Drentse Patrijshond

Also known as: Dutch Partridge Dog, Hollanninpeltopyykoira

The Drentse Patrijshond comes from the Drenthe province of the Netherlands, where farmers used it as an all-around gun dog, pointing at birds and later retrieving what was shot. It is one of the oldest continental pointing breeds, barely changed from dogs shown in 16th-century Dutch paintings. The medium-length, feathered coat handles a damp climate well, and a build reaching 30 kilograms is sturdy enough for a full day outdoors. The breed has stayed largely a working dog and is rarely seen outside the Netherlands. At home it is friendly but needs regular exercise to stay settled. Life expectancy runs 12 to 14 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Drentse Patrijshond: how old in human years?

55–63 cmHeight
20–30 kgWeight
12–14 yrsLife expectancy

Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer

FCI group: Pointing Dogs
FCI section: Section 1.1: Continental Pointing Dogs, Type Braque
FCI: 224
Country of origin: Netherlands

Energy level

4/5
Trainability

4/5
Family friendly

4/5
Grooming need

3/5

At a glance

Height

Males 58–63 cm

Females 55–60 cm

Weight

Males 20–30 kg

Females not specified

Life expectancy

12–14 yrs

Coat

medium length, feathered (medium-length)

Temperament & Family Life

Drentse Patrijshond's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is moderate.

Family friendly 4/5
Good with children 4/5
Good with other dogs 3/5
Friendly with strangers 3/5
Intelligence 4/5
Trainability 4/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

Drentse Patrijshond's energy and exercise needs are high.

Energy level 4/5
Exercise need 5/5
Apartment friendly 2/5
Prey drive 4/5
Hunting instinct 5/5

Guarding & Alertness

Drentse Patrijshond's guarding and alertness traits are moderate.

Guarding instinct 2/5
Watchfulness 3/5
Barking level 3/5

Grooming & Care

Drentse Patrijshond's grooming needs are low.

Shedding 3/5
Drooling 1/5
Grooming need 3/5

Living with the Drentse Patrijshond

The name sounds like a tongue twister, but in Dutch it simply means "partridge dog from Drenthe". The Drentse Patrijshond comes from the farms of the north-eastern Netherlands, where it was expected to do everything: find the bird, point it, bring back the game from field or water, and then spend the evening by the stove among the children. Both halves of that job are still in it.

It needs a lot of movement, every day: long walks with off-lead running somewhere safe, search games, retrieving, swimming. Without work it will find some on its own, and not always the kind you would choose. It trains well and willingly but has opinions of its own, so a patient, consistent owner wins, not the loudest one. Its hunting instinct is very strong, so recall is a project that never quite ends, and a fenced garden is worth having.

With its family it is gentle and devoted, usually patient with children and fine with other dogs when introductions are calm. It is reserved with strangers at first and will announce a visitor, but it is no guard. A flat is a squeeze for it; it does best in a home with a garden and owners for whom a weekend without forest or fields feels odd.

Grooming and coat

The Drentse Patrijshond has a dense, medium-length coat with feathering on the ears, the backs of the legs and the tail. The body is easy to look after; the feathering is where the whole story of the walk ends up: needles, burrs, clumps of mud. Brush and comb it once or twice a week, paying extra attention behind the ears and in the armpits, where the hair likes to tangle. It sheds moderately, more so at the turn of the seasons, when picking up the brush every other day saves you from the carpet.

The ears hang and are well furred, so they stay damp for a long time after a swim or a wet day. Lift them once a week and look inside; redness, discharge or a bad smell is a reason to see a vet. The hair between the pads can be trimmed so snowballs don't build up in winter, and the nails need attention if they don't wear down on their own. It barely drools, so that's one chore you can skip.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

We don't have reliable health information specific to this breed, so we don't list conditions here. Keep up regular vet check-ups, and if you are getting a puppy, ask the breeder about the parents' health testing.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Food for large breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (30 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 330 g of dry food a day, from €18,08 a month For a neutered, normally active 25 kg dog. Calculate for your dog