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Wetterhoun, although originally born to hunting beaver, can now excel in a wide variety of sports due to his excellent companions, watchdogs, and his steadfast nature. Wetterhoun is almost never seen except by his master; They enjoy their company as much as the owner enjoys them.
Wetterhoun was originally reared to hunt beaver and is native to Friesland, Netherlands. The breed is considered rare, and most live in the Netherlands today. The Dutch Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1943. The breed’s club in the Netherlands is also the club for the Netherlands Vereeniging voor Stäubiz en Wetterhönen, Wetterhoun’s close relative, Stäbyhön.
The Wetterhoun is a medium-sized dog that measures between 21-23 inches at the withers. They weigh between 25 and 34 kg. Their coat is thick and curly except for the head, ears and legs, where the coat is smooth; The water repellant coat is described as feeling greasy. Coat color can be solid black or brown, or black with white, or brown with white, with or without a white tick mark. The texture of the coat should not be woolly, as such fur will not resist water. The ears are set low and hang flat over the head, and the tail curls tightly over the back. The breed has an unusual, somewhat severe articulation due to the shape of the eyes,[1] which marks it as distinct from other dog breeds
The gestation period in lasts for 60-64 days The primary period of the reproductive cycle of the female is called Proestrus and goes on for around 9 days. During this time the females begin to draw in males. The subsequent part is the Estrus when the bitch is receptive to the male. It goes on for around 3 to 11 days. The third part is the Diestrus. Usually, it happens around day 14. In this period the bitch’s discharge changes for distinctive red and reaching its end. The vulva gets back to average, and she will no longer allow mating. The fourth part called the Anestrus. The time span between heat periods ordinarily keeps going around a half year. The litter size ranges between 6 to 8 puppies at a time’
Wetterhoun requires minimal grooming. The coat is naturally oily and waterproof, so repeated bathing is not necessary
Wetterhoun may be strong-willed, but they are never intentionally disobedient. Ethnicity can be sensitive so should not be trained rigorously.
Daily exercise is good for Wetterhoun’s physical and mental health.
Wetterhoun should perform well on high quality dog food, whether it is commercially manufactured or prepared at home with the supervision and approval of your vet.
Wetterhoun is a very healthy breed even with its small population. NVSW has currently launched an outcross program to help bring greater genetic diversity to the breed. Health testing is recommended from the parent club to reduce the incidence of health related problems.
Recommended Health Test