The Dutch studbook recorded its last litter in 1949, followed by a long period without registered Smoushonds, according to the FCI standard. From 1973, an enthusiast rebuilt the breed using similar-looking crossbreeds. Today it is again a cheerful straw-yellow companion with beard and eyebrows.
| FCI | Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain Dogs), Section 1 Pinscher and Schnauzer, Standard No. 308, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Netherlands |
| Size (height at the withers) | males around 37 to 42 cm, females around 35 to 40 cm |
| Weight | 7 to 11 kg |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | rough, wiry, harsh and straight, tousled in appearance, around 4 to 7 cm long, with sufficient undercoat; cheek and chin beard, eyebrows |
| Colours in the standard | solid yellow in all shades, dark straw yellow preferred; ears, beard and eyebrows may be darker |
A stable dog for well-to-do owners
In the mid-19th century, the standard says these dogs followed upper-middle-class horse-drawn carriages and caught stable rats. An Amsterdam dealer sold them as gentlemen’s stable dogs to commodity-exchange visitors. The yellow Schnauzer is considered an ancestor; today the FCI places this breed beside the Standard Schnauzer. Three men wrote the first standard in 1905; a dedicated breed club has represented the Smoushond since 1978.
Cheerful without nervousness
Affectionate, cheerful, friendly and naturally outgoing, lively but neither excessively nervous nor fearful: the standard’s description. The FCI lists a companion dog. In daily life, they want to join everything and learn quickly when training is fun.
Small, but no sofa dog
Daily walks, searching games, little tricks and perhaps agility maintain balance. At 7 to 11 kilograms, a Smoushond fits a flat well if enough happens outdoors. The standard requires light, regular movement and a robust body, so healthy adults manage long hikes well.
A rough coat allowed to look tousled
The desired rough, wiry hair is 4 to 7 cm long and tousled. Curly or woolly hair prone to matting is undesirable. Weekly brushing and combing usually suffice; dead hair is plucked several times yearly rather than clipped. Eyebrows may fall slightly over the eyes without obstructing vision.
Epilepsy in a small population
The strongest health source is a study of nine Dutch breeds (Rolink et al. 2026). Among 2,252 Smoushonds registered from 2004 to 2023, 50 had idiopathic epilepsy or epilepsy of unknown cause, or 2.2 percent. Breed clubs provide breeding advice, and frequency has declined over time in the Smoushond. The authors also stress very small breed numbers, making sustainable breeding difficult. McMillan and colleagues’ UK analysis omits the breed, leaving no lifespan figure. Ask whether seizures have occurred in the family.
Well suited to
People and families wanting a small, robust, cheerful bearded companion, taking them everywhere and accepting some grooming. First-time owners can also do well with this friendly temperament.
Less suitable if...
you want a dog staying alone for many hours or a low-maintenance short coat. Such a small breed also requires patience for a suitable litter.
The breed quiz shows whether a small, lively companion suits you; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) explores it further. Other Dutch breeds in the encyclopedia include the Schapendoes and Dutch Shepherd. For the first weeks with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. Capture your yellow bearded dog through our dog portraits from your own photo or as a poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Jack Russell Terrier: a working dog who happens to be small
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and when it is not
- Housetraining your puppy: the first 4-week plan
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 308 Hollandse Smoushond (fci.be, German version dated 16.03.2012); Rolink T et al., Phenotypic characterisation, quality of life and prevalence of idiopathic epilepsy and epilepsy of unknown cause in the nine Dutch dog breeds, Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2026; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed only in the mapping table, without data).
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