Stabyhoun is a breed of hunting dogs from Friesland. They have an excellent sense of smell, good stamina, they work on the trail of blood. They are well established as family, sporting dogs, and companions for active people. Loving, energetic, and devoted, they are capable of doing almost any job they are competently taught.

History of the Breed

The Stabyhouns are believed to be descended from the Dutch Partridge Dogs, French Epanyols, and German Pointing Dogs. For many centuries, they were mainly maintained by farms. The Stabyhouns had to perform a wide variety of functions: protection, the extermination of rodents, hunting not small animals and birds, draft work.

In 1942, Stabyhoun was officially recognized by the Netherlands Kennel Club, and a little later – a national treasure of the country. Today there are only a few thousand of these dogs around the world.

Stabyhoun was formerly used to hunt fox, hare, other small game, and birds. Has a good sense of smell, firm firmness, and soft grip. Near the house, he was engaged in the extermination of pests, rats.

Appearance

Based on records from the 18th and 19th centuries, Stabyhoun has remained largely unchanged since then. This is still a beautiful, proportionally built dog in black and white or white and brown color. Height at the withers 49-53 cm; Weight 18-25 kg.

The head is proportional and dry. The skull is round, rather wide. The muzzle gradually tapers towards the nose. The lobe is black, wide with open nostrils. The lips are not overhanging, tightly closed. Scissor bite. The eyes are level, medium-sized, rounded, dark brown in color. The ears are set low, drooping, close to the head, of moderate length. The neck is short and round.

The body is somewhat stretched, firmly built. The back is straight. The abdomen is moderately tucked up. The tail is long, carried with a slight bend. The chest goes down to the elbows and is wide enough. The forelegs are widely spaced. The hind legs are strong with moderate angulation. The feet are well-rounded and well padded. The coat is straight, slight waviness is allowed on the rump. Short hair on the head and limbs. Forms a collar on the chest, feathers on the back of the limbs, and a dewlap on the tail. The coat of the Stabyhoun is self-cleaning, covered with natural oils, and has a slight specific odor. Color: black-white or white-brown with specks.

The coat is straight, slight waviness is allowed on the rump. Short hair on the head and limbs. Forms a collar on the chest, feathers on the back of the limbs, and a dewlap on the tail. The coat of the Stabihun is self-cleaning, covered with natural oils, and has a slight specific odor. Color: black-white or white-brown with specks.

Personality

Stabyhoun has a balanced, sincere disposition without excessive excitability and aggression. He is smart, outgoing, and inquisitive. These dogs cannot stay alone for long. Energetic and active, especially when it comes to walking. The rest of the time, calm and patient. In relation to the family, he is very gentle and loving. Gets along well with children, with appropriate upbringing. It gets along well with other animals.

Stabyhoun is independent enough that it can seem stubborn. It lends itself well to training, but raising an obedient working dog will take a lot of time and patience. It is advisable that the owner has experience in keeping hunting breeds. Stabyhoun s are vigilant watchmen and often bark at the slightest rustle. They will try to scare away the ill-wisher, but they are unlikely to be bitten.

Care

Stabyhoun adapts well to home and apartment life if he gets enough physical activity. To satisfy the need for movement, the dog needs to walk for 1.5-2 hours. Walking a puppy and a teenager must necessarily include basic training, socialization, and games with relatives.

Care of the dog includes brushing the coat (on average once a week), regular examination and cleaning of the ears, and clipping of the nails. Seasonal molt is abundant, the rest of the time is moderate. It is not recommended to bathe with Stabyhoun shampoo, only with plain water in case of extreme pollution. The dog’s coat is coated with oils that give it shine and moisturize.

Feeding

Ready-made industrial feeds are the most convenient for owners. Recognized firms – manufacturers of such feeds produce a wide range of products in which you can choose a diet for a dog of any type and temperament. When choosing dry food for Stabyhoun, you need to carefully read the information on the packaging, including the expiration date of the product, to make sure that it is suitable for your dog. The content of protein components in dry food should be no more than 25%, for puppies – no more than 30%.

Dry food is certainly convenient for dog owners, however many dog ​​breeders prefer to treat their pets with natural products, considering this method to be more beneficial for the dog. Perhaps, in some ways they are right, when feeding with natural food there is a wider possibility of selecting an individual diet for dogs with any nutritional characteristics. The most suitable meat for dogs is beef with veins and cartilage, it is possible to use by-products (heart, lungs, entrails), but the by-products must be boiled before use in order to protect the dog from intestinal parasites. Meat can be given raw (pre-scalded with boiling water).

Health

The Stabyhoun is a relatively healthy breed and breeders do their best to keep it that way. Life expectancy is 13-15 years. Nevertheless, there is a list of diseases that are periodically recorded:

• Epilepsy; Elbow dysplasia;
• Dysplasia of the hip joint;
• Cerebral dysfunction;
• Von Willebrand disease;
• Congenital heart defect;
• Cataract; Nonspecific cancer;
• Retinal meningitis-arteritis response.