Stabyhoun
斯塔比胡恩犬
Updated 2026-09-09
At a glance
The Stabyhoun (Stabij) is a Frisian pointer-retriever from the forest country of the north-east Netherlands, painted by Jan Steen in the 17th century and named, probably, from "sta mij bij" — stand by me. Farmers bred it to hunt moles and rabbits on its own, and that deliberate independence is still there: the parent club calls it cocky, stubborn or obstinate depending on who you ask, warns that a tough approach makes it block completely, and says it will dig in the garden and make a lot of noise until the owner comes to investigate. With positive, gentle training it is a quick learner, child-friendly, needs about an hour of exercise plus a mental job, and has an almost self-cleaning coat. The club publishes its own health figures — epilepsy in about 1% of dogs, plus hip and elbow dysplasia, PDA, SRMA, cerebral dysfunction and von Willebrand disease.
Facts
| Size | Medium |
|---|---|
| Height | 48–53cm |
| Weight | 18–27kg |
| Life expectancy | 13–15years |
| Breed group | AKC: fss FCI: 7 |
| Role | Sporting |
| Coat | Double coat |
| Shedding | 3/ 5 |
| Exercise | 60–120min/day |
| Can be left alone | up to 3 hours |
| Companionship need | 5/ 5 |
| Trainability | 5/ 5 |
| Barking | 3/ 5 |
| Good with children | 5/ 5 |
| Good with other dogs | 4/ 5 |
| Heat tolerance | 3/ 5 |
| Cold tolerance | 3/ 5 |
Health
This page is general information compiled from published sources. It is not veterinary, legal or purchase advice. Dogs vary within a breed — talk to a vet or a reputable breeder about the dog in front of you.
Health notes are not veterinary advice. Conditions listed are those reported for the breed, not a diagnosis of any dog. Always consult a veterinarian.
Hip dysplasia
The parent club screens hips and reports that, among radiographed dogs over the past ten years, about 2% had moderate-to-severe (D or E) hip dysplasia and about 15.5% grade C. Ask your breeder for both parents' results and your vet about keeping your dog lean and fit.
Elbow dysplasia
The parent club screens elbows and reports that about 9.7% of radiographed dogs had grade 1 and 3.3% grade 2 or 3 elbow dysplasia. Ask your vet if you notice front-leg lameness, especially in a growing dog.
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
The parent club reports patent ductus arteriosus — failure of a large blood vessel to close just after birth — in about 0.7% of the population, detectable at six to seven weeks; the AKC lists it among the conditions responsible breeders screen for. Ask your vet to listen for a heart murmur at the first puppy check.
Epilepsy
The parent club reports an average of six epilepsy cases a year — about 1% of dogs — with the hereditary form usually appearing at three to five years of age; sufferers and proven carriers are excluded from breeding. Ask your vet promptly if your dog has a seizure.
Steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA)
The parent club reports SRMA, a systemic inflammatory disease most common in young dogs, in about 0.5% of Stabys born in the past decade. Ask your vet urgently if a young dog has fever, neck pain or a stiff, hunched posture.
Cerebral dysfunction
The parent club describes a hereditary neurological problem of puppies, appearing around six weeks with deviant, compulsive behaviour, reported in six litters over four years. Ask your breeder what they know about it in their lines.
Von Willebrand disease
The parent club reports type I von Willebrand disease, a blood-clotting disorder, in the breed and that DNA testing identifies sufferers and carriers. Ask your breeder about testing and tell your vet before any surgery.
Behaviour
Independent by design; a tough approach is useless
The parent club says Stabys are independent — some call it cocky, others stubborn or obstinate — because farmers deliberately bred a dog that could hunt moles and rabbits on its own, so expect it to look for prey and dig in the garden. It is very inquisitive and can get into trouble, and although it makes a lot of noise when something is wrong, it expects the owner to come and investigate before it settles. A tough approach is useless: it will completely block. With positive, gentle, fair and consistent training it is a quick, self-motivated learner that wants to please. It is child-friendly but will indicate its own boundaries.
An hour of exercise and a job; a nearly self-cleaning coat
The AKC says daily exercise is necessary but a good hour is enough, after which the Staby is content to rest — what matters more is a mental challenge and a function in daily life with variety: agility, hunting, scent work or lure coursing. The FCI standard calls it an all-round hunting dog with a good reputation as a mole and polecat catcher. Grooming needs are almost nonexistent: the medium-length coat is self-cleaning once dry and rarely needs a bath, though neutered dogs may grow a heavier "castrated coat".
Training and barking
AKC trait chart: trainability 5/5, barking level 3/5. Individual dogs vary; early socialisation and reward-based training are recommended for every breed.
Official guidance
Summaries of official documents are ours; the source is linked. Breed standards, laws and licensing rules change — check the issuing body for the current version.
American Kennel Club — Stabyhoun
Breed overview, breed-trait chart, history, official standard summary and health notes from the AKC and the national parent club.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
FCI nomenclature — Stabijhoun (standard no. 222, group 7)
FCI breed nomenclature entry with the official breed standard PDF in English, French, German and Spanish.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
What owners say
Owner advice is quoted from public community posts and reflects those owners' opinions, not PocketPaw's position. It is unverified and not a substitute for professional advice. Each item links to where it was said.
“The Ameri-Can Stabyhoun Association's breed pages want you to know what you are getting: an independent thinker that some owners call cocky, that will dig for moles, investigate everything and bark until you come and check, and that shuts down completely under harsh handling. Give it an hour of exercise, a real job with variety, positive training and supervision with children, and read the club's published health statistics — it tracks epilepsy, hips, elbows, PDA and SRMA openly.”
— Ameri-Can Stabyhoun Association — About the breed via breed clubWorldwide2026-09-09
Sources
- [1]Stabyhoun — Dog Breed Information — American Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [2]Stabijhoun — FCI standard no. 222 — Fédération Cynologique Internationale (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [3]How do I help my dog adjust to spending time alone? — The Royal Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [4]Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness (heatstroke) in UK dogs under primary veterinary care in 2016 (Hall, Carter & O'Neill, Scientific Reports 10:9128) — Nature / Scientific Reports (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [5]FCI-Standard No. 222 — Stabijhoun (Frisian Pointing Dog), 29.05.2015 — Fédération Cynologique Internationale (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [6]Health — Ameri-Can Stabyhoun Association — Ameri-Can Stabyhoun Association (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [7]About the breed — Ameri-Can Stabyhoun Association — Ameri-Can Stabyhoun Association (Accessed 2026-09-09)
Still have questions?
Ask owners on the PawMunity forum — every breed has its own board.
Breed data compiled by PocketPaw from the sources credited on each entry. Text and layout © 2026 NextPath Solutions Limited. Please link to a page rather than copying it.