Hartsje - born in the UK in 2016

Hartsje – born in the UK in 2016

So you have decided that a Stabyhoun is the dog for you. We don’t blame you! This is an amazing dog which is attracting a lot of interest in the UK.

Stabyhoun puppies sold to families in the UK are typically offered to families who are on the UK Stabyhoun Association’s central waiting list. This is not only practical for breeders and future owners, but plays a vital role in our effort to build a healthy population for the future. The UKSA does not, however,  buy or sell puppies, or make any decisions regarding who is offered and sold one. Contracts and agreements are made entirely between breeders and buyers.

Before you decide to arrange to meet a Stabyhoun, fall in love with one, and fill in our application form, please read this article about how the waiting list for puppies works.

We would also encourage you to read about the health of the breed, so you are well informed about the conditions you might in particular encounter in the breed.

To add your family to the waiting list for a puppy, you need to meet a UK Stabyhoun and complete our Puppy Application Form. For a version in Word, send us an email and we will contact you with more information. Depending on your wishes and the time of year, the waiting time can be anywhere from a few months and upwards. If you want to know more about the current waiting times before you apply, contact us. (To apply for a Wetterhoun pup please use this form.)

Stabyhoun puppies are now born in England each year. We also continue to import carefully selected puppies from the Netherlands and Scandinavia to meet demand and build a genetically diverse population for the future. Depending on your plans for the puppy and the time you apply, your perfect puppy might be British or he might be Dutch.  Don’t worry – the UKSA will help make the necessary arrangements for your dog regardless and we will take your family situation into account at all times. The hardest thing you have to do it wait!

Please note that we only export puppies through our official Stabyhoun Association partners. So if you want a puppy but don’t live in the UK, you need to contact your local Stabyhoun club. This is a rare breed and we are only just beginning to establish a small population of dogs in the UK. Therefore, we don’t export puppies purely as pets but might occasionally consider it where there is a genetic advantage for a population abroad; when it is for the betterment of the breed.

How long do I have to wait for a Stabyhoun puppy?

With such a rare breed it is difficult to predict. However, early efforts to establish the breed through a carefully managed import program have been a success, and several litters are now born in the UK each year.

Waiting times will always depend on the time of year, the number of litters and puppies born, and your specific plans and wishes for the dog (male/female, breeding potential and so on). Rest assured; if this is the breed for you, it will be worth the wait! Waiting times are unpredictable as we explain in this article.

What is the Breeders Advisory Committee?

The UKSA Breeders Advisory Committee (BAC) was established to research, promote and approve making the most sensible and healthy male-female combinations possible, to breeders in the UK. They do so in collaboration with the health and breed experts in the Netherlands. Our aim is to select breeding pairs of dogs that have the best chances of producing genetically, physically and emotionally sound litters. Although we can’t ever guarantee ‘perfect puppies’, we are doing our utmost to pursue healthy litters. Buy only buying Stabyhoun puppies bred through the UKSA, you are playing your part in promoting responsible breeding. And you might also increase the chances of your own dog living a long, healthy and happy life.

How much does a Stabyhoun or Wetterhoun puppy cost?

The price for a puppy bred in the UK for both Stabyhoun and Wetterhoun is currently around £1,500 and €1250 – €1500 for one imported from the Netherlands (the latter excludes the additional, standard puppy vaccinations, Rabies vaccination and the final worming treatment 1-5 days before travel and foster care from 8-15 weeks, this is usually set at around €10 per day up to a maximum of €500). In Denmark, breeders decide the price but it typically ranges between DKK 11,000-12,000 plus vaccinations, food etc for the additional 7 weeks.

4-week old Arjen - the first brown Stabyhoun in the UK. Born by Gaaske Jelske fan de Moaie Hôvingen

4-week old Arjen – the first brown Stabyhoun in the UK. Born by Gaaske Jelske fan de Moaie Hôvingen

Can I choose my own puppy? 

