There are many breeds of dogs that can be trained to be obedient. You may have come across terms like a shepherd, Dutch, German associated with a different breed of dogs. I bet you have already heard ‘KNPV Dutch shepherd’. So, I want to explain this whole breed thing without any confusion.
What is a KNPV Dutch shepherd?
Dogs from KNPV lines are mixed blood. It is a crossbreed of Malinois (A variant of Belgian shepherd) and Dutch shepherd. Most Dutch shepherds have Malinois or GSD (Germen shepherd) genes in them. So most of these breeds are related to each other.
Meaning of KNPV term in KNPV Dutch shepherd
KNPV is stands for Koninklijke Nederlandse Politiehond Vereniging. These Dutch terms mean Royal Dutch Police Dog Association in English. Its roots spread to 1907.
Dog training is for security is a thing even back then. The idea of creating a society for dog training comes from Mr. Couwenberg, Mr. Van Oosten, Mr. Steijns, and Mr. Lokerse. These gentlemen’s had shepherds and a boxer. After witnessing a competition in Hagen, Germany they decided to come together in Mr. Steijns pharmacy “the Unicorn” in Roosendaal and started up the NPV, The Dutch Police Dog Society.
Perhaps you wonder where K came from. After NPV was officially founded on Friday, November 1st, 1907 they encountered many scenarios. Then they were finally approved by a notary of the council of, Queen Wilhelmina. So Koninklijke (Royal) term came and KNPV was created. From then till today they have done excellent work with organizing dog training in Netherland.
More on KNPV Dutch shepherd
A KNPV Dutch shepherd has a brindle color. But they come with gold and silver brindle and in salt and pepper. In normal cases, the un-registered KNPV Dutch Shepherd is a bigger dog with bigger bones and head size than the FCI registered dogs. Males can weigh up to 55kg while females 40kg. Their body (at the shoulder) can reach over 70cm for males while 65cm for females.
At the time KNPV was found, there was not as much to distinguish between the Belgian, German, and Dutch Shepherds as nowadays.
| Dog | Weight (kg) | Height (cm) | ||
| Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| KNPV Dutch | 55 | 40 | 70 | 65 |
| GSD | 40 | 32 | 65 | 60 |
| Malinois | 30 | 25 | 66 | 61 |
Looking at the data you can say KNPV Dutch shepherd is a bit larger than its close relatives, German shepherd, and Belgian Malinois.
Why trainers are looking for KNPV Dutch shepherd dogs
There is an X for the pedigree of KNPV dogs. A pedigree dog is the product of two dogs of the same breed. also, it must register with a recognized club or society that maintains a register for dogs of that breed. This means KNVP dutchies are not.
But trainers who looking for KNVP dogs are not interesting in pedigree. All they want is the dog to have the characteristics they are expecting. These include a solid strong bite, very eagerness to search and retrieve. Also, the dog should be fearless no matter of cause. The KNVP line dogs have many of those. So, for a police dog or another security purpose, KNPV Dutch shepherd dogs can be trained to be obedient to the owners and do the tasks they are expecting.
Train your KNPV dog
Many inexperienced dog owners are struggling to find the right method to train their dogs. There are popular methods among professional dog trainers but even they debate which one is best. So, you must make a choice based on what you want and how you want. You can consider difficulty, efficiency, or ethics.
Positive reinforcement
Instead of reward and punishment, this method uses reward and removal of reward system. When you command the dog if it follows that. It gets a reward like a toy or food. Else you will remove something you rewarded to it. Trainer of former president Obama’s dog Bo uses this method to train it. If you want a more ethical method, this can be your choice. But it is mainly for introducing short commands like ‘come’.
Clicker training
Similar to the positive reinforcement method but use a clicker (a device to make a quick, sharp noise) to inform a certain behavior is good and a reward is coming. This method is effective because the dog can hear the click right after it behaves. But it is less effective for preventing bad behaviors compared to other methods. Some trainers categorize this under the positive reinforcement method.
Electronic training
Use an electronic collar to deliver a shock. Users of these collars claim there are less harmful than choke collars or other mechanical devices. This method is for punishing bad behavior not rewarding bad behavior. Effective for training to activities like hunt, stay in a certain area. However, this punishing behavior can lead your dog to permanent anxiety conditions. So, if you want to use this method please do it via a professional trainer.
How to choose a KNPV Dutch shepherd and where to find
You can identify KNPV Dutch shepherd dogs by brindle color and size (Considering age). You can also verify whether it is a healthy and happy dog. A healthy dog should have the following characteristics.
- Eyes should be clear, bright, and with no sign of dirt or redness.
- Ears should be clean with no smell or signs of wax.
- The nose should be with wide-open nostrils. Also, cold, and slightly wet.
- Breathing should be quiet and effortless.
- The skin should be clean and dry without any infection.
- The mouth should be clean, with white teeth and pink gums.
- The fur should be shiny and soft with no sign of fleas.
- Legs should be strong and sturdy, without difficulties.
- The bottom should be clean and dry under the tail.
- Ribs should not visible.
There are plenty of websites to find dogs online. But I recommend seeing the dog with your eyes before buying. You may have to follow certain steps to buy a dog based on your country. Know all that before buying.
Now you know who KNPV Dutch shepherd dogs are and the whole story with them in the Netherlands. See our other articles. Stay with us for more articles like this.
