Gordon Setter vs Dutch Smoushond - Breed Comparison

The Dutch Smoushond, known also as the Hollandse Smoushond ,Hollandse Herdershond

or Dutch Ratter is a small to medium sized dog. The Smoushondenclub was formed in 1905 as it was thought that the breed was dying out and they wanted to register the dog as a purebred breed.

It is believed that the dog’s origins may have to do with the Schnauzer breed. It was in 1973 that a number of breeders looked to reconstruct the breed, using Border Terrier crosses.

Today this rare breed is popular in the Netherlands, but not particularly well known anywhere else. In 2001 it was recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale as well as by the United Kennel Club in the United States.

Although the dog was once a skilled ratter, most Dutch Smoushond are kept as companion dogs.

The Gordon Setter includes mixes of the English Setter and the Irish Setter. The original purpose of the breed was to hunt game birds.

The dog breed hails from Scotland with a history that dates back to the 17th century. The dog was developed in Gordon Castle by the Duke of Gordon IV.

The dog became popular among hunters in the early 19th century. He is the biggest of the setter breeds. It was in 1884 that the American Kennel Club recognized the Gordon Setter.

The Dutch Smoushond is a small to medium sized dog breed related to the Schnauzer- and Pinscher breed. He stands at about 35 to 43cm at the withers and weighs about 10kg.

He has a rough, shaggy, wiry coat which is waterproof and which is a yellowish or straw color. You’ll notice that the hair around the face is long and fairly straight and forms a beard, eyebrows, and moustache, giving him wise, know-it-all look.

The forelegs are also feathered. He may well give the impression of being ungroomed and untidy with his different length hair. He has floppy ears, the eyes are small and dark, the nose black and the tail is long and feathery, hanging limply when the dog is relaxed.

Temperament:

Easy going, friendly and social, the Dutch Smoushond is a fairly quiet dog, but because he is intelligent and alert, he makes a good watchdog.

When not guarding you, he is cheerful and entertaining. He is an adaptable dog, being able to settle down to life in the city or in the countryside, getting on well with other pets in the home as well as with children.

He is a dog who wants to please, so training him isn’t going to prove difficult. He’ll do well with this training as well as socialization as he becomes obedient, easy-going and relaxed around strangers.

The Gordon Setter is a large dog, capable of reaching up to 69cm in height and weighing up to 36kg in weight.

He belongs to the Setter family and is somewhat heavier than the other Setter breeds. Setter dogs are classified as sporting- or gun dogs. He is a beautiful dog with a pitch black coat with tan markings found around the chest, muzzle and paws as well as those two familiar tan dots above each eye.

Sometimes you can find a small amount of white on the chest. The coat is straight and silky but it can be slightly waved with feathering around the legs, chest, ears and tail. Both the tail and the ears of the dog are also long and feathery. The Gordon has an intelligent, dignified look about him.

Temperament:

The Gordon Setter is a confident, fearless, loyal and affectionate dog. They do well with their human families, when there are other pets in the house as well as children.

He can be a boisterous dog so training and socialization will become necessary. Your Gordon Setter is an intelligent dog and also a dog ready and willing to learn. He is calm and even-tempered but playful too.

He isn’t a dog suited to life in the city if there isn’t an adequately sized garden. He is essentially a country life dog well suited to farms or large fenced gardens.

The Dutch Smoushond, also known as the Dutchie, Dutch Ratter or Dutch Terrier may once have been used as a vermin hunter, but today this terrier dog shares some of the characteristics of the more popular terriers. He may have been a hunter in his day, but more recently he is used as a reliable companion dog.

He tends to be a bit of a barker, particularly when he isn’t getting attention.

He gets on well with other animals in the home as well as with children, but he will need to be trained and socialized. He is lively, friendly and social and is a dog who becomes devoted to his human family.

Beautiful to look at, the intelligent and even-tempered Gordon Setter has everything to be confident about. He loves the attention he gets from his human family and is always looking for a pat.

He can be stubborn and he certainly won't like the idea of being left cut off from his family for long periods of time as he is a social dog with those he knows and loves.

The Gordon Setter is energetic and playful so he will need regular exercise. When you bring a Gordon Setter into your home, you bring in a wonderfully loyal pet and companion.

These dogs are a healthy breed, but nonetheless there are are some health problems that can crop up occasionally.

Ear- and eye infections and joint problems are always a major concern, even in young dogs. Bad diet, old age and being overweight can all contribute to your dog developing joint pain. Joint pain symptoms can include -

difficulty with sitting or lying down

limping or even holding a leg up off the ground

lethargic to take part in any activities

Take your pet to the vet who will examine your pet and perhaps request x-rays.

Life expectancy for the Gordon Setter is usually about 10 to 12 years and with good nutrition and care, your Gordon can easily reach 12 years of age.

Every dog is prone to some common health issues and these include among others hip dysplasia, gastric torsion or bloat, retinal atrophy and ear infections.

Hip Dysplasia:

Large dogs are more prone to hip dysplasia. The disease is a malfunction of the hip joints causing pain and loss of function in the rear legs.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

This eye conditon just gets worse over time and can lead to vision loss.

Hypothyroidism:

An under-active thyroid causes a decrease in metabolism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs include weight gain, obesity, cold intolerance, changes in the skin and coat like hair loss and your dog is lethargic.

Gastric torsion or Bloat:

This can be very dangerous with your pet as the stomach is swollen and the stomach rotates and twists and can lead to death.

The Dutch Smoushond is basically an easy care breed, and it won’t do to try and tame the coat as the dog has a naturally unkempt look.

You can brush him twice a week to keep the coat free of matting and to remove loose hairs. The Dutch Smoushond may require the hair being plucked and a professional groomer can do this.

At the same time, the groomer can remove excess hair from the ears and also clean your dog’s teeth. This is of critical importance as bad teeth can lead to a host of health problems.

Get into the habit of brushing your pet’s teeth 2 or 3 times a week, making use of special pet approved toothbrush and toothpaste.

Exercise:

Gordon Terriers are energetic dogs so he is going to require a good deal of exercise each day. Take him with you on your walks and make sure that you give him lots of ball games and rope games.

Grooming:

All Gordon Setters shed, and their coat will require a good brushing at least twice a week. Check nails, teeth and ears regularly. Brush teeth at least twice a week to prevent dental decay.

Diet:

As a working dog your Gordon Setter has a special need for a high fat content diet. You can include some raw meat in his high-energy dog kibble. He can also have some cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables added into his kibble from time to time. Make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.