Typically, and in consultation with you and your family, most breeders will designate which of their pups is best suited to each new owner at the age of around 6 weeks. They are very well equipped to match a puppy’s qualities with a family’s wishes and ambitions (as you will have set out in your Puppy Application) such as taking part in agility, breeding or being at the heart of a busy and active family with lots of children. In our experience, this policy has never failed to satisfy all parties involved. Read more about this topic here…

How to import a Stabyhoun puppy to England

Importing a puppy to the UK from Europe isn’t difficult at all. It just requires a bit of patience and, of course, willingness from the breeder to keep and raise the puppy until it is 15 or 16 weeks old.

At the age of either 12 weeks (Denmark) or 3 months (the Netherlands) the puppy will need a rabies vaccination. 21 days after (with the day of the vaccination counting as day 0) the puppy can enter the UK.

Between 1 and 5 days before entering the UK, the puppy will then need tapeworm treatment. And of course, the puppy will need to be micro-chipped and have a valid pet passport – all of which the breeder will organise for you.

As you can see, it requires a little extra effort from the breeder to ensure that all of the above is organised. They also need to be prepared to make the effort to raise your puppy as if it was their own; something which comes natural to experienced and dedicated breeders. All breeders in our network understand this and most have exported puppies before.

Travelling to collect your puppy

For the UK Stabyhoun Association, nothing is more important than the health and safety of the dogs and puppies that we help provide for families in England, Wales and Scotland. That is why we NEVER recommend that a puppy is allowed to travel alone. Be prepared to collect your puppy in person from the respectable breeder by car. It is a great experience; meeting other adult Stabys and the breeder who can tell you everything about the dog.

Pylgrim - born in England in August 2013

Pylgrim – born in England in August 2013

If you are getting a Stabyhoun puppy from the Denmark or Netherlands we advise that you travel by car via the Eurotunnel from Calais to Folkstone. The dog is safe in the comforts of your vehicle and there are ample facilities for exercise and toilet breaks before the crossing. Don’t forget to mention that you are bringing a dog when you book your ticket and leave extra time for the paperwork to be checked in Calais.

Are there any downsides to getting a 15 or 16-week old puppy?

Not if the puppy is raised with a responsible and dedicated breeder who is happy to spend as much (if not more) time with it as you would have done. It is, however, crucial that you have confidence in their commitment to training and socialising the puppy.

***WETTERHOUN LITTER ANNOUNCEMENT***

Aafke, mother-to-be

Jappie, aka Lex, chosen Stud Dog with approval from NVSW

 
We have some very exciting news to share!
One of our breeders has just received approval for the first ever litter of Wetterhoun puppies to be born in the UK!
 
The planned combination is for Aafke NHSB 3186919 x Jappie NHSB 3054377, if all goes to plan puppies will be due early Spring 2023. They are both stunning examples of the Wetterhoun breed, which is one of the rarest dogs in the world.
 
Wetterhouns have a unique and charming character. They have a calm and reliable nature and definitely have a sense of humour! They are classified in FCI Group 8 – Retrievers and Waterdogs, and love to be with their people. They are powerful dogs and extremely agile for their size, which is around 55-60cm at the shoulder. Females are typically smaller than males.
 
With a litter now firmly planned in the UK, we are opening up the waiting list for applicants who would be interested in a puppy born on UK soil. With such a little known breed, awareness of these dogs is still low so you have a good chance of being selected for a puppy if you are the right home.
 
The breeder is also open to export to other countries for sharing genes, and we have a network of experienced foster homes to be able to accommodate the extra time needed before a puppy can travel.
 
To find out more, please contact Jane on jane@stabyhounuk.com.

*Please note: The UK Stabyhoun Association does not buy nor does it sell puppies. We act as an intermediary to ensure genetic diversity amongst the puppies that are imported to and bred in the UK. All legal agreements and financial transactions are made exclusively between you, the buyer, and the breeder of your puppy.