Puppies from ‘the world’s rarest dog breed’ were born in the UK for the first time (and you can buy one for £1,500!)
This adorable litter of Wetterhound puppies is the first set bred in the UK.
Until last week, there were only four individuals of the rare hunting breed left in Britain.
Mike and Nikki Gunn, who live in Dorchester in Dorset, fell in love with Whiterhone after they purchased an Aafke, female, in the summer of 2020.
Niki, 63, found the perfect breeding partner for Aafke in six-year-old Lex who lived 450 miles away in Heteren, the Netherlands.
The British Wetterhound and Stabyhound Society advises Nicky and Mike to bid for £1,500 each.
Mike and Nikki Jan, who live in Dorchester in Dorset, have revealed that their dog has produced the first litters of Whiterhone puppies born in the UK
The British Wetterhound and Stabyhound Society advises Nicky and Mike to bid for £1,500 each
The couple fell in love with Watarhun after buying Afekah, a female, in the summer of 2020
During World War II, the breed almost completely disappeared after the German occupation of the Netherlands.
Concentrated breeding efforts in the 1950s brought Waterhun back from the brink, but she remains only 1,000 worldwide today.
With such a limited worldwide population, it took the couple some time to find a suitable male.
The UK population has tripled and the waiting list is starting to offer loving homes for rare puppies.
Retired Clinical Scientist Nikki: “First and foremost, we are looking for loving family homes for these puppies, but we are also interested in hearing from people who may one day face the challenge of having their own litter of Witterhound puppies.
We hope to continue to build a healthy population in this country which is very exciting.
This past week has been very intense and we are really pleased with the amount of interest in the puppies.
“If we can generate some interest and start to build up a network of good homes in Britain that would be amazing.”
The UK population has tripled and the waiting list is starting to offer loving homes for rare puppies
This species was originally bred 400 years ago in Holland to hunt small birds and waterfowl
Concentrated breeding efforts in the 1950s brought Waterhun back from the brink, but it remains only 1,000 worldwide today.
The breed is once again gaining popularity due to its amusing and loyal nature (pictured, the adorable litter)
This species was originally bred 400 years ago in Holland to hunt small birds and waterfowl.
The breed is once again gaining popularity due to its amusing and loyal nature.
Jane Moss, Breeding Consultant for the British Wetterhound Society, said: “We hope to see in the next decade that we will see the population of Wetterhound rise to 50 to 100 in the UK.
This litter is great news and a huge boost for the breed to keep bouncing back.
Jane Moss, breeding advisor for the British Wetterhawn Society, said the litter of puppies was ‘wonderful news’.
“It’s very early days but with careful placement, we hope this litter can provide a bright future for the Wetterhound in Britain.
We think the population dropped a lot in WWII because the interest wasn’t there for the breed.
“We are looking for good homes for the puppies and the process will be done carefully so that they go to the best homes.”
