Activities For Kooikerhondjes
Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Introduction
A Kooikerhondje is a small doggo, similar to a spaniel, and in Old Dutch, their name means small caging dog. How cute is that? Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes were originally bred as working dogs, especially in the eendenkooi, which is a fancy Dutch word for a duck cage, where their job was to lure the ducks. These adorable dogs appeared in many paintings by famous Dutch masters, particularly Rembrandt and Jan Steen, and since then their popularity has been on the rise all over the world. When thinking about activities for your Kooiker, never forget that they have a high prey drive, so watch out around small animals such as hamsters or birds.
Hide and Seek
What better way to spend an afternoon inside or outdoors than a good old game of hide and seek? Your Nederlandse Kooikerhondje is a pup that likes to hunt and lure their prey, so this game is a perfect way to refine their senses, teach them some new commands, and solidify the ones that they already know. A perfect command for this game is the classic “stay,” and you can practice their knowledge and agility through a game fun for adults, children, and dogs alike. All you need is somewhere to hide and enough room to run, and you’re golden!
Dock Diving
What better way to spend a hot summer day outside than go to a dock, river, or a lake, and do some dock diving with your lovely Kooikerhondje. When the day is scorching hot, and you just need to chill and cool down, get outside, hit the lake, river, seaside, or just a pool and start diving! Before you do that though make sure that your doggo knows how to swim to avoid potentially fatal consequences. It can’t hurt to even take a class on dock diving at a local dog club and make sure that your pup is ready for the challenge.
Lure Coursing
Your Kooikerhondje is, as mentioned, a dog that was bred to lure ducks into their cages. They are dogs who love to chase their prey and that’s why you should be mindful if you have other small pets such as kittens, hamsters, chinchillas, and even birds. However, you can satisfy your Kooiker’s lure desires by taking them to Lure Coursing, a fun group activity that even became a competitive dog sport! Lure coursing goes like this: the lure is tied to a pulley which then moves ahead of the dog who chases after the prey. Easy, right?
More Fun Ideas...
Explore the Hood
When you just want a nice, calm afternoon, you can go on a relaxing stroll around the neighborhood. Let your dog sniff every corner, pee on every tree, and explore all the nooks of your hood.
Doggy Playdate
Your pup needs friends too! Make a doggy playdate and go to a dog park to enjoy your weekend. Your sugar will surely love to play with other pup’s and run around the park.
Conclusion
No matter where you live, what your fitness level is, or just how experienced of a dog owner you are, you can still have loads and loads of fun with your Kooikerhondje. You can enhance their natural abilities through lure coursing, take a refreshing dip with dock diving, or just chill in your neighborhood and soak up all the beauty. Whatever you choose to do, never forget to praise and love your little ray of sunshine!