Mudi vs Dutch Shepherd - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Mudi vs Dutch Shepherd - Breed ComparisonDutch Shepherd is originated from Netherlands but Mudi is originated from Hungary. Dutch Shepherd may grow 15 cm / 6 inches higher than Mudi. Dutch Shepherd may weigh 18 kg / 40 pounds more than Mudi. Both Dutch Shepherd and Mudi has almost same life span. Both Dutch Shepherd and Mudi has same litter size. Both Dutch Shepherd and Mudi requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Herding dogs
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Netherlands
Hungary
Height Male:
55 - 62 cm
21 - 25 inches
38 - 47 cm
14 - 19 inches
Height Female:
55 - 62 cm
21 - 25 inches
34 - 43 cm
13 - 17 inches
Weight Male:
20 - 32 kg
44 - 71 pounds
8 - 14 kg
17 - 31 pounds
Weight Female:
20 - 32 kg
44 - 71 pounds
6 - 11 kg
13 - 25 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 10
5 - 10
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Hollandse Herder
Hungarian Mudi Canis Ovilis Fenyesi
Colors Available:
brindle, red, Gold or silver
marbled color, gray, , striped, black, bro spotted, stained
Coat:
Short and dense but also long or wiry
curly, dense
Shedding:
Moderate, Seasonal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Alert, Courageous, Energetic, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Playful, Protective, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

dutch shepherdThe Dutch Shepherd is of Dutch origin, hailing from the Netherlands. They were originally used as herding dogs on the farms, where they became a jack-of-all-trades type of dog.

The Dutch Shepherd in those days, 100 odd years ago, were also known as Hollandse Herders.

These dogs are more rare in modern days, but when you do find them, they are being used as police or security dogs, as guides for the blind, or simply as family friends.

mudiSometime between the 4th and 6th centuries, the Great Migration – a variety of dogs came to live in the Carpathian Mountains on the Great Hungarian Plain. This migration period brought sheepdogs and herders brought by shepherds. These dogs were of two sizes both small and large. The smaller ones were bred together – Pumi, Puli, and Mudi. Because of this, these breeds share the same history, with the Mundi being the oldest of them all.

The Mundi was finally separated from the other breeds about 1930 when Dr. Deszo Fenyesi began to breed them. It was in 1966 when the F.C.I. finally approved the standard for the breed. Still then as today, there were not many breeders developing the Mudi. They are working dogs – farm dogs – herders, guard dogs and ratters. He is also known as a tracker, with the majority of the breed living in Hungary.

As the Mudi was bred separately from the Pumi and the Puli, differences between the breeds became clear. Many Mudi are born with a stump or no tail at all. The Mudi is not a great dog for the first timer. He is stubborn, assertive and needs a lot of socialization and exercise. In 2004 breeders in the United States created the Mudi Club of America to preserve the breed and foster responsible ownership. This is a clever, active and keen breed, very loyal to his family but wary of strangers. The United Kennel Club recognized the breed in 2006.

In Hungary, these are still a breed of herding dogs capable of running 500 sheep at a time. They are versatile, courageous, intelligent and agile. They are great in obedience trials, agility, and flyball. In Finland and the United States, they also work as search and rescue dogs.

Description

dutch shepherd puppy - descriptionThe Dutch Shepherd dog is very similar in appearance to the popular German Shepherds, being a medium to large sized dog.

The males are slightly heavier than females, but both males and females can stand between 55 and 62cm and weigh between 20 and 32kg.

There are actually 3 varieties found in the Dutch Shepherd dogs - short-haired, long-haired, and wiry or rough-haired. The dog has a double coat, consisting of a woolly undercoat and a top coat. The basic color of the coat is gold or silver through to red, giving rise to the brindle variations. Too much black or white seen in the fur is considered a fault.

In 1914 it was decided that brindle coats would distinguish them from the others.

The eyes of the Dutch Shepherd are dark, almond shaped and slightly slanting, while the medium sized ears are erect and high on the head and the thick tail is slightly curved. The dog has an unusually long tongue which is often found hanging out.

Temperament:

Early training and socializing for this dog is important so that he can learn to stay calm around new people, or visitors to the property.

The beautiful Dutch Shepherd doesn’t like being left alone for too long, loving rather to be involved with all that the family is involved in. They get on well with other pets in the home as well as being child-friendly.

They are happy dogs, who can also be smart and cunning, therefore highly trainable. They soak up new commands easily. Dutch Shepherds are also good watchdogs as they are fiercely loyal, and do not take kindly to strangers.

mudi puppy - descriptionThis is a medium size dog with an almost square profile. They have erect ears on wedge-shaped heads. He is not a strong boned but medium boned. That square profile is based in large part on their very square stance. Their muzzle is about half the length of their head and they have what is considered a “dare devil” expression in their dark, almond-shaped eyes. The color of the eyes is important and must match with the color of the dog or the standard is not met.

Merle fur – brown, brown speckled, blue eyes.

