THE DUTCH SHEPHERD: ONE BREED WITH THREE COAT VARIETIES
hind legs below the hocks are short and densely coated. The back- sides of the forelegs show a strongly developed coat, the feathering shortening in length towards the feet. There are no fringes at the ears. Given the potentially heavy coat, it is important for judges to feel what is under the coat. With regards to the head, the long hair may give the appearance of a rounded skull. So, it is important for judges to look closely and feel whether the top of the skull is flat and parallel to the muzzle. The coloring of the Longhaired brindle is identical to the Shorthaired variety.
THE LONGHAIRED DUTCH SHEPHERD VARIETY The Longhaired Dutch Shepherd is certainly rarer than the Shorthaired variety and was almost lost during the Depression and Second World War years. If not for the efforts of a few indi- viduals in The Netherlands during the 1940s and ‘50s, this variety would not exist today. The Longhaired Dutch Shepherd coat is long, straight, and well-fitting, harsh to the touch, without curls or waves; also, with a woolly undercoat. The ruff and breeches are distinct and the tail is abundantly coated. The head, ears, feet, and
THE ROUGHHAIRED DUTCH SHEPHERD VARIETY The Roughhaired Dutch Shepherd is the rarest of the Dutch Shepherd varieties and is arguably the most unique coat variety within the breed. The Roughhaired coat is dense, harsh, and tou- sled, with a woolly, dense undercoat all over the body except for the head. The coat should be close-fitting. The upper and lower lips should be well-covered with hair, with a beard, and two well- defined, coarse, rough eyebrows that are distinct but not exagger- ated. Furnishings are not soft. The hair on the skull and on the cheeks is less strongly developed. In profile, it seems as if the head has a more square appearance. It is, therefore, important for judges to look beyond the hair to determine that when seen from above, the head is wedge-shaped—and not square.
Strongly developed breeches are desirable. The tail is covered all-around with hair, and the rough-hair coat should be hand- plucked, on average, twice a year. Just like the coat of the other varieties, the brindle of the Rough- haired Dutch Shepherd is unique. The brindle is less pronounced in the outer coat, in comparison with the other two coat varieties, and like the Shorthaired and Longhaired varieties it includes a sil- ver- or gold-brindle. So as you can see, the Dutch Shepherd has three unique variet- ies, each of which has unique characteristics. For more information on the Dutch Shepherd and which variety many be right for you, contact the American Dutch Shepherd Association at info@ameri- candutchshepherdassociation.com .
284 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2021
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