meet the... Kooikerhondje

Head

• General Appearance: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size, somewhat shaped like that of a blunt wedge. It is in proportion to the rest of the body. The topskull is sufficiently broad and may appear slightly arched in profile and flat when viewed from the front. The head is clean-cut without excess skin or wrinkles.
• Expression: Lively, alert, intelligent, kind.
• Stop: The stop is definite and clearly visible but not steep.
• Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 1:1, with the topskull being equal to the muzzle.
  The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis may be parallel or just slightly convergent.
• Muzzle: The muzzle is full and broad, tapering slightly from the broader base toward the nose. The plane (or bridge) of the muzzle is straight and level. The upper and lower jaws are well developed, approximately equal in length, and have good bone substance, never appearing snipey or weak.
• Lips or Flews: The lips are well-pigmented, clean, and fit tightly over the teeth and jaws without overhang. They should never extend below the lower plane of the bottom jawline.
• Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black.
• Cheeks: The cheeks are smoothly muscled and well-filled under the eyes. They should not appear chiseled or coarse.
• Dentition and Bite: They have forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level or scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors.
• Eyes: Moderate in size, almond in shape, and dark brown in color. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
• Ears: Fairly large in size. Set somewhat high, being higher than eye level, but just below the plane of the skull. The ear leathers are medium in length, reaching the inner corners of the eyes when extended forward. They hang close to the head, without a fold or "fly-away" appearance.

Body and Tail

• General Description: Compact, solid, and of good substance. The body is never racy nor refined, nor heavy and cloddy. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
• Neck: Moderate length allows for good head carriage. It is strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers slightly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
• Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed without being excessively pronounced.
• Topline: Straight and level from withers to croup. The back is rather short, broad, strongly muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut, flat, and level. The back is never elongated, swayed, or roached.
• Croup: Gently sloped.
• Underline: A slight tuck-up is present. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
• Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
• Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup but as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, usually level with the topline to gaily, but never tucked. The tail is of a moderate length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight, gently curved, or sabered.

Forequarters and Hindquarters

• Forequarters: The forequarters are always balanced with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. The shoulder blades are fairly long and approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
• Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbows is approximately half the dog’s height at the withers.
• Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of moderate bone, and parallel to one another.
  Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
• Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
• Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are fairly long and equal in length, strong, moderate bone, and well-muscled.
  Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another.
  Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
• Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
• Stifle Joint: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
• Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads. The toes are well-webbed for swimming.

Coat

• Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
• Coat Type: Weather-resistant double-coat that is medium-long in length, flat, or slightly wavy. The coat is short on the face, forehead, and the front of the forelimbs and hindlimbs. The coat is longer on the neck, rear of the forelimbs and hindlimbs, and feet. The fringing should be profuse and longest on the ears, forming long tassels referred to as “earrings” and a plumed, bushy tail. The undercoat should be thick and protective.
• Coat Color or Pattern: Orange-red with white markings.

Movement

They have a smooth, flowing gait with graceful movements. Energetic, effortless, and efficient, the characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and a good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.

Temperament

The Kooikerhondje breed, with their cheery disposition, attractive good looks, can-do attitude, and compact size, is considered by many in the native Netherlands to be the idyllic companion dog. The dogs are loyal, sweet, and devoted to their people. They are energetic and lively out in the open and calm indoors. They are friendly dogs, but they can be indifferent to somewhat aloof toward strangers. Regular training and exercise are recommended for this breed, as pent-up energy can manifest in behavioral issues later down the road.

Faults

All dogs should be in proper, healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.