The Wetterhoun was originally developed in the Netherlands as an otter hunter, and later used as a gun dog and water retriever – which explains the distinctively curly, waterproof coat. With his cheerful attitude, high intelligence and faithful demeanor, he makes both a great companion animal as well as an enthusiastic performance dog. He enjoys spending time with his owner and tends to stick around as close as possible, as long as possible.
Wetterhouns don’t require a lot of grooming however they do require regular exercise. At least an hour a day is recommended. Because they stick so close to their owners they are easier to exercise off-leash in areas where this is allowed. They are also not prone to chasing animals and don’t have the high-prey drive of some other breeds. This said, they are in the retriever family and can be trained to retrieve on both land and water – which is also a great form of exercise!
The Wetterhoun can have a stubborn and hard-headed attitude when it comes to certain types of training. He can also be sensitive to overly harsh corrections. A bit of patience will go a long way! He is said to always finish a job… but in his own time. This said, when taught by someone who understands the breed he has the potential to become a great working dog who takes his job very seriously…. even if it takes him a while to get it done. Because of his independent and hard-headed nature, it is recommended to start obedience training early.
Because of the Wetterhoun’s small gene pool, the Netherlands parent club for the breed is temporarily allowing outcrosses with other breeds to take place. The hopes are that this will widen the genetic variety of this rare breed and make it healthier in general. While many individual dogs are healthy, the concern is an eventual genetic bottleneck. Occasional cryptochidism, entropian (eye issues), elbow deformities and heart problems are currently seen in the breed. Ideally many issues can eventually be bred out, or at least reduced even further. Currently, the average age for a Wetterhoun is 13 years.
Wetterhouns are affectionate with their families and tolerant/gentle with children. In fact, it’s important to make sure kids are being fair to the Wetterhoun because he is unlikely to react if teased. While he may not always be the most dignified of dogs, he will win over hearts with his clownish senses of humor! He enjoys it when everyone is happy and can become morose if the people around him are gloomy. Overall, he is a very stable and level-headed dog with a spark of good-natured mischief. While more aloof with strangers, he will warm up in time and he also gets along with other dogs/pets quite nicely.
Wetterhouns can make good watchdogs, although don’t tend to be needlessly loud and will usually only bark if there is a reason. If someone were to break in, they would take this quite seriously. This is not a breed that will go on the offensive if they can help it but they will react defensively if a threat arises. As such, this is not a typical guard dog although will protect the family if the situation warranted it.
The Wetterhoun is not the best choice for a first-time dog owner as it is a rough-and-tumble, exuberant breed. Although only medium-sized, he is solid, sturdy and plays in a haphazard way, easily knocking over small people in his excitement. He can be a lot of dog to handle for many, at least until trained! He is not recommended for apartments either as he needs plenty of space and exercise. Make sure to research before deciding that this is the breed for you! When placed in the right home, however, he excels and can become a loyal friend and companion.
