Meet the Dutch Smoushond, a terrier-type ratting dog with an interesting background.

Back in the late 19th century, Germans preferred black or salt/pepper colored Coarse haired Pinschers (forefathers of today’s Schnuauzer),  leaving red or yellow puppies common in litters to be culled. It’s said that an enterprising Dutch merchant purchased these “rejects” quite cheaply, and brought them to Holland where they were sold on the streets of Amsterdam as “heerenstalhonden,” or gentlemen’s stable dogs. The dogs caught on, developed into the Smoushond, and became an enormously popular family dog. The breed’s shaggy fur and face led to its name, a reference to bearded and long haired Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish men called Smouzen in the 1800s. 

The Smoushond’s position in society began to change in the late 1800’s when the upper class discovered the wonderful companionship the dogs offered to city dwellers (as well as fabulous ratting abilities). By the end of the 19th Century, the Dutch Smoushond was the aristocratic’s pet, a desired companion for the Dutch gentleman.  In 1905, the Hollandse Smoushond Club was established to keep pedigrees and promote the breed. Ensuing years, however, brought competition to the dogs by foreign breeds, and things were made worse when Nazis invaded the Netherlands.

The breed was nearly lost between the two world wars and the last two litters were whelped in 1949. The breed was declared to be extinct. In the early 70s, A Dutch woman with fond memories of the breed, Mrs. H.M. Barkman van der Weel (seriously) took it upon herself to recreate the breed and advertised for anyone owning a dog resembling the dog in an accompanying photograph to contact her. Because the Netherlands was a small country, she visited each lead personally, and if the dog was a bitch and approved, she asked that it be bred to a stud of her choice. She kept records, and personally saw every Smoushond born in the Netherlands four or five times before it became of breeding age.  In 1977, a Specialty club was formed, and in 1980, the 1905 standard was revised by the Hollandse Smoushonden Club.  The breed was recognized by the Dutch Kennel Club, the FCI in 2001, and in 2006, the United Kennel Club became the only major English-language kennel club to grant full recognition to the breed. Happily, this affectionate, friendly dog free of nervousness or mindless barking is now on firm footing, but it remains quite rare.  Only about 125 purebred Dutch Smoushond puppies are registered with the FCI every year.   

Photo found on Pinterest and happily credited upon receipt of information – can anyone help us find the source?