The stabyhoun breed, originating in the Netherlands, is still a fairly rare breed in Finland. It belongs to breed group 7: Pointers and Setters, subgroup 7.1: Continental Pointing Dogs. Originally the stabyhoun was used as an all-around working dog in farms with various tasks, serving as a gundog, a watchdog and a companion dog.A stabyhoun’s temperament is gentle, kind, calm and patient but it can also be very stubborn. It should never be aggressive or snappy. The stabyhoun is friendly with children and makes a great family dog. The stabyhoun’s coat is low maintenance and is easy to keep clean.
The happy and inquisitive stabyhoun likes to join in activities and becomes very attached to its owners. The stabyhoun is considered to be fairly easy to train due to its willingness to please. The stabyhoun is usually very greedy for food, which makes it easy to motivate in training. The downside is that its greediness can lead to stealing food from tables if left unattended. Because the stabyhoun can be stubborn, it is important to be consistent in training the dog how to behave at home.
The Stabyhoun is an active dog that loves being outside and active. It is calm indoors as long as it gets enough exercise on a daily basis. Even though the stabyhoun needs some space around it, it can also be kept in an apartment building, provided that it gets enough exercise outdoors and its brain is stimulated by different activities and hobbies. It is also very important to train the stabyhoun to be home alone when it is a puppy in order to avoid separation anxiety.
When moving around freely in nature, the stabyhoun should search in different places while maintaining contact with the owner. When encountering a strong smell of game, it may wander off. The stabyhoun’s hunting instinct can cause it to charge after game even when it is on leash. The stabyhoun is particularly interested in birds and moles, but other forest animals can also arouse its instincts.Due to its willingness to please, the stabyhoun is an excellent and versatile hobby dog. Usual hobbies aredog shows, hunting, agility, tracking and obedience training, for instance. Stabyhouns are also involved in search and rescue activities.