Storm’s story – Why we fell in love with our Dutch Shepherd

We fell in love with the pointy-eared, amber-eyed Storm without initially clocking her breed – the Dutch Shepherd. Most people are familiar with their cousin, the Belgian Shepherd, or Malinois. Dutchies are a little smaller, not quite as full on, and they have the most beautiful brindle coat.  

We certainly know about Dutch Shepherds now, and we’re completely besotted.  

If you want a Velcro companion that thrives on learning and is up for anything….at any time….one that makes the most delightful noises, has the silkiest of coats and one that will lavish affection upon you, then you may have found a breed to explore. 

The last 15 months have seen all three of us embark on a crazy yet incredible journey. It’s been punctuated with success and error and we’ve reached out for help and guidance frequently.  

The Dutch Shepherd is vigilant, intelligent, athletic, watchful, loyal, intuitive and protective – all reasons that the military and police employ them and why they are used as protection dogs. 

These traits, along with her difficult past, mean that Storm needs a little patience and understanding. 

Storm is hyper-vigilant, always alert, anxious and watchful. A coping mechanism that she developed in the past is to run away when she senses danger. Unfortunately, this isn’t an ideal response, and we’re still working on this with her.  

We do our best to monitor her environment, allowing her to experience everything as safely as possible, which often sees us on empty hills or beaches before sunrise. We’ve experienced unexpected encounters that have resulted in a real panic as she’s responded in the only way she knows. It’s the hardest part. She’s so anxious around new dogs, and people are unaware that, despite how friendly their dogs are, her response will be the same. 

So, because we can’t influence other people, we work on Storm’s fear with the help of a professional.  

Our favourite Dutch Shepherd trait is their loyalty. 

Dutchies are the biggest softies; we still can’t quite get over just how loving Storm is. We set our alarms 30 minutes earlier these days to ensure she gets her required cuddles and belly rubs in the morning.  

She’s always by us, bumping our arms for a pet or scratch, following us around, alerting us to every moth, fly, bird, deer. She’s never happier than climbing on top of us, squeezing in between us or pinching our space when we move. 

Dutch Shepherds are also very energetic. 

Storm has no ‘off switch’. When we first took her home, she didn’t want to miss a moment and was falling asleep standing up. This sounds really sweet, but it showed that she couldn’t trust anything enough to fully let go.  

We learned to observe her closely and notice when she’s had enough stimulation, exercise or exposure, and even recognise when she’s hurt herself. Which is not easy when she’s always so full of energy! 

We approached an amazing dog trainer, an ex-military dog handler who currently works with the police. He sussed us all out in one session and recommended scent work with Storm. We dutifully signed up. Best thing ever. 

Scent work training exhausts and delights Storm. 

Watching her work is incredible – she thrives on it. She’s a working breed after all, and without enough stimulation, she gets frustrated. 

This training has also strengthened our bond. There’s nothing quite like seeing the shine in her eyes and the way she carries herself throughout and afterwards.  

And it doesn’t require much effort! You can have a tired, satisfied dog by doing your scent work in the comfort of your own home. It’s been a game-changer. 

Anyone who has rehomed a rescue dog will tell you that the best breed is a rescue breed. 

We have lots of plans for Storm. We may have a longer journey getting there as we help her work on her fear, but rehoming a dog is all about that 

Lots of Dutchies and Malis need a home because people see the cool dog in the movies or on social media, and they want that…. but don’t recognise that high-energy, high-demand breeds are a big commitment.  

Like everything, you get back what you put in. 

When you love a Dutch Shepherd, you get a lot of love back – and because they just don’t know when to stop – their love for you is infinite!