 Photo courtesy of Lori Dumas |
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| Breed: Keeshond |
| Also Called: Wolf Spitz |
| Height: The Keeshond is about 17-18 inches tall. |
| Weight: The Keeshond weighs between 35-40 lbs. |
| Colors: The Keeshond can be a mixture of gray, black and cream, these colors vary from light to dark. |
| General Appearance: The Keeshond (pronounced kayz-hawnd) is a natural, handsome dog of well-balanced, short-coupled body, attracting attention not only by his coloration, alert carriage, and intelligent expression, but also by his stand-off coat, his richly plumed tail well curled over his back, his foxlike expression, and his small pointed ears. His coat is very thick around the neck, fore part of the shoulders and chest, forming a lion-like ruff-more profuse in the male. His rump and hind legs, down to the hocks, are also thickly coated, forming the characteristic ""trousers."" His head, ears, and lower legs are covered with thick, short hair. |
| Temperment: The Keeshond 's temperament is very important. He is neither timid nor aggressive but, instead, is outgoing and friendly with both people and other dogs. The Keeshond is a lively, intelligent, alert and affectionate companion. Good with children. |
| Care: The Keeshond requires weekly brushing of it's long coat with a stiff bristle brush. Take special care as ticks are hard to locate in their dense undercoat. Bathe or dry shampoo only when necessary. Extra care is required during shedding which takes place in the spring and fall. |
| Health Concerns: NULL |
| Training: The Keeshond is a thinking dog that requires guidance, motivation and patience. He does well with obedience training. |
| Activity: The Keeshond doesn't need a lot of exercise as they expend most of their energy bouncing about in one place. |
| Life Span: The Keeshond lives an average life of 13-15 years. |
| Litter Size: The Keeshond has an average litter of 3-8 puppies. |
| Country of Origin: The Keeshond originated in Netherlands. |
| Brief History: Also known as the Dutch barge dog, the Keeshond was developed from the northern sleigh dogs of the Artic. Great Britain did the most for the breed with imports from Holland but their name came from Kees de Gyselaer the leader of Dutch patriots against the monarch. He is a direct descendant of the German Wolfspitz. The FCI still considers this breed a Wolfspitz. |
| Registries: AKC, ANKC, CKC, FCI, KC (GB), UKC |