THE KEESHOND - Beauty & Brains

By Cheri Rogers - Keez Keeshonden

The Keeshond comes from a family of dogs called the Spitz. Ideally , according to the Australian National Kennel Club (ANKC) standard the Keeshond is 45.7 cm / 18"  tall for Males and 43.2 cm / 17" tall for females . They are a solid built dog, with a wedge shaped head and a medium length muzzle, small ivy-leafed shaped ears that are soft and velvety in texture. They have a very expressive face that sports "spectacles" around the eyes. The tail is curled tightly over their backs and blends into the body. The overall look of a well maintained Keeshond is one of true Glamour, yet easily achievable with regular weekly brushing. Thus, being referred to as "The Lazy Man's Glamour Dog"

NAME & PRONUNCIATION

The Keeshond was named after the 18th-century Dutch Patriot Cornelis (Kees) de Gyselaer leader of the rebellion against the House of Orange. The word 'keeshond' is a compound word: 'Kees' is a nickname for Cornelius (de Gyselaer), and 'hond' is the Dutch word for dog. In short,  meaning "dog of Kees"

The Keeshond is not a "HOUND" rather a "HOND" and probably  has the most mispronounced name. "keys-hound" , "keesh - hound" "keesh-hond"  "keesh-on". The proper pronunciation is "kayz-hond" or "case-hond" . The plural being "en", with the proper pronunciation of the plural being "kayz-honden" or "case-honden"

COAT , COLOR & MARKINGS

The Keeshond has a thick dense double coat, consisting of a short downy undercoat and a harsher outer coat, They have a thick ruff or mane around the neck. Typically Males will have a more pronounced mane that the females. The tail is well plumed, and feathering on fore legs and  pantaloons or trousers on the hind legs gives the Keeshond a soft look.

The colour of the keeshond is a blend of grey, black and creme , sometimes referred to as "wolf - grey" with the outer coat being tipped with black and the undercoat silver or cream but never tawny. The ruff, trousers and tail are usually a lighter cream or silver with the tail having a black tip on the end.

The ears and muzzle are black, although some will develop a white shade around the mouth which looks like they have just drank a glass of milk, this is referred to as "milk mouth" . This will usually increase as the dog gets older.

 Keeshonds will go through numerous colour changes as they mature. Generally starting out as almost pure black babies, then changing to a very cream or silver colour around the age of 3 months until finally getting their final adult colouring around the age of 9 - 12 months

Coat & Color change of a female Keeshond Puppy over a period of 12 months

A unique feature to the Breed is the "spectacles", this is a delicately pencilled dark line that runs from the outer corner of the eyes toward the corner of each ear, coupled with distinct markings above the eyes which resemble eyebrows. The eyes should be almond shaped, medium sized and dark brown in colour.

GROOMING

The Keeshond has a double coat which will require regular brushing; an hour a week is usually sufficient to keep him looking at his best. The Keeshond has a different oil make up to their coat than most other breeds, therefore they are not prone to "doggy odour". 1 or 2 baths a year is normally all a keeshond will require, a well brushed, dry coat will usually self clean.

A keeshond DOES SHED COAT, weekly brushing will help the Keeshond to "roll" coat and will result in less coat shed. Intact males will generally "blow coat" once a year, while intact females "blow coat" twice a year, this is greatly reduced for desexed animals.

The double coat acts as insulation and helps keeps him cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The coat should NEVER be shaved. If weekly brushing is not possible, dog hair on clothing or in the home is undesirable, or the owner wishes to keep the coat clipped,  then it would be best to choose a different breed.

TEMPERMENT

Keeshonden are companion dogs, which love children and prefer more than anything to spend time with their humans. They do not do well to be left alone outside and away from their family, doing so can create a very unhappy, lonely keeshond that will become a nuisance barker, chewer or digger, and create their own games or destruction.

They are very playful and very eager to please. They are alert dogs that will warn their owners loudly of both welcomed or unwelcomed visitors. Once Visitors are welcomed by the family, the keeshond will generally welcome them enthusiastically, they should never be aggressive.

TRAINING

Keeshonden aren't just pretty.. they have brains too! They have quick reflexes and are strong jumpers making them excellent for sports such as agility, obedience, flyball, and even recently herding. They are extremely fast learners and will even learn things that you don't necessarily want to teach them! While being a very bright breed, they also require consistency and structure. They respond poorly to heavy handedness or force. Positive reinforcement will take you much further when training a keeshond. They are very eager to learn and please, however require an owner who is willing to provide daily contact and take responsibility to help the dog learn. Behavioural problems will stem from a bored, lonely Keeshond.

HEALTH

Keeshonden are generally a very healthy breed. Congenital health problems are not common, the conditions which are known to affect Keeshonds are  luxating patellas (slipping stifles), Hip dysplasia, Epilepsy, Cushings Disease, Hypothyroidism , Primary Hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).

X-raying for various hip and elbow problems are available to breeders. A genetic test has also been developed to identify Keeshonds as positive or negative for the PHPT gene. See www.vet.cornell.edu/labs/goldstein/  for more information on PHPT.

It is important when buying a puppy to ensure that the parents have been tested and certified free from inherited problems. Responsible breeders will be able to provide certificates  and results for health testing such as Hip and Elbow X-rays, Patellas & PHPT.

 A healthy, well-bred, happy Keeshond can have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years .

The KeeshondWorld Online Magazine provides some wonderful information on the breed

 www.keeshondworld.com