Keeshond

Size
Medium (11kg - 27kg)
Exercise
20 min/day
Training
Puppy school only
Size of home
House with garden
Time at home
Alone with support
Grooming
Frequent
Barking preference
Moderate
Personality
Independent + affectionate

History

Recognised as a Spitz Breed, the word Keeshond is a two-syllable word, where the first syllable ‘Kees’ derived from the nickname of Cornelius de Gyselaar, the Patriot Rebellion Leader, who we will learn more about below. The second syllable ‘hond’ means ‘dog’ in Dutch and together we pronounce them as Caze-Hawnd.

The smiling Dutch barge dog rode on small vessels that travelled the Rhine River, acting as both watchdogs and companions to barge captains. To carry a dog on a vessel was first considered a good omen and developed into a custom. In time the dog became part of the sea laws, because it came to represent ownership. Their travels made them known well beyond The Netherlands, but they really gained a name during the political turmoil that gripped Holland in the late 17th century. In about 1781, Holland was divided into two political factions: the Orangists (Conservatives), who supported the Prince of Orange as Governor of the Netherlands, and the rebellious patriots (or Keezen, as the pro-Orange men derisively referred to the people’s party members). Cornelius de Gyselaar, who had one of these popular dogs as his constant companion, was a leader in the patriot’s revolt and the Keeshond quickly became the emblem of the Dutch party. Unfortunately, when the Patriots were defeated the dogs’ popularity plummeted.

The development of the Keeshond in Australia really began in 1949 when Mrs Bourne emigrated from England. She brought with her four Keeshonden and these dogs became the foundations of the Australian lines in the 1950s and 1960s.

Temperament

The Keeshonden character has a unique charm that boasts a sense of humour, rarely found in other breeds, and an enjoyment for life which is delightfully infectious. His intelligence exudes from his quick witted and amazingly observant nature and his sheer good looks will make you forgive him every time. Ideal as a child’s playmate he can join in their games, however rowdy and rough, with no fear of getting out of hand. Whether you are looking to enter the show ring, obedience trials, agility trials, flyball trials or adopt a loving family pet, the Keeshond will make an exciting addition to the home lifestyle.

Appearance

The medium sized Keeshond is a natural, handsome dog of well-balanced, short-coupled body, square appearing sturdy body, attracting attention not only by his colouration, alert carriage, and intelligent expression, but also by his stand-off coat, his richly plumed tail ideally double curled over his back, his fox-like expression, his small, ivy-shaped ears and his almond shaped eyes.

His coat is very thick around the neck, forepart of the shoulders, and chest, forming a lion-like ruff, more profuse in the males. 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.

Health issues

The Keeshond is a generally healthy dog with an average life span of 10 – 13 years, although many have lived well into their teens. Health conditions that have been seen in the Keeshond include hip dysplasia, epilepsy, primary hyperparathyroidism, and skin and coat problems. Not every Keeshond will get all or even any of these conditions, but it’s best to be aware of the possibility. A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they
occur in their lines.

Suitability & Maintenance

True to his heritage as a barge dog, the Keeshond has moderate exercise needs. He will be satisfied with a walk on leash or playtime in a yard and generally adapts to his owner’s activity level. These traits make him well suited to life in a smaller space.

One caveat: He is a barker. That makes him a good watchdog, but he can easily cross the line into nuisance. It’s essential to teach him when it’s okay to exercise his lungs and when it isn’t.

One of the most striking characteristics of our breed is their harsh, off standing, and straight coat. To the untrained eye at first glance the Keeshonden coat would appear to need many hours of grooming due to its density and profuse coat, however, a 10-minute session a couple of times a week will keep your Keeshond knot free and looking as fabulous as ever. Hence one of the Keeshonden inherited nicknames is the ‘lazy man’s glamour dog’. Grooming not only serves the purpose of coat care and maintenance, but also allows you to monitor your dog’s health and build the bond between you and your pet. It’s also a great time to practice the commands ‘Sit, Stay & Drop’. During shedding seasons into summer and winter, males usually malt their coats once a year and female twice a year, and yes you guessed it - more grooming during these times is required.

Words: Tracey Parker, on behalf of the Keeshond Club of NSW

Image: Dog Breed Atlas

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the Keeshond, you may think that this is the dog for you. Before you make a decision, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the Keeshond and its needs, and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle.

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 24 Feb 2015)

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A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

Short, compact body, confident carriage. Fox-like head with small pointed ears, alert expression, large ruff, well feathered tail curled over back. Clear differentiation in size between the sexes, with males obviously masculine but never coarse: bitches feminine but without weakness of structure.

Characteristics

Sturdy, intelligent and adaptable, ideal companion, good guard, shows boldly.

Temperament

Bold, alert, friendly with marked guarding tendency.

Physical Standards

Head and Skull	Well proportioned, wedge shaped when seen from above; from side showing definite stop. Dark muzzle equal to length of flat skull. Neither coarse nor snipey. Nose black.
Eyes	Dark, medium size, almond shaped, obliquely set. Well defined 'spectacles' shown as a delicately pencilled black line slanting from outer corner of eye to lower corner of ear, coupled with distinct marking and shading forming expressive short eyebrows.
Ears	Dark, small ivy-leafed in shape. Erect, velvety texture. Well set on head, neither too wide nor meeting.
Mouth	Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips black.
Neck	Moderately long and arched, covered with thick, profuse coat forming large ruff.
Forequarters	Shoulders well sloped. Straight front of medium width with good bone.
Body	Short, compact; length from withers to tail equal to height at withers, well sprung in rib. Good depth of brisket.
Hindquarters	Strong muscled, hindlegs straight when viewed from behind. Hock showing slight angulation when viewed from side, profuse light coloured trousers down to hocks.
Feet	Well padded, round, cat-like, tight, cream in colour; black nails.
Tail	Moderately long, high set, tightly curled over back, double curl highly desirable. Light plume on top where curled, with black tip, carried closely at all times.
Gait/Movement	Clean, brisk, straight and sharp.
Coat	Harsh, off standing, straight. Dense ruff, well feathered on forelegs and profuse trousers, not feathered below hock. Soft, thick, light-coloured (not tawny) undercoat. Never silky, wavy or woolly, nor forming a parting on back. Any shortening of the coat which alters the natural outline should be penalised, with the exception of feet and pasterns which may be lightly trimmed.
Colour	A mixture of grey and black. Undercoat very pale grey or cream (not tawny). All shades of grey acceptable, body hairs black tipped. Shoulder markings well defined and all markings definite. Forelegs and hocks cream with no black below wrist or hock. Pencilling acceptable.
Size	Ideal height:Dogs 46 cms (18 ins)Bitches 43 cms (17 ins)

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.