by Nancy Houser

Created on: March 17, 2010   Last Updated: March 18, 2010

In 1999, the Markiesje breed of dog was revived by the Dutch people of the Netherlands-considered a "throw-away" dog throughout its early history. Usually viewed as a small yet elegant and alert black dog whose ears folded down, it was seen with or without white markings. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Dutch paintings by the old masters portrayed this breed as a Dutch spaniel, while the same type of dog in brown and white colors were considered an Italian spaniel

The name of Markiesje originated from the Marquise de Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XIV. Considerable larger than the King Charles Spaniel's ancestors in England and the ancestors of the Papillon breed, the Markiesje  was considered a "non-useable" little dog when it came to hunting purposes. Labeled as a non-purebred lap dog for the women, it was carried around by its loving mistresses and owners while serving the patrician households as foot warmers during the night and keeping the rodent level down during the day.   

The Forgotten Dutch Breed – the black pearl

An individual by the name of Mia van Woerden worked on rebuilding the pedigree of this little Dutch dog, calling it a  "small Staby type" or "mole dog". Also referred to as "Byke" (which means mole dog in Dutch), it was decided by Woerden that the perfect size for the mole dog was 31 cm tall and the color was to be black with or without white markings.

By 1977, the Markiesje breed was supported by enough people attempting to restore the Markiesje to its rightful place in the Dutch heritage. Several Markiesge judges were gathered in Maarsbergen, with breed judging overseen by an individual with the name  Mrs. Brooymans-Schallenbert. The original breeding was between the Phalene and Papillon breeds,  but breeding was also done between the King Charles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. However, the results were not considered satisfactory for either litter. 

The Breed Club for the Support of the Markiesje was started by interested parties on June 24, 1979. On May 1, 1999, the Markiesje was accepted as the official Dutch Breed of companion dog. After a long battle, over 1,900 Markiesjes were recognized with official pedigrees by 2009.

Description of the Markiesje breed

~ Other names

The Markiesje breed is also referred to as the Dutch Tulip Hound or the Hollandse Tulphond.

~ Fur type

The black fur of this breed is long and silky with feathering, as in the spaniel line.

~ Height and weight

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