Kooikerhondje

Puppy · 8 weeks to 12 months

Kooikerhondje puppies need soft-mouth games, recall, lead manners, ear handling, grooming practice, and calm water or beach introductions.

• Use short reward-based sessions for name response, recall, handling, settle, and polite greetings.
• Introduce grooming, tooth brushing, nail handling, ear checks, and vet-style body checks early.
• Keep exercise age-appropriate and avoid repetitive high-impact activity while the body develops.
• Feed a suitable puppy diet and transition foods gradually over 1-2 weeks.
• Register and microchip according to local council rules.

Adult · 1 to 8 years

Adult Kooikerhondje care should focus on daily exercise, retrieving or scent games, recall, grooming, ear care, and weight control.

• Use the current profile notes as a starting point: match exercise to the individual dog's age, fitness, and temperament.
• Build a daily rhythm that includes exercise, mental work, rest, and predictable household rules.
• Keep grooming realistic: The Kooikerhondje's beautiful medium-length double coat requires regular grooming to keep it healthy and free of mats. Weekly brushing with a slicker brush and a metal comb is generally sufficient to remove loose hair, prevent tangles, and distribute natural oils. Pay particular attention to the longer feathering on their chest, legs, and tail, which can be prone to matting. During seasonal shedding, brushing may need to be increased to two or three times a week. Bathing should be done as needed, typically every few months or when they get particularly dirty, using a mild dog shampoo. Over-bathing can strip natural oils. Regular nail trims, usually every 2-4 weeks, are essential to prevent discomfort and foot problems. Their pendulous ears should be checked weekly for cleanliness and signs of infection, especially after swimming. Dental hygiene, through daily brushing or dental chews, is also important. Professional grooming is generally not required for Kooikerhondjes, but a tidy-up of feathering or a de-shedding treatment a couple of times a year can be beneficial..
• Watch body condition and adjust food before weight gain becomes obvious.
• Refresh recall, lead manners, visitor routines, and calm greetings throughout adulthood.

Senior · 8 years and older

Senior Kooikerhondje dogs need joint comfort, dental care, eye and ear checks, coat or skin monitoring, weight control, and lower-impact enrichment.

• Use shorter, lower-impact exercise and add scent games, puzzle feeders, or gentle trick refreshers.
• Monitor teeth, eyes, ears, skin, appetite, drinking, weight, stiffness, and behaviour changes.
• Keep bedding warm and dry through damp NZ winters.
• Maintain grooming so mats, soreness, lumps, or skin changes are noticed early.
• Ask your vet about senior checks and pain management if activity changes.

NZ Fit

Verify local availability and fit before committing

Kooikerhondje ownership in NZ should start with a realistic check of breeder/rescue availability, council registration, housing rules, and whether the breed's needs fit your household. Do not assume every international breed is easy to find locally.

Lifestyle

Match the breed to the weekly routine

Kooikerhondje care should cover retrieving or scent outlets, recall around birds, water and beach hygiene, ear checks, weight control, and gentle training. A good match is about the daily routine, not only the dog's size or appearance.

Training

Start with manners that protect the dog and the household

Prioritise recall, lead walking, settle, polite greetings, food manners, and safe handling. Keep sessions short, reward-based, and repeated across real-life places.

Grooming

Put coat, teeth, nails, ears, and skin on a schedule

The Kooikerhondje's beautiful medium-length double coat requires regular grooming to keep it healthy and free of mats. Weekly brushing with a slicker brush and a metal comb is generally sufficient to remove loose hair, prevent tangles, and distribute natural oils. Pay particular attention to the longer feathering on their chest, legs, and tail, which can be prone to matting. During seasonal shedding, brushing may need to be increased to two or three times a week. Bathing should be done as needed, typically every few months or when they get particularly dirty, using a mild dog shampoo. Over-bathing can strip natural oils. Regular nail trims, usually every 2-4 weeks, are essential to prevent discomfort and foot problems. Their pendulous ears should be checked weekly for cleanliness and signs of infection, especially after swimming. Dental hygiene, through daily brushing or dental chews, is also important. Professional grooming is generally not required for Kooikerhondjes, but a tidy-up of feathering or a de-shedding treatment a couple of times a year can be beneficial.

Health

Use breed risks as vet and breeder questions

Discuss teeth, ears, eyes, joints, skin, weight, and inherited conditions with your vet or breeder. This is an owner-awareness prompt, not a diagnosis checklist.