breed, what would I like to say to them?

Sheryl Fuller: This breed is new to the AKC. Many exhibitors are also new. They are nervous, which makes the dog nervous. In addition, Kooikers do not particularly enjoy being examined. They respond best if approached confidently and matter-of-factly on the table.

Do I have any words of wisdom to pass along to newer breeders?

Sheryl Fuller: Please find a mentor. It can be someone from your local kennel club with a different breed, but an experienced Kooikerhondje breeder is ideal.

Never say never. Anything that can happen will happen if you breed long enough.

Are you looking for a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje puppy?

The best way to ensure a long and happy relationship with a purebred dog is to purchase one from a responsible breeder. Not sure where to begin finding a breeder?

Contact the National Parent Club’s Breeder Referral person, which you can find on the AKC Breeder Referral Contacts page.

Want to help rescue and re-home a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje dog?

Did you know nearly every recognized AKC purebred has a dedicated rescue group? Find your new best friend on the AKC Rescue Network Listing.

Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Breed Magazine

Showsight Magazine is the only publication to offer dedicated Digital Breed Magazines for ALL recognized AKC Breeds.

Read and learn more about the friendly Nederlandse Kooikerhondje dog breed with articles and information in our Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Breed Magazine.

If you enjoy the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Breed Magazine, help us educate the community by sharing it.

The post Sheryl Fuller | Waterbound Kooikerhondje appeared first on Showsight Magazine.

Interview with Liz Barshack

How long have you competed in AKC Agility? How did you discover the sport?

Liz Barshack: I have been competing in AKC Agility since 2006. My Vizsla, “Ruby,” and I were taking Basic Obedience classes and our instructor thought that she would be great at it since she had so much energy and focus. Needless to say, she and I were immediately bitten by the Agility bug! Ruby was my “Novice A” dog and she was also an AKC Agility Invitational Finalist in 2011.

Did you have a strategy for competing with “Senna” at the AKC Agility Invitational this year?

Liz Barshack: My only strategy for this year was to do better than we did last year; basically, to run all four rounds clean. I knew if we could do that, “Senna” would make it into Finals.

Do you compete in other dog sports? If so, which sports appeal to you and why?

Liz Barshack: Yes! Senna is a Grand Champion in Conformation; she is the first GCH MACH titled Nederlandse Kooikerhondje—and she’s had several invites to the NOHS Finals. While Conformation shows are not my favorite because they can be very subjective, Senna is a great example of the breed and I feel that we need to show judges what good structure and movement actually looks like.

Senna also competes in Fast CAT and Dock Diving because she loves it! She was invited to the 2021 Fast CAT Invitational and we are working on her NADD titles. Fast CAT and Dock Diving are just pure fun for the dogs, and they don’t require much training.

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Interview with an Owner Handler, Hailey Perkins

Where do I live? How many years have you been an Owner Handler?

We live in Muncie, Indiana. Amber Corduan has been an Owner Handler for seven years. Hailey Perkins has been an Owner Handler for three years, but Amber primarily does the showing.

How did I get your start in my breed? In the sport?

Hailey Perkins: We found a person with Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes at a show right before they were AKC recognized. We had seen the breed a few times and wanted to learn more about them. We decided at that show that we wanted one! We started following Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes breeders across the country, looking at social media, etc. Since the breed was not much into the show ring yet, we didn’t have a lot of the ads, show photos, and posted pedigree stuff to look at. We went with our “gut” and met a breeder from Illinois. Out came “Luka.” We couldn’t ask for a better dog! We got him for love and companionship, with the hopes that he would do well in sports and showing. We were not disappointed.

Amber started in the sport about 20 years ago, when she met Phil and Jane Gray. She got her first Great Dane through them that she was encouraged to show. “Taylor” finished quickly. Two Whippets bred by Phil and Jane soon followed, then a few more Danes—and the rest is history!

Have we always loved to show dogs? Have we always been dog people?

