Drentse Patrijshond 

                                           

   

                               

  History 

Originating in the province of Drente, the source of his name, the Patrijshond appears in paintings done several centuries ago. He probably was created soon after the first use of firearms. His history is of the same pool of hawking or setting dogs, from which all of the setters and spaniels descended. Always a favorite dog for the weekend hunter in the Netherlands, there are about 6,000 of the breed, almost all in its native country. He is a pointing dog and a fine retriever, as well as a quiet and well-mannered companion. Hunters also find him good for water work. His most admired quality is that he naturally hunts "under the gun." Although searching thoroughly, he stays close to the hunter, never straying beyond gun range, and frequently looks to his master for direction. Partridge and quail are not so numerous as they once were in the Netherlands, but the dogs do not have to worry about unemployment—they have adapted well to hunting the still plentiful rabbit and pheasant. Due to his fine nature, he has gained some demand as a companion dog and house pet.The name is often shortened to Drent (plural Drenten), which is also what people from this province are called. In body type, he is a heavier built dog than the Small Munsterlander, and perhaps most resembles the German Longhair, with a smaller and more refined head. His tail is left long in the style of the setter and, when on scent, is swung around circularly. Due to his gentle, obedient and meek nature, harsh training is unnecessary and, in fact, is counterproductive. The breed base is small, and there is nowhere to go for new blood, so the breed association is actively advising breeders and testing dogs in form and function to ensure all breeding stock is sound.For the Dutch sportsman who wants to hunt leisurely without too much physical effort in the varying fields, this is the ideal dog. The dog hunts within range of the gun and searches the game without going too far away from the hunter. Keeping in touch with the hunter seems necessary for him. When approaching the game he points as firm as a rock and impeccably at a moderate distance. When pointing, the dog is waiting for the hunter to come near; when this takes a long time, he will look back for his master. He has the adaptability which makes him capable of hunting all sorts of game in the fields and in water. Besides he is a good retriever and finder of lost game. These characteristics are innate, therefore he needs little training. Because of his gentle character, it is wrong to train him with force.

   

 

 
GENERAL APPEARANCE  A well proportioned dog whose body shows power and also the ability to develop the necessary speed for a gundog. He is of heavier build than the Small Münsterländer, his confrontation more like the Long-haired German Pointer; he differs from the latter mainly in the head which is shorter. The foreface is blunter and looks finer due to the dry lips, which makes the whole picture of the head less heavy than the Long-haired German Pointer's head. His body is slightly longer than his height at the withers, thus appearing slightly elongated. The coat, though not really long on the body, looks like a long coat because of the well coated ears and the tail, the somewhat richer coat on neck and chest and the feathered ears, front and hind legs and the richly feathered tail.


BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT  By nature obedient, loyal and intelligent which makes him a valuable companion of the hunter as wall as a highly esteemd family pet dog.
HEAD The skull is rather broad and only slightly rounded. Along the middle line there is a hardly perceptible furrow from the shallow stop half-way up to the moderately developed occiput.
Stop Seen in profile and from the front, the skull is sloping gradually to the foreface, the cheeks tapering gradually into the foreface. The superciliary arches are well developed.



Nose  The nose is well developed and brown. The nostrils are wide open.
Muzzle The muzzle is wedge shaped, blunt at the end, without any sign of being cut away under the eyes. The nasal bridge is broad and neither hollow nor arched (a very light curve upwards is allowed; roman nose is objectionable).
Lips The lips are rather thin and dry.
Jaw/Teeth The teeth are strong and well closing into a scissor bite.
Cheeks Moderately developed.
Eyes The eyes are wide apart and set in such a way that they are well protected; neither protruding nor deep set. They are of moderate size and oval shaped. The expression shows kindness as well as the intelligence of the hunting dogs. The desired colour is amber, therefore neither dark nor the light colour of the eye of the bird of prey; the eyelids are close fitting.
Ears Not heavy. They are set on high; right from the set on hanging close to the head without any fold. Drawn forward they should reach as far as 3 finger's breadth off the tip of the nose. They are broad at the set on, ending in a blunted point, being more pointed than the ears of the Long-haired German Pointer. The outside of the ear covered with abundant wavy hair, not curly hair; the rim of the inside richly feathered.


 

 

 

 
NECK Powerful of medium length, rather short than long and forming a smooth line between head and body. A longer than desirable neck, giving a more elegant impression, but lacking in power, is objectionable. Dewlap or a throaty neck are untypical for the appearance of this dry, cleancut dog and are therefore inadmissible.


BODY Topline  Smooth line from moderate long neck to the level back and loin, ending in the slightly sloping croup.
Back Powerful, of medium length, not too short, giving together with the well angulated front-and hindquarters the impression of being elongated.
Loin Strongly muscled.
Croup Broad and long, slightly sloping.
Chest Deep, reaching to the elbows and rather broad in front. A narrow chest not reaching to the elbows is very objectionable. Long drawn ribcage, with the hind ribs also well developed. Good spring of hind ribs; ribs neither flat nor barrel shaped.
Underline Only slightly tucked-up.
Tail   Not docked. Rather high set. In length the tail reaches the point of the hock. The first half carried hanging and the rest in a slight curve upwards. In action part of the tail is carried horizontally, the last part in a slight curve upwards. A characteristic of the breed is that when searching the game, the tail moves in a circle, especially when the dog picks up the scent of game. Never carried over the back. With exception of the very first part, rich feathering diminishing to the end of the tail.


 

 
FOREQUARTERS Shoulders and upperarm , Shoulder-blade and upperarm long, forming a good angle, as well as between upper-and forearm. The shoulders are well sloping seen from the front, well inserted into the body, giving a clean, smooth appearance to the forequarters.
Elbows  Close to the body, neither turned outwards nor inwards, so that there is no interference with movement.
Forearm Straight and well muscled.
Pastern joint Strong, with good bone.
Pastern  Neither turning in nor out, slightly sloping allowing some elastic spring.
Feet Round or oval with tight, arched, strong toes and solid pads.


HINDQUARTERS Well developed, broad and well muscled.
Upper thigh and lower thigh - The pelvic, upper and lower thigh bones form good angles with respect to each other. Seen from behind, the hindlegs are neither close nor wide apart, standing absolutely vertical.
Hockjoints Well let down.
Hocks Therefore metatarsus short, neither turned in nor out.


GAIT Well extended, balanced with good reach and drive, neither narrow nor wide in trotting, without any swinging sideways; neither elbows nor hocks turned out; inclined to single tracking.

HAIR Dense, well covering the body. Not curly-haired. The coat is not really long, but gives the impression as there is long hair in different parts. On the neck and the forechest where some other breeds have a mane, the hair is longer; on the ears there is long, wavy hair. The ears, the backside of fore-and hindlegs, the back of the thighs and the tail are feathered. Feet with dense hair between the toes.


COLOUR  White with brown or orange markings, tricoloured (with tan) allowed. Less desired, but still admissible is a mantle in these colours.

SIZE Height at the withers : 55 to 63 cm
One or two centimeters more is acceptable, if the dog is well proportioned.

FAULTS  Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.


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