Dutch Smoushond

Dutch Griffon, Hollandse Smoushond

Born to follow horses and their riders, and to capture harmful rodents, the Dutch Smoushond has long been considered the gentleman rider's dog par excellence. At ease with everyone and in all situations, he was for a long time a much appreciated dog by noble riders and their entourage. Unfortunately, in spite of all these qualities and efforts made to allow the breed to expand, numbers are still very rare in Europe, as elsewhere in the world.

Height 35 to 42 cm
Weight 15 to 20 kg
Life expectancy 13 to 15 years

Quick Overview of the Dutch Smoushond

Temperament

  • Calm and balanced
  • Affectionate and friendly
  • Happy and cheerful
  • Fits in well with the family

Appearance

  • Well-developed muscles
  • General appearance neither heavy nor coarse
  • Female body longer than male's

Health

  • Solid and robust
  • Very hardy look
  • No particular pathology
  • Rarely ill

Temperament of the Dutch Smoushond

Calm, well-balanced, affectionate, friendly, joyful and cheerful, the Dutch Smoushond is perfectly at ease wherever he is.

Neither too active, shy, or aggressive, he is a true family dog that easily adapts to all family situations.

Sociable by nature and endowed with great intelligence, he is easy to educate and socialize.

He is the family dog par excellence. Friendly, sociable, and easy to train, he is always cheerful and pleasant.

He doesn't have a very demonstrative character, but he gives lots of affection to those around him. In spite of his slightly neglected appearance at first sight, he is not a prowler.

Even if he is not aggressive by nature, he is far from shy, and will warn at the slightest intrusion. However, he prefers warning to acting, almost never interfering directly.

His bark will deter most malevolent people. Nevertheless, he does not bark profusely or pointlessly, only when absolutely necessary.

His great intuition, as well as his intelligence make his education very easy, and can be carried out by an amateur without any problem.

His socialization is also relatively easy, as he has no real problem living with other dogs or animals in the house.

Breed Appearance

netherlands smous

His well built physique with well-developed musculature, seems specifically adapted to follow riders and horses, and to catch harmful vermin from the surrounding area.

His general appearance, adapted for these functions, has earned him the nickname of "coachman's dog" and "stable dog". His overall appearance is neither heavy nor coarse.

In general, the female's body is a little longer than the male's.

Height

Between 35 and 42 cm (13.78 to 16.54 inches) for the male
Between 35 and 40 cm (13.78 to 15.75 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 15 and 20 kg (33.07 to 44.09 pounds) for the male
Between 15 and 20 kg (33.07 to 44.09 pounds) for the female

Color

His coat color is generally yellow, but a dark straw colour is preferred.

Hair

His hair is harsh, rough, coarse and rather shaggy all over the body, and of medium length on the legs, where it forms a sort of fringe.

On the head, it is slightly shorter, but some specimens also have whiskers, beard and eyebrows longer than the rest of the head.

Morphology

His slightly domed skull has a clearly defined stop. His large, round, very dark eyes are a characteristic feature of the Dutch Smoushond, with his lively and caring expression.

His small, drooping ears are triangular, set high and close together on the cheeks.

His little nose is all black. His short tail, carried cheerfully, is never curled over the back.

It can sometimes be shortened to two thirds of its natural length, or left natural.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 2, section 1 and is #308

Tips About this breed

He loves exercise, but can easily adapt to city life if necessary.

In this case, he should be able to enjoy several daily outings to spend his energy.

Even if he was very appreciated by the riders, as much to follow their horses, as to hunt down the small rodents that were harmful to them, today, he has essentially become a companion dog.

He excels in this function, but has nevertheless retained his old-fashioned stalking side, making him still as fearsome to rodents in the garden or the surrounding area.

The Dutch Smoushond is compatible with all types of owners. He can easily be integrated in a family with very young children, or simply accompany an elderly person, making life a little more pleasant day by day.

He is easy to live with and requires little maintenance, making him truly accessible to all.

Health of the Dutch Smoushond

Solid and robust, this very hardy-looking dog is not related to any particular health problem.

Rarely ill, the Dutch Smoushond is generally in excellent health and has a long life expectancy.

GROOMING

His disheveled fleece needs to be brushed at least once a week to keep it clean and healthy.

However, no other maintenance is necessary.

History of this breed

His origins remain a mystery to date. Although he seems to come from the Schnauzer, there is no official data on his true origin.

In the 19th century, he was very common in stalls to hunt rodents and other vermin, and was also frequently found in the company of riders, who appreciated him greatly at the time.

The breed almost disappeared completely afterwards, considerable efforts were made in the 1980s in order to rebuild the dramatically declining numbers.

This ancient breed, born to follow horses and noble riders of the time, owes his name to the word Smous meaning Griffon in Dutch.

The word smous also means mouse in another dialect, linking him to his hunting function.

This gentle specimen, which has the appearance of a disheveled doggie, is, despite his appearance, an excellent guard dog, preventing the intrusion of malicious people, using dissuasion or barking strongly.

In addition, he makes an excellent life companion because of his constancy, fidelity, and joy de vivre he brings to all members of his family.

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