HomeBreeds › Nederlandse Kooikerhondje

Sporting · Small (20-30 lbs) · 12-15 years

Nederlandse Kooikerhondje

Cheerful, alert, good-natured; historic Dutch duck-luring dog.

20–30 lb

At a glance

Kid-friendly
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First-time owners
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Energy
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Shedding
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Good with cats
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Alone time
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Apartment OK
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Trainability
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What this is

What they’re great at

✓ Quick study - learns in a handful of reps
✓ Forgiving of first-timer mistakes
✓ Adapts beautifully to smaller spaces
✓ Wants to work WITH you - biddable to the bone
Why it matters

Honest challenges

Alone time is genuinely hard
Bred to work or live beside a human all day - solitude was never in the job description.

What helps: Train it like a skill: the Alone-Time guide builds tolerance in micro-doses from day one. The frozen-KONG-only-when-you-leave ritual turns departures into jackpots. Cover long days honestly: a midday walker, daycare 2-3x a week, and a camera to know (not guess) how they're doing.
Needs a real outlet, rain or shine
Moderate-high drive doesn't take days off.

What helps: Build the outlet into the routine: Agility. Brain work counts double on bad-weather days - see Training School. A flirt pole in the yard delivers a workout in ten minutes.
What you can do

Exercise & training

Exercise: Moderate-high - 1 hr/day
Training profile — Gundog / retrieving-pointing-flushing type: Biddable and handler-focused: these breeds genuinely want to work WITH you. Under-exercised gundogs invent jobs - usually involving your furniture.
Sports and outlets that suit them: Agility · Trick titles · Scent work
What you can do

Grooming & coat

Grooming: Low-moderate - weekly brushing.
Shedding: Moderate.
Good to know

Health to know about

Von Willebrand's (tested), ENM (tested), patellar luxation, eye conditions
Breed-typical tendencies, not a diagnosis. Individual dogs vary enormously — your veterinarian screens for what matters for your dog.
How much should YOUR Nederlandse Kooikerhondje eat?

This page can only give breed ranges. The app calculates calories and portions from your dog’s actual weight and life stage, splits them across the right number of meals, and adjusts as they grow.

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Why it matters

Emergency red flags

Poisoning (chocolate, xylitol, grapes, medications, rodenticide)
Vomiting, drooling, tremors, collapse, or known ingestion
Call ASPCA Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 immediately; do NOT induce vomiting unless instructed
Know your ER
Save your nearest 24-hour emergency vet's address and phone in your phone TODAY, not during a crisis
Bleeding that will not stop (clotting-disorder breed)
Prolonged bleeding from minor cuts or nail trims, gum bleeding, unexplained bruising
Apply firm pressure and go to the vet; make sure a clotting disorder note is on the medical file BEFORE any surgery
This page never carries product links in the emergency section. ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 · Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661.
These need to work when the signal does not

The app keeps every Nederlandse Kooikerhondje red flag on your phone and opens them with no connection at all — which is the whole point at 2am in a car park. Add it to your home screen and it works like any other app.

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📊 The numbers

Typical ranges for planning, not promises — costs vary by region, breeder and individual dog.

GroupSporting
SizeSmall (20-30 lbs)
Lifespan12-15 years
Healthy adult weight20–30 lb
Original purposeLuring ducks into decoy traps; vermin control.
Monthly care$60-$110
Typical puppy price$1,500-$3,000
🐕 Similar breeds
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