Keeshond

[Dewclaws]

Hi everyone .

I have been reading about this breed in the Internet and the more I read the more I like .

I have always been attracted to spitz breeds but the hard headed sometimes dominate nature has put me of .Yet what I have been reading indicates that they tend to be a bit more biddable and easier to train than other spitz . I also like their smaller size . I have a young family and what I have read is they make good family dogs .

Currently I have two cairn terriers and a lab puppy . My two cairns are seniors and I wouldn't be getting another dog until they leave us for the rainbow bridge ( hopefully not for another good while ) but I love planning canine members of