Almost ten years after getting our first kooikerhondje, Hamlet, I brought Yorick (given name Germanic) home in September, 2009. He came from The Netherlands to our full and happy house in Virginia!

Alas, poor Hamlet! By now a respectable middle-aged gentleman, he must adjust to yet another family member! In addition to putting up with the four rowdy boys, he does his best to tolerate Yorick, who ambushes him, licks his muzzle, and hangs off his jowls. I have a new affinity for Hamlet, now that his age is in dog-years is catching up to my age in human-years: we are equally amused and annoyed by the younger generation!

Yorick’s DNA was analyzed on Jan. 12 2010, and his profile is on file with the AKC, #V651990.

Yorick was tested by VetGen for Von Willebrands Disease and his results were clear. Report Number: 65843. Report Date: September 24, 2010.

Yorick had his eyes tested by the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) in February 2009, with “no inherited eye disease found.” CERF # KK-347342.

To read more about Yorick, visit here.

PEDEGREE FOR YORICK
GERMANIC "YORICK" DOB: 24 July 2009 AKC: SR61466801 NHSB: 2758684 CERF: KK-347342 VetGen (VWD): 65843 DNA Profile: V651990
Sire: Stars of "T Roosie Micro NHSB 2647846	S: Yentl Sjors VH Runxputtehof NHSB2518625	S: Lucky Lex VH Runxputtehof NHSB 2149205
		D: Racy Saartje VH Runxputtehof NHSB 2349529
	D: Manusia's Pepper's Amy NHSB 2408963	S: Kasper NHSB 2231504
		D: Pepper Uit 'T Wilgenbosch NHSB 2124769
Dam: Jarah NHSB 2516614	S: Pandoer Uit "T Wilgenbosch NHSB 2124764	S: Boris VD Gastelhoeve NHSB BILJ G-2-2058787
		D: Lady Uit 'T Wilgenbosch NHSB BILJ G-2-1886552
	D: Abygail VD Ukkesteyn NHSB 2388968	S: Olympic Haye VD Ukkesteyn NHSB BILJ G-2-2074917
		D: Ajax VD Ukkesteyn NHSB 1997356

 

Yorick Stacked Out

Here are some pictures of Yorick from the side, front, and rear so you can get an idea of his conformation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A kooiker should be almost square, but a little longer than he is high. Yorick is a big kooiker, at the very top of the standard. He measures 18 inches at the shoulder. Yorick has mantel coloring (“mantelhond” in Dutch); that is, his body is a dark reddish-brown without the usual splotches of red on white that most kooikers have. This is a normal and acceptable color variation. Yorick also has a brown band on his tail so half of his tail is colored and half is a white plume. Again, that is common, although a full white plumed tail is more desirable. Color is hereditary but patterns are not, and although Yorick is a darker than normal dog, his offspring (see Litter D) will be randomly splotched or mantled as determined by genetic chance.

Yorick is not quite two in these pictures. An adult kooiker’s coat is fully mature at two years. His tail will grow longer and he will grow longer earrings and feathers on his legs. Many kooikers have dark hair mixed in with the red (“zwart in vacht” in Dutch). This is common, and according to some Dutch breeders, the occasional appearance of darker hair in kooikers is necessary. The dark hairs ensure that the kooiker carries the genetic variation for the dark earrings on its ears. Personally, I think the dark hairs give the coat more depth and movement, and I prefer the dark hairs mixed in to the straight red coloring. Our other male dog, Hamlet, also has rich black highlights in his coat.