Leendert Saarloos

(1884 - 1969)

Leendert Saarloos with German Shepherd Gerard van Fransenum

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY :

Leendert Saarloos (1884-1969) loved nature and also loved dogs.  However, he found that dogs had become too humanized and intended, as a lover of the German Shepherd Dog, to breed the natural qualities back into this breed in order to produce a better working dog.  For this reason he crossed the German Shepherd Dog male, Gerard van der Fransenum, a dog of classical Prussian type, with Fleuri, a female wolf which originated from the Siberian branch of the European type (1932).

Breeding back to the father gave him a basic population of animals with one quarter wolf’s blood.  During the course of the following experimental phase with strict selection, a new breed, the « European Wolfsdog » evolved.

As selected animals of this new breed gave good service as guide dogs for the blind, they were at first regarded as suitable for this work.  Due to the increase in the proportion of wolf blood, however the useful ability, inherited from the original ancestor, Gerard, became gradually lost and it became obvious that the breed was neither well suited to being a working nor a guide dog.  The legacy of Leendert Saarloos, not a working dog, but a dog with attributes close to nature, was recognized as a breed in 1975. At that time, the breed was named « Saarlooswolfhond » in honour of its founder.  Honour to him to whom honour is due.  Since then the « Nederlandse Vereniging van Saarlooswolfhonden » (Netherlands Society for the Saarloos Wolfdog), has represented the breed’s interests, including the following new breed standard.