Kooikerhondje vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison

The Koolie, as a breed we know today, originates from Australia. But, before they were breed and imported, they were the mix made of Britain smooth coated blue merle Collie and the Black and Tan Collie from the Highlands of Scotland. The Koolie came to Australia to work as a kennel dog since they are known as the working, farm dog that can adapt to any weather condition. They were bred to be agile and non-aggressive quiet herding dogs, and they have kept most of those good characteristics until today.

The Kooikerhondje is of Dutch ancestry and is a medium-sized spaniel-type dog breed that has always been a working dog, being used to attract ducks into traps but being bred as an all-purpose dog.

They were particularly sought after in the 17th and 18th century, appearing in paintings of Rembrandt. The breed died out during World War II, but it was rescued by Baroness van Hardenbroek van Ammerstol and recognized by the Dutch Kennel Club.

In January 2018 the Nederlnadse Kooikerhondje is fully recognized by the American Kennel Club, competing in the Sporting Group.

Koolie is a medium bred. Their head is small, with a pointy jaw. Ears are pricked, semi-dropped or dropped. Their coat can be smooth or rough, short or medium length, always with the undercoat. The colours can be Red or Blue Merle, solid Red or Black, sometimes with minimal white or cream speckles. They are usually two-coloured or tricoloured, but some of them are actually one-coloured.

Some Koolie have one or two blue, green or yellow eyes. Eye colour is, of course, affected by the gene that creates the coat pattern and eye colour as well.

They are athletic dogs, with fine bone structure but great stamina. Actually, they were breed to be like that – to work hard, be noticeable among the sheep, eat little and be loyal to one person.

The Kooikerhondje is a medium sized dog standing at 35 – 40cm at the withers and weighing anything between 9 – 11kg. He has a medium length coat which is a red and white color, with floppy ears.

A distinctive feature with this dog is the black tips of the long ears, and which are referred to as earrings. The coat can be wavy or straight. Typical of spaniel-like dog his plumed white tail moves jauntily, as though always happy. When you look at him he has a gentle expression, while being alert too.

Temperament:

Friendly, content, cheerful, good-natured and quiet – these are some of the words which describe the amicable Kooikerhondje.

He is also intelligent, wanting to please his owner. He is good around children too, but make sure your children are taught to respect and be kind to animals.

The Kooikerhondje is an adaptable dog and can be as as quiet or as jaunty as you want. He is adaptable to city life or life in the country, but he will need to be exercised and taken for walks.

Around children

Koolie is naturally energetic, playful and affectionate so they are naturally very good to raise with children.

Special talents

They are known as great obedience dog. They are very famous as the tracking dogs.

Some of them are successful as the rescue dogs, therapy dogs or educators for school children.

Adaptability

This is not a type of dog that will be alone in the house, wait for you and then be quiet while you rest. They need a great deal of activity and they are not such great choice for indoor life anyways. The best thing for them would be the large yard, with somebody home most of the time. They are great if raised in a family, with children and active owners. They will be great for a loner at the farm as well since that is in their blood. They need enough place to run, chase, play, rest on the sun and be active as they please. They get affectionate towards their families, but they will be accepting their new home when they are older just fine.

Learning ability

They are very good at learning. Intelligent, yes, but yet very silly and playful to do what is told all the time. They will surprise you with how quickly they will pick up the new trick but not feeling like doing it every time you would like them to. Everything is a play for them, so it would be best if you know how to play, be affectionate and friendly to become a good owner of this breed.

Kooiker, as he’s fondly referred to for short, has a happy personality, and bringing him into your home will be like bringing in some joy and sunshine.

He is a fun, energetic companion and you can count him in for all your outdoor activities such as walk, hikes and swimming. He’ll love to fetch every ball you throw, and that’s because he is such a playful dog.

He is a loving dog too, making a great playmate for children. Treat him like one of the family, and the Kooiker will surprise you with the amount of pleasure he brings.

