The breed dates back to the 16th century and makes frequent appearances in paintings from the Dutch Golden Age.

[1] A number of heritable diseases have been identified in the Kooikerhondje, including inflammatory myopathy,[5] Type III von Willebrand's disease,[6] necrotising myelopathy,[7] renal dysplasia,[8] patellar luxation,[9] and ataxia.

[10] A Dutch study of 842 Kooikerhondjes found that patellar luxation was prevalent in 24% of dogs scanned.

[1] The Kooikerhondje frequently appears in paintings by Dutch masters such as Jan Steen, Rembrandt, and Johannes Vermeer.

[1] The breed is believed to be an ancestor of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.