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Breed profile

Nederlandse Kooikerhondje

A small Dutch duck-decoy spaniel with orange and white feathering. Lively and keen to learn, often wary of strangers.

An orange and white Kooikerhondje with a plumed white tail trots across a lawn
The waving white tail once lured ducks into decoy traps.Photo: ColinsChief / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Weight
9–11 kg20–24 lb
Height
35–42 cm14–17 in
Lifespan
12–14 yrs
Group
Utility / Sporting
Origin
Netherlands
Popularity
#158 US#177 UK · 2025

Known for: Easy to trainWorking dogs

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Lively, Alert, Sensitive, Reserved with strangers.

Health problems to know about

  • Hereditary necrotising myelopathy (ENM)
  • Von Willebrand disease type III
  • Patellar luxation
  • Kidney disease (renal dysplasia)

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

About an hour of exercise daily with games, tricks or agility, and gentle, positive training for a sensitive breed. Brush weekly. Ask breeders for ENM and von Willebrand DNA results.

A good fit for

Active adults and families with older children, dog-sport homes, owners who socialise carefully.

Probably not ideal for

Chaotic households with toddlers, people out all day, owners who use harsh training.

Sources

  1. Royal Kennel Club: Nederlandse Kooikerhondje breed information
  2. Wikipedia: Nederlandse Kooikerhondje

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

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