At a glance the quick version
Coat and looks how to spot one
medium-length, soft double coat
A soft, medium-length coat that lies close and may be straight or gently wavy, over a good undercoat. The ears, legs and tail carry feathering, and the ear tips grow long black hairs that breeders call earrings.1
Personality what they are like
A cheerful, quick and confident little spaniel that stays calm and easygoing at home. It is watchful and has plenty of stamina, yet the standard notes it is not a noisy dog, and it tends to be loyal and friendly with its own people.14
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Moderate to active: The Royal Kennel Club suggests up to an hour of exercise a day, and the breed enjoys work that uses its agility and keen mind.34
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The medium coat sheds and benefits from brushing more than once a week, with extra attention to the feathering on ears, legs and tail.3
Home where they are happiest
Adapts to town or country living, ideally with a small to medium garden.3
Company who they like around
A people-oriented family companion that bonds closely with its household.14
The story where it all began
Kooikers have been kept in the Netherlands since at least the 16th century, where they helped decoy-men draw wild ducks into netted channels by flashing their white plumed tails. The type nearly vanished around the Second World War until Baroness van Hardenbroek van Ammerstol rebuilt it from a bitch called Tommy found in Friesland. Dutch recognition followed in 1971.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The dog does not chase the ducks: it plays along the bank waving its white-tipped tail, and curious ducks follow it into the decoy pipe.2
- 2
Dogs of this type appear in paintings by Dutch masters such as Jan Steen, Rembrandt and Vermeer.2
- 3
The whole modern breed goes back to a rescue effort begun in 1942 with a founding bitch named Tommy.1
- 4
The long black hairs on its ear tips are known as earrings.1
- 5
The breed is thought to be among the ancestors of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.2
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 314, Group 8 (Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs), Section 2 Flushing Dogs; standard dated 19.01.2011. The Dutch kennel club (Raad van Beheer) accepted an interim breed in 1966 and granted full recognition in 1971.1
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Utility group (moved from the Gundog group in January 2014); not a vulnerable native breed; Breed Watch category 1.3
- AKC
- Listed as Nederlandse Kooikerhondje; recognised in 2018 per Wikipedia.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Kooikerhondje. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery 3 weeks
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery day
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 10every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- FCI Standard No. 314 Nederlandse Kooikerhondje fci.beused for recognition, origin, height, coat, colour, temperament, history
- Kooikerhondje - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, AKC year, history, fun facts
- Kooikerhondje - The Royal Kennel Club royalkennelclub.comused for group, lifespan, exercise, grooming, colours, home environment
- Nederlandse Kooikerhondje - AKC akc.orgused for temperament
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.