Hailey Perkins: We’ve always been dog people and we’ve always loved sports. An honest answer: Showing may not be our favorite sport with our dogs, but we believe it’s important and we do love making sure that our breed is well represented. We do many other sports with our dogs as well.

Is there a story behind our decision to show our own dog?

Hailey Perkins: We had always entered the National Owner-Handled Series when we started showing our own dogs, and we were as shocked as everyone else when Luka began placing immediately. We take pride in the fact that we condition him, train him, and present him ourselves. Amber has used Professional Handlers before as well. They did a fantastic job and we appreciate that they were able to take dogs that we couldn’t present well in the ring and present them for us!

What makes showing our own dog so special to us?

Hailey Perkins: The relationship. We have routines and a relationship that makes the difference. Luca goes into that ring for us; he couldn’t care less what he’s doing as long as we are there.

In our opinion, is there a secret to having a great dog/handler partnership?

Hailey Perkins: Confidence, trust, and routine. Our dogs know what to expect from us, and we build their confidence for them to know what to do and what to expect in other situations. Our dogs trust us and we trust them. We build a relationship based on those three components. So, our dogs have the trust that we will put them in good situations, but still with the confidence to understand when it’s not a good situation.

Do we compete in the National Owner-Handled Series? If so, for how many years?

Hailey Perkins: Yes, we do, for as long as we’ve been showing!

What goals did we set for ourselves and for our dog in 2022? What about 2023?

• In 2021, we finished No. 3 in the National Owner-Handled Series with Luka, our Kooiker.
• Our goal for 2022 was to make it to No. 1 and we absolutely did! We placed in Groups at nearly every show we attended.
• Our other goal was to place top No. 5 in our breed for the 2023 Westminster qualifying period. While we are still waiting on final results, last we checked, we made it!

Next year will be interesting. We have a Greyhound puppy now and we may choose to sit out 2023 and hit it back in 2024 when he’s ready. Or we may decide to keep Luka going in 2023!

Are we going to Orlando? If so, what’s it like to have a top NOHS dog this year?

Hailey Perkins: Yes, we are. We couldn’t be more excited and proud of our dog and our breeder. We never expected so much recognition, but we appreciate every single judge who has seen our beautiful boy and decided that he is worthy of a placement.

Just for laughs, do we have a funny story that we can share about our experiences as an Owner Handler?

Hailey Perkins: In Lima, Ohio, the day after winning our first Owner-Handled Group One and Regular Sporting Group Two, the area received storms and rain that flooded the grounds and our camping spot. We walked through six inches of water, in freezing cold rain, carrying our dog with a raincoat over him to the Breed and Group rings. We lost. Then we tried to pack up as our stuff floated all around us. Finally, we tried to pull out… but the camper was stuck. We had to pay a tow truck to pull both the van and the camper out of the mud. It was not funny at the time, but we can laugh about it now. We also bought raincoats and boots to keep in our camper that very next day!

The post In the Ring With Owner Handler Hailey Perkins appeared first on Showsight Magazine.

In learning that we are professional groomers, we want to mention that we ourselves would never take our Kooiker to another groomer. You would never want to risk cutting off the earrings, trimming of the feathering, or “neatening” of anything. We would suggest, if taking your Kooiker to a groomer, that you tell them absolutely no trimming is to be done! You may find a groomer who understands showing dogs, but we would avoid groomers unless absolutely needed.

You may have noticed that some breeds have become what we would call “over-groomed” in the show ring. We do NOT want our Kooikers to become like them, and in order to keep this from happening, we have to stick to our standard and groom them appropriately. We do not want to see a “fluffed-up” coat, water being sprayed on the coat before the ring, chalking or starch used, or any “marking” or changing of the coat.

