The Drentsche Patrijshond

The Drentsche Patrijshond, also called the Dutch Partridge Dog or Drent, is a rare sporting dog breed originating from the Netherlands. The Drent is a landrace breed over 400 years old, but was recognized by the Raad van Beheer op Kynologisch Gebied (Dutch Kennel Club) on May 15, 1943, and added to the American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service in 2010.

As of 2023, there are an estimated 120 Drentsche Patrijshonden living in North America, and less than 4000 worldwide. Unfortunately, numbers have been declining – ten years ago, the Drent population worldwide was nearly 6000 individuals.

History

The breed was founded on three pillars: hunting, watch dog, and companion. It originated in the 16th century from the Spioenen which came to the Netherlands via France from Spain. Especially in the province of Drenthe, from which the Drent gets its name, these dogs were kept purebred. The Drent is most closely related to the French Spaniel and Small Munsterlander.

Drenthe was unusual in that at the time, it was one of the very few places where the common folk were allowed to hunt. However, the average commoner could not afford highly specialized dogs for various purposes like the rich and royal could, and therefore they required a versatile, all-purpose dog. The Drent was used to hunt feather and fur, alert the arrival of visitors to the property, and serve as a playmate and companion for the children.

On June 5th, 1948, the original Dutch breed club was founded: the Vereniging de Drentsche Patrijshond. The first North American breed club, Drentsche Patrijshond Club of North America, was founded in 2008. There is also a second Dutch club, Swedish club, Belgian club, and Danish club.

Basic Info

Height: 21.5-23.5″ (females); 23-25″ (males)
Weight: 50-60lbs (females); 60-70lbs (males)
Life Expectancy: 11-14 years

Drentsche Patrijshond is pronounced “da’rinse-ah puh’trice-hond” (click here for a Dutch speaker’s pronunciation!). The plural is Drentsche Patrijshonden. Drent is accepted both in Dutch and English as a short version of the name. While “Dutch Partridge Dog” is also sometimes used, it would be like calling the Labrador Retriever a “Canadian Duck Dog”. “Drentsche” means specifically from the Province of Drenthe, and the Drent was and is used on many other birds beyond Partridge!

The Drent coat is medium in length, with longer furnishings on the legs and tail, and requires only basic grooming – a weekly or as-needed brush, light stripping of the ears, and trimming between the toes as well as trimming the nails themselves is all that’s needed to keep a Drent looking their best. The coat is soft and not oily, and thicker/longer in males than females. The Drent only comes in white and brown, though that brown can range by the individual from auburn to near-black. A “minimally marked” Drent will have brown ears, brown around the eyes, and brown at the base of the tail. Small spots or “ticking” can often show up in the Drent, but “schimmel” (a mix of brown and white hairs) is considered undesirable. It is desirable for the Drent coat to have “fields of white” interrupted by patches of brown, not to exceed 50% of the dog’s coat.

While the Drent is a generally healthy breed overall, the most common health concerns to watch out for in the breed include Epilepsy, Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, Allergies, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (an eye condition). Von Willdebrand’s Disease Type 1 (a mild bleeding disorder) is genetically found in Drents, but research is ongoing regarding the seriousness of vWD, as there are minimal reports of symptomatic individuals even among those who are genetically “at risk”.

Temperament

The Drent is a versatile, active, intelligent, cooperative, and joyful breed. Depending on the individual, a Drent could be an excellent fit for an active family, an upland or waterfowl foot hunter, and/or as a show or performance sport dog.

Rewards-based training methods will work best with a Drent, especially when games are used to keep training interesting. Drents are very trainable but are most successful when treated as a partner rather than a tool. Drents can be challenging for first-time dog owners who are unprepared for them, as they are excellent at finding ways to entertain themselves that may not be desirable to the average family. However, when trained with consistency and fairness and kept mentally fulfilled, the Drent is a wonderfully sweet companion who can settle nicely in the home.

The Drent is a generally friendly dog who should show no aggression towards other dogs (of either sex) or people. The Drent was used as a watchdog for much of its history, so they are often aloof towards strangers and will alert bark, particularly to strangers approaching the home, but once you are in a Drent’s circle of trust all is well. That said, the Drent will typically bond most closely to their immediate family. They are affectionate without being clingy, but love to “help” and generally be involved with whatever you are doing. Drents are well-known to be excellent with children. Drents can be kept with cats if raised with them, but they are a breed with prey drive, so care should be kept to ensure the dog understands boundaries with other small animals in the home.

Drents are happy, playful, silly dogs who are a joy to have around. They are notoriously slow to mature, and will often seem “behind” other puppies of the same age in terms of physical, mental, and emotional maturity, particularly for the first 18 months, but up until 2 or 3 years old. But with patience and a sense of humor, you will be rewarded with a companion like no other when a Drent reaches its prime.

Versatile as they are, Drents can do almost anything you want to do: hunt, hike, camp, obedience, scentwork, agility, search and rescue, tracking, canicross, bikejoring, conformation, tricks, and more. The Drent will excel most at hunting or scent detection activities, but with their intelligence and desire to do whatever you’re doing, can get along just fine at almost any sport or activity.

For further information, please feel free to peruse our blog or reach out!