Brown or gray-brown fur – Brown eyes

Gray fur – gray eyes

What is not acceptable is having yellow eyes and black fur; pink eyes and white fur. The lips, eye rims, and nose must all have the same pigmentation. This should be black in all but the brown and brown-grey dogs. These dogs have brown noses, eye rims, and lips. The tail can be almost anything from full to bob. All are considered to be natural lengths for a Mudi.

Their coat is self-cleaning and won’t mat. It is on the long side. In fact, a short, flat, smooth coat is a disqualification from the standard. The color of the coat ranges from white to brown to gray, gray-brown, merle, golden, cream and white. Very little markings of any kind are usual.

Characteristics

dutch shepherd dog - characteristicsYour alert, intelligent and somewhat rare Dutch Shepherd is a loyal, protective dog, and while he can be aggressive around intruders and be a great guard dog, he can also be a gentle, loving animal around his human family members.

Though his tongue is long and often hangs out, you won’t have to contend with drooling. He is a wonderfully active dog and doesn’t easily gain weight. He isn’t a barker or howler, and his exceptional intelligence makes him highly trainable.

Whether there are children or other animals in the house, you can rely on your Dutch Shepherd to get on well with them, making him a wonderful family pet and canine friend.

Children friendliness

mudi dog - characteristicsYes, they are great with children and love being a part of a large family or “pack”.

Special talents

They are extremely versatile and great at herding and guarding.

Adaptability

They are adaptable if you are. They don’t need to live in the country, but they need space to run and play.

Learning ability

They are highly intelligent but a little stubborn. Their ability to learn is high but you have to be the boss.

Health Problems

dutch shepherd puppies - health problemsThe Dutch Shepherd dogs are the healthiest of the Shepherd breeds. They have relatively few health problems.

However, like the German Shepherds they may develop hip dysplasia, but this is in fact fairly rare. Get your pet to the vet if you suspect this in your dog because it can lead to lameness.

In 2018 the University of Minnesota identified a disease in Dutch Shepherds called Miositis. This is an inflammatory myopathy causing painful inflammation of the skeletal muscle tissue.

mudi puppies - health problemsThe Mudi does face several of the problems that medium to large dogs often face and some eye issues as well.

  • Hip and Elbow Dysplasia can cause arthritis and lameness.
  • Patellar Luxation (knee cap slippage) can also cause lameness.
  • Potential variety of eye issues.
  • Thyroiditis – an autoimmune deficiency.

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

dutch shepherd dogs - caringUnfortunately Dutch Shepherds shed quite a bit of hair during their shedding period in spring and autumn. This makes regular brushing important during these seasons so as to remove the dead hairs, especially from the undercoat.

The wire- or rough-haired variety shouldn’t be brushed but should rather be groomed by a professional groomer every 6 months or so.

Their nails need to be trimmed when necessary, to avoid cracking, splitting, or an injury.

Their ears can be cleaned weekly to get rid of any debris or wax build-up. This, if left, can lead to infection. Brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week to avoid dental disease which brings on a host of illnesses.

Exercise:

These dogs do need regular exercising, and at the same time need to be physically and mentally stimulated. He is the kind of dog that has been used for herding purpose on the farm and he just craves activity. Take him with you on your walks and include him in ball games, hikes, jogging, swimming or when you go cycling – he is game for all kinds of activities.

Diet:

The formula for their diet would be that of a medium to large dog with high energy levels. The top commercially manufactured foods have been developed to include all the important vitamins and minerals. Fish oil can also be added to their food to keep the coat shiny.

Add in cooked rice, cooked vegetables and chicken from time to time and be sure to add in some raw meat occasionally to prevent problems with the skin. Always ensure that your pet has fresh, cool water to drink.

Feeding the puppy

mudi dogs - caringThe Mudi needs a high quality, medium breed puppy dry food and should be fed 3 or 4 times a day for a total of 1 and ½ to 2 cups.

Feeding the adult

The adult should be fed at least twice a day with an adult medium breed high-quality dry dog food. Don’t overfeed as the breed can have a tendency toward obesity.

Points for Good Health

They have great stamina and agility.

Games and Exercises

This is a working dog and like most herding dogs, they need a job and a lot of activity. Long walks every day and either a large yard or visits to a dog park. Involve them in herding activities or Barn Hunt if you can. Playing is their way of working when they are not herding real animals. So, if you want this breed, be sure you have time for playing with them. They are great at agility, flyball, obedience, frisbee trials, tracking and of course herding

Comparison with other breeds

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  26. Dutch Shepherd vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Dutch Shepherd vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Dutch Shepherd vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Dutch Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Dutch Shepherd vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Dutch Shepherd vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Dutch Shepherd vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Dutch Shepherd vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Dutch Shepherd vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Dutch Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Dutch Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Dutch Shepherd vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Dutch Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Dutch Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Dutch Shepherd vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Dutch Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Dutch Shepherd vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Dutch Shepherd vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Dutch Shepherd vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Dutch Shepherd vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Dutch Shepherd vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Dutch Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Dutch Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Dutch Shepherd vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Dutch Shepherd vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison