| The Kooikerhundje has existed in the | | | | Club officially recognized the breed. Also |
| Netherlands since before the 1500s. The | | | | it is interesting to note that the Kooiker of |
| Kooikerhundje is a unique dog which is | | | | today is again performing its original |
| directly related to the dog which is known in | | | | function, being used by conservation |
| the United States as the Nova Scotian Duck | | | | organizations in Holland to lure the ducks |
| Toller. It is believed that the Toller is | | | | into holding pens for the purposes of |
| descended from the Kooiker. The body build | | | | classification.The Kooikerhundje history |
| of the Kooikerhundje is quite similar to the | | | | includes an interesting note that a |
| Duck toller but the coloring of the Kooiker | | | | Kooikerhundje belonging to Prince William of |
| is red and white. Like the duck toller, it | | | | Orange saved his life by alerting him of an |
| is the heavily fringed white "feather" of his | | | | attack by the Spanish. He is a loyal and |
| constantly moving tail which lures the ducks | | | | faithful dog as a pet in a household and is a |
| to the hunter, thus the term "decoy dog" is | | | | useful and intelligent hunting dog for the |
| used to describe the function of the two | | | | duck hunter of today. In the F.C.I. this |
| breeds. In the case of the Kooikerhundje, | | | | dog is registered within the gundog group. |
| the dog historically could be classified as a | | | | The Kooikerhundje breed is also recorded with |
| working dog rather than a hunting dog, for | | | | the Foundation Stock Service of the A.K.C. |
| the Dutch people used the dog to lure the | | | | The first litter of a Kooikerhundje was |
| ducks into various blinds which a farmer | | | | registered as recently as 1999 in the United |
| would set up alongside the canals. A "decoy | | | | States.This medium sized dog is red and white |
| dog" would disappear into a blind only to | | | | in color and of a size similar to that of a |
| reappear on the other side and the ducks | | | | Brittany Spaniel. He has proven himself to |
| would follow out of curiosity. Eventually | | | | be a loyal and affectionate companion dog and |
| the farmer and the dog would have captured a | | | | is considered to perform well as a Therapy |
| number of ducks which could then be taken to | | | | Dog and as an Assistance Dog. Search and |
| market. Gradually the industrial revolution | | | | rescue groups are also beginning to utilize |
| took over and marketplaces which sold live | | | | this breed as a Search Dog and value him for |
| animals became less plentiful. By 1939 the | | | | his focus and easy trainability. The dog |
| breed was nearly extinct in Holland but | | | | possesses a strong willingness to work. |
| through the passionate work of Baroness van | | | | Historically it is the working breeds which |
| Hardenbroek the breed began to regain its | | | | seem to produce the type of dog which will |
| former status and by 1966 the Dutch Kennel | | | | function well in these areas. |