GROUP 7 - NON Sporting

Brief History
The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog with a plush, two-layer coat of silver and black with a ruff and a curled tail. They originated in Holland. The Keeshond was previously known as the Dutch Barge Dog, as they was frequently seen on barges traveling the canals and rivers of The Netherlands.

Average Life Span
When considering a dog, please realise that you are taking it on for its lifetime. The average life span is 12 to 16years.

Temperament
Bold, alert, friendly with marked guarding tendency.

General Breed Description
The Keeshond is sturdy, intelligent and adaptable, an ideal companion, good guard, and boldl. He has a short, compact body and confident carriage. He has a fox-like head with small pointed ears, alert expression, large ruff and a well feathered tail curled over back. There is clear differentiation in size between the sexes, with males obviously masculine but never coarse. The females are feminine but without weakness of structure. Colour is a mixture of grey and black. The undercoat is very pale grey or cream (not tawny). All shades of grey acceptable, body hairs are black tipped.

Coat and Care requirements
The Keeshond with his silver grey and black coat has two layers; a dense undercoat and an outer harsh coat of long straight guard hair.  The undercoat is typically shed once a year for males and females twice a year, unless they have been desexed The double coat of the Keeshond does not require as much attention as other coated breeds, but nevertheless does require regular grooming at least 2 to 3 times a week. It is important to groom a puppy from an early age, so they learn to accept and enjoy all of the attention.

Size
Height: Male 46cms (18ins), Females 43cms (17ins)

Health
All breeds have individual health issues. When speaking to breeders in is recommended you enquire about breed health and what health testing the breeder does. The Keeshond is generally a healthy breed, however health conditions do occur occasionally. These may include hip dysplasia, epilepsy, primary hyperparathyroidism, and skin and coat problems.

Suitability
Very suitable for families.  They will go out exercising, revel in long walks and be perfectly content to relax with you, being of an eminently homely disposition and able to cope with limited exercise.

In Conclusion
Now you know a little more about this breed. If you have decided this is the dog for you and wish to investigate further, please contact the Breed Club or Dogs Victoria. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog events where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the breed and its needs. With any breed of dog, it is important to research and determine suitability for your lifestyle before committing to a puppy which will be a part of your family for many years to come.

Whilst many breeds are recommended for families, it is imperative that when children are with dogs they are supervised at all times. Basic obedience training is a vital part of dog ownership.

Dogs Victoria is about the responsible ownership of all dogs and in particular the preservation of pure breeds.

Link to Dogs Australia Breed Standard:  https://dogsaustralia.org.au/breed/detail/85