If you are careful enough, you will choose your Koolie form patiently chosen breeders, after checking the health history of the pup and the pup’s family. Advisable is to do these things in person and never to buy a Koolie from a pet shop.

Sometimes, pups can be born blind or deaf pups. They have the great chance of joint problems because of their extreme activity. Their need to run, jump and play all the time may result in damage to cartilage and ligaments, especially since they are not aware of their age most of the time.

There is a chance that pup has skin allergies or immune system issues if they are growing on a farm near the chemicals used for plants, so be careful what kind of herbicide you use if you have a Collie.

In some rare cases, they suffer from seizers. If untreated, they can cause death. If you decide to take him to a regular vet check, you will have a happy and playful life together.

The lifespan of the Kooikerhondje is about 12 – 14 years, and looked after well, he can be your canine friend for many years.

He loves his food and can put on weight easily, and obesity is one of the health problems he may have to deal with. Kidney- and eye problems might also be something that you may have to deal with with this dog breed, although most unlikely.

Obesity:

Obesity in dogs is very sad because its a disease that can be avoided. Dogs that are over fed are at particular risk because they can't exercise, and this in itself can lead to serious health issues.

There are different causes of obesity, but it is mostly caused by the dog being fed- and eating more than he can expend. Just like with humans, obesity becomes more common in old age as the metabolism slows down. A dog that has been neutered or spayed also tends to put on weight more easily.

If you're unsure what to do for your obese dog, speak to your vet who can recommend a diet for your pet. Remember that with feeding your dog, prevention is better than cure.

Kidney Problems:

Kidney problems, though more common with older dogs, can strike at any age. The kidneys play a host of important functions such as regulating blood pressure. Sometimes kidney failure is slow and the symptoms may not be obvious.

With renal failure, your pet will be lethargic, they will be vomiting, be depressed and have weight loss. Other possible symptoms are increased thirst, blood in the urine and seizures. Chronic renal failure can't be cured but treatment is aimed at making your pet comfortable.

Feeding the puppy and adult

Whether you choose canned food or dry food, treats as biscuits or left-overs, the quantity is the safest way of keeping the balanced diet for your Collie. They like raw meat and raw bones. Make sure not to feed them with cooked bones because they can do more harm than good.

Grooming

Since Koolie coat can be very short with the undercoat or a bit longer with undercoat, bristle brushing every 3 or 4 days will be enough for them. Some of them like the water and some of them don’t and that is perfectly fine since there is no need for a regular bath.

Points for Good Health

Lots of activities and lots of love. They express their love all the time and you can learn a lot from them actually. They like raw bones and from-the-table delicious treats but make sure not to overfeed them.

The best type of activity

Games that need them to be fast and think quickly. Running with them, driving a bike with them (but not on the leash!) would be a great fun for them. Why not leash? They are so playful and happy and they tend to jump and run to the side to chase a butterfly or catch the falling leaf.

Your Kooikerhondje is smart, happy-go-lucky dog and it is important to know your pet's needs so you can care properly for him. Exercise your Kooikerhondje daily as he is a high-energy dog and even short walks can be good for him.

He absolutely loves balls games too. He can live in the city or the country but will do better when he has the chance for exercise. Urban- and city environments can work if there are nearby parks to cater for his energy.

Grooming:

The Kooikehondje has long hair but he is surprisingly low maintenance and will simply require a brush once or twice a week.

If you love your pet but just can't find the time to see to his grooming needs, take him to the vet for regular checkups to check ears, teeth and eyes. They can come down with problems with the eyes or have some or other skin allergy.

Diet:

Give your Kooikerhondje the right food, and make sure its the highest quality. If you buy him commercially manufactured food, pay attention to the ingredients list and make sure that proper meat is at the top of the list.

Add cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables to his dry kibble as a tasty treat sometimes. Learn to recognize the less nutritious ingredients such as wheat or grain. Also learn to avoid foods which are bad for your dog such as chocolate and onions.