What follows is our process for grooming our Kooiker before a show. First, we bathe him the day before we leave. We wash his face and head (usually using blueberry facial shampoo or puppy tearless), then we completely rinse and towel dry the head (this keeps the dog from shaking so much). Then we wash his body using gentle, professional shampoos. Some of the products we use are Fresh N Clean, Tropiclean, Earthbath, and Nzymes. After applying shampoo, we apply conditioner and we fully rinse the dog. We towel dry his entire body and get ready to use a high velocity dryer. This is where the process may differ depending on your dog. High velocity dryers work in a few different ways. On double-coated dogs, like German Shepherds, we use them against the grain of the coat, so backwards, up the back. This loosens any matting, and it blows out dead skin and dead coat. It pulls the coat from the skin so that the dead coat can be brushed out. For dogs like Afghan Hounds, Springer Spaniels, and Kooikers, we use the dryer with the grain of the coat to flatten the top of the coat, giving it a beautiful sheen. This method still blows out dead skin and dead coat, so we do believe this is an important part of the process. Even short-coated dogs benefit from high velocity dryers!

Contrary to previous belief, a healthy dog on a high-quality diet will not dry out from using the high velocity dryer. We do not like to over-bathe our Kooiker, though we did six AKC shows in a row each weekend and had to bathe him before each one. (This is not ideal, but when we are scheduled like this, we had to do it!) His coat never dried, broke, looked frizzy, or suffered any damage. He took home several wins during that period as well! What we do NOT want to see in Kooikers is the dryer being used to fluff the coat. We go with the grain to shine the coat, get dead skin and coat out, and keep the coat flat and beautiful.

After our Kooiker is bathed and dried, we use a slicker brush or a comb to brush his entire body, feathering, rear, earrings, etc. This should leave your Kooiker looking smooth and groomed. You should not see any separation of coat or an oily looking coat. After our Kooiker is dry and brushed, we trim his feet! We do this by doing his nails first; we clip and Dremel them smooth and short. Then we start by clippering or scissoring the hair on the bottom of the feet at the pads. We want the dogs to have protection, but they also need “grip.” You can use clippers or scissors. Just go flat against the foot and trim off any excess hair. Then we trim the hair between the pads and around the toes. We do this by taking our finger and pulling up the hair between the toes, using scissors to trim the excess hair. We “round” the feet. When the foot is in a standing position, it should look completely natural and round. There should not be scissor marks or an obviously grooming appearance. This should not alter the appearance of the dog or indicate a trim on any of their feathering. We do also check his teeth to see if any plaque needs to be scraped, but dogs on a high-quality diet usually have minimal plaque buildup, so scraping is usually not necessary.

Once at the show site, we do try to keep our Kooiker clean and dry. As much as we want to make sure that Kooikers remain a working breed and are able to do their job, it is still a dog show, and so, your dog is expected to be groomed and clean. The coat should look smooth and together, not separated, oily, or tangled. If you have a male, you should check their male bits and make sure they are dry and clean. No judge wants a handful of anything wet or sticky! If you have a female, check the lady parts; and if she is in season, wipe her with a grooming wipe before showing, to minimize dripping. Then we simply go to our ring, run a slicker brush or comb over the dog, and head into the ring.

It is important to note that even those who do not show their Kooikers should be doing regular brushing, nail trims, and feet trimming. We trim the feet to avoid snowball and mud build-up, to give the pads proper grip, and to keep the house neat and clean by having less mud and water on the feet. Regular nail trims are extremely important for any dog of any breed, as the nails directly create the conformation of the feet and allow your dog to stand, walk, and run the appropriate way!

Our breed is a natural dog and we want to keep it that way. In order to do this, we need to band together to show our Kooikers in a natural coat. We should not be fluffing them, spraying excessively with conditioner or water, and we should NOT be trimming anything other than their feet. We all need to work together to keep our Kooikers looking natural in the show ring. We, and many other natural Kooiker exhibitors, have already proven that we can and will win with our natural dogs. Contrary to popular belief by some professional handlers, we do not have to try to become a Golden Retriever or a Setter in the ring. This is not what our breed is!

Show Grooming a Kooiker by Hailey Perkins and Amber Corduan

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