Spektacles Keeshonden
The Keeshond is a very old breed, and one of the very few which throughout history have always been raised for family companions and watchdogs. They have not been bred to hunt, kill animals, attack or chase criminals, which accounts for their gentle, intelligent devotion to their owners as home-loving dogs. They are famous for a special fondness for children.
The Kees are descendants of the same prehistoric ancestry from which evolved among others, the much larger Samoyeds, Huskies, Norwegian Elkhounds and tiny Pomeranians, and apparently came into Europe with ancient voyagers from the North, a great many centuries ago.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, they were expensively used as watchdogs on river boats, farms, and barges. On barges, the Keeshond would use her bark to alert her captain to oncoming river traffic and if it was friend or foe. Modern-day radar and sonar put the breed out of work. Keeshonden were also skilled at chasing rats and mice off farms and boats, and have some herding skills.
The dog was known in Germany as "Wolfspitzen"; in France as "Chiens Loup"; in Italy as "Lupini"; and in Holland as "Keeshonden" - pronounced "kayz-hawnd-en," being the Dutch plural. Because of their great popularity and historically political prominence in Holland in the 18th Century, the breed has become known as the "Dutch" Keeshond.
Keeshonden had appeared in England in the late 1800s under such names as "Fox-dogs","overweight Pomeranians" and "Dutch Barge Dogs" After the turn of the 20th century, Mrs. Wingfield Digby of Sherborned Castle, Dorset, and Mrs. Alice Gatacre, a Dutch breed authority, began cultivating the breed in ENgland. Keeshonden have grown by leaps and bounds as the exceptional qualities of these sensible, all-around family dogs have become more generally known and acclaimed by pet owners, breeders, bench show exhibitors and obedience enthusiasts.
The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog, from 30-45 pounds (males are larger). Their double coat makes them cuddly. Most shed their undercoat about twice a year. Regular grooming (about once a month) with weekly nail trims is all that's required.evon, aroused great and continuing interest in the breed through their European imports and their "Van Zaandam" and "Guelder" kennels in England. An English breed club was formed in 1926 with "Keeshonds" becoming the official breed name, and with few exceptions the Keeshonden in the U.S. stem from British breeding.
The first Keeshond was registered with The American Kennel Club in 1930 under "Keeshonden," in the Non-Sporting Group and The Keeshond Club of America, as it was later named, was organized in 1935.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, they were expensively used as watchdogs on river boats, farms, and barges. On barges, the Keeshond would use her bark to alert her captain to oncoming river traffic and if it was friend or foe. Modern-day radar and sonar put the breed out of work. Keeshonden were also skilled at chasing rats and mice off farms and boats, and have some herding skills.
The dog was known in Germany as "Wolfspitzen"; in France as "Chiens Loup"; in Italy as "Lupini"; and in Holland as "Keeshonden" - pronounced "kayz-hawnd-en," being the Dutch plural. Because of their great popularity and historically political prominence in Holland in the 18th Century, the breed has become known as the "Dutch" Keeshond.
Keeshonden had appeared in England in the late 1800s under such names as "Fox-dogs","overweight Pomeranians" and "Dutch Barge Dogs" After the turn of the 20th century, Mrs. Wingfield Digby of Sherborned Castle, Dorset, and Mrs. Alice Gatacre, a Dutch breed authority, began cultivating the breed in ENgland. Keeshonden have grown by leaps and bounds as the exceptional qualities of these sensible, all-around family dogs have become more generally known and acclaimed by pet owners, breeders, bench show exhibitors and obedience enthusiasts.
The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog, from 30-45 pounds (males are larger). Their double coat makes them cuddly. Most shed their undercoat about twice a year. Regular grooming (about once a month) with weekly nail trims is all that's required.evon, aroused great and continuing interest in the breed through their European imports and their "Van Zaandam" and "Guelder" kennels in England. An English breed club was formed in 1926 with "Keeshonds" becoming the official breed name, and with few exceptions the Keeshonden in the U.S. stem from British breeding.
The first Keeshond was registered with The American Kennel Club in 1930 under "Keeshonden," in the Non-Sporting Group and The Keeshond Club of America, as it was later named, was organized in 1935.
Breed Standard Please click for the most current breed standard.