About Us
Hello! My name is Danny Gonzalez and my partner Trisha and I are the dog nerds behind Danube Kooikers. We are wildly passionate about this wonderful little breed and hope to share some of our obsession with you.
Breeding and raising Kooikers combines my three favorite things:
Dogs, history, and art. Each dog is a work of art that carries the legacy of all the historical people, events, and decisions that led to its current existence. I feel incredibly fortunate to be trusted to contribute to this breed's future.
​Our ideal Kooiker is:
-Healthy and sound, with no illnesses, allergies, or orthopedic issues
-Immediately identifiable as a Kooikerhondje with correct head, expression, and structure
-Versatile and happy to do anything and everything with its family
-A mid-energy dog that has a good off-switch inside the house
-Long-lived and thriving as a beloved companion
Background
My passion for the Kooikerhondje began as a young child at my local library while browsing through dog breed books. I stumbled upon a beautiful little orange and white breed that I couldn't even pronounce.
I didn't know anything about the breed or if I could realistically get one.
It wasn't until I started showing and handling dogs in 2013 that I finally began researching my next breed and I realized that my childhood dream of having a Kooiker could actually come true! I did a ton of thorough research, browsed breeder websites, and finally got in contact with a wonderful breeder in Sweden, Duckhills Kennel. After a 5-year wait, during which I had rescued a Xoloitzcuintle from a hoarding situation, Astrid finally came home in September 2019!
Breeding Philosophy
My goals are to preserve the Kooikerhondje breed and raise well-rounded and healthy companion and performance dogs.
My vision is to produce versatile family dogs who are both functional and beautiful with the temperament to match.
Health, temperament, and structure will always be my priority.
I plan to raise dogs that excel in conformation, agility, rally, obedience, dock diving, and more!
I am a founding member of the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Clubs of California and on the Breeder's Committee.
The Future
My goal for the future is not only to breed, raise, and train multi-venue winning dogs for myself and others here in the US, but also to maintain strong relationships with breeders in Europe to preserve a healthy, genetically diverse population of dogs here in the US. I hope to continue importing and co-owning beautiful, sound dogs from various bloodlines in Europe.