How to Identify a Keeshond

The Keeshond makes a great family companion, especially for children. It is a lively breed that shows alertness and intelligence. It learns quickly, but should be trained with a gentle, patient hand. While most Keeshonds are affectionate and outgoing with people and other animals, if not properly socialized when young, may show some shyness or be reserved towards strangers. This breed was originally a worker on Dutch boats, but has now become a companion, instead of a worker. This is a cold-weather breed, and does not tolerate warmer temperatures because of the profuse coat.

Instructions

1. Notice the general appearance of the Keeshond. This is an alert, intelligent breed with a foxy expression, highlighted by short, pointy ears. The overall breed is well balanced and profusely coated around the neck and shoulders, giving it a square look.

2. Make sure the size and proportion of the Keeshond is correct. This is a medium-sized breed. Males are 18 inches measured at the withers and females are 17 inches at the withers. The dog should look sturdy, but not so heavy that the dog looks bulky.

3. Check to be sure that the head has the Keeshond’s distinctive characteristic markings. The markings in the eye area include a dark line at the outer corner of each eye, slanting toward the lower corner of each ear. These lines, matched with meaningful eyebrows, give the Keeshond is pleasant appearance and alert expression. The almond-shaped eyes are dark brown, medium in size and do not protrude. The ears are small and triangular and are carried straight up. The medium length muzzle should be proportioned to the head.

4. Look at the body lines. The neck is slightly long and sits well on the shoulders, leading to a short back before sloping down to the hindquarters. The tail is long and has profuse hair feathers. It curls over and lies close to the back. The front legs are well boned and lead to a slight angulation between the shoulder and upper arm. The rear angulation complements the front angulation, give the Keeshond great balance and agility. The compact feet are cat-like and lead to arched toes and black nails.

5. Notice the double coat. The outer coat has long harsh hair that stands out over a thick undercoat. The abundant undercoat is soft and downy. The head and muzzle is covered with short hair and is very smooth. The neck is profusely covered with hair, giving the Keeshond a ruff that covers the area under the jaw through the chest and into the front of the shoulders. The hair on the legs is short and smooth, except for the “pants” caused by feathering on the back legs. The feathering should not extend past the hocks. The hair on the tail forms a deep plume.

6. Observe the coloring of the Keeshond. The coloring of the Keeshond is complicated, giving it its distinct look. The base color is a mixture of gray, black and cream. The black coloring on the tips of the outer coat causes the shading. The undercoat may be gray or cream. It should not be tawny. The muzzle is dark. The ears are also dark, and should be almost black. The ruff, shoulders and rear leg hair feathers are a lighter color than the rest of the body. The area between the lighter shoulder color and the rest of the body should be well defined. The tip of the tail is black, but the plume is a light color when it is curled over the back. The leg and feet do not have any black on them, and are usually cream.