The character of the Kooikerhondje

The Dutch Kooikerhondje has an attractive, friendly appearance.  But there is a lot of temperament in this breed.  For the original work in the duck decoy steady self assured behaviour was a must since the ducks were lured and not chased.  The dog works with a waving bushy tail, a sign of sufficient confidnece.  He had to walk calmly alongside and between the fences from the "Decoy", so the dog could be seen clearly in several different places for a short period of time by the ducks.  This stimulated the curiousity of the ducks, who were lured b this and followed swimming further and further into the catch-pipe and finally into  the trap, where they could be caught by the decoy-man (kooiker).  At the end the ducks went "de pijp uit" ("out of the pipe" a rude Dutch expression for to die).  They were either killed for consumption or ringed for ornithological research.

Outside the hunting season the dog had to destroy vermin.  For which a certain fierceness, rapidity ad hardness was required.  The do-operation with the decoy-man for all the work in the decoy was a must.  Hence the attentative attitude and the will to please.  The work demanded preserverance and stamina as well.

Today's Kooikerhondje should still have all of these necessary qualities.  Aggression caused by fear or overly dominant behavior towards people and dogs is definitely undesirable.  The dog should go free and fearless around the show ring with sufficient confidence to allow himself to be handled by the judge with friendliness and indifference.  Ducking away and/or lunging indicate fear and is an obviously undesirable behavior.