Kooikershondjes Are Registered With CHIC
We are excited to announce that our breed, the Kooikerhondje, is now listed amongst the CHIC registered breeds.
The new ENM test as well as vWD test are available through CHIC as well as patella and the eye exam through CERF. Responsible Kooiker owner and breeder will decide to register their dogs with CHIC in order to make their health tests available for the public.
The picture of our Toni was chosen as the representation of the breed.
Please follow this link to CHIC:
http://www.caninehealthinfo.org/brdreqs.html?breed=KOO
Please follow this link to the form if you decide to send in test results of your Kooiker:
http://www.offa.org/pdf/dnaapp_bw.pdf
Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Toni Successfully Recertified As A Therapy Dog
We are very proud of our 3 year old Kooikerhondje boy Toni who passed the re-certification test as a Pet Partner (formally Delta Society) Therapy Dog! This test requires re-certification every two years and includes:
- Accepting a Friendly Stranger—greets appropriately
- Accepting Petting—allows stranger to pet while remaining seated
- Appearance and Grooming—allows handling; appearance appropriate
- Walk on a Loose Leash—no pulling, sniffing, struggling
- Walking Through a Crowd—keeps focus on handler
- Reaction to Distractions—remains calm and focused on handler
- Sit on Command
- Down on Command
- Stay in Place – 15 seconds with handler 10 feet away
- Come When Called
- Reaction to Neutral Dog – sits politely at handler’s side when another team approached
- Overall Body Exam – touched and handled all over body by tester
- Exuberant, Clumsy Petting – dog remains calm and under control
- Restraining Hug – dog tolerates a sudden whole body hug
- Staggering / Gesturing Individual – dog is confident when strange person approaches with a halting gait, crying out in pain
- Angry Yelling – dog remains calm
- Bumped from Behind – dog recovers quickly when gently bumped
- Crowded Petting – dog remains calm when surrounded by people all trying to pet the dog at once
- Leave It – dog can pass by a favorite toy / treat on the floor when commanded by handler
- Take a Treat Gently
The most difficult parts of the test were the restraining hug by a male who was leaning over Toni and to remain calm around a very sweet dog Toni was really interested in.
A Kooiker is probably not a born therapy dog but as you see, it is possible.
Amica Visited Kooiker Friends And Breeders In Europe
We returned from our wonderful trip to Germany and Switzerland! Amica joined us during our travel. She became part of different Kooikerhondje packs, played inside and outside, met new dogs in every city and participated in a Search and Rescue Dog training with the ASB (an organization like Red Cross) in Munich. She mastered all situations in a happy and calm manner. What a good girl! And the feedback from experienced Kooiker people was great! Please read more about our adventures in the next newsletter… photos will be included. If you have not signed up yet, go ahead. It is free and fun to read.
Why You Should Get To Know Us!
Why you should get to know us!
As a dog breed, the Kooikerhondje is big enough that you will be proud to have us by your side. Yet, we are small enough that we are easy to travel with and do not frighten kids.
Many people confuse kooikerhondjes with other breeds, like a King Charles Spaniel for instance. We may have some of their blood in our breed’s lineage, but we are a fiercely independent breed. We are Kooikerhondjes!
We ask that you explore our website and learn more about our breed, the Kooikerhondje. We know that we are the right dogs for that special owner!
Now you are probably asking yourself, “How do you pronounce Kooikerhondje?”
Excellent question. We would try to tell you but it would come out something like, “Bark! Bark! Bark!” Just kidding. It is pronounced like this:
coy-ker-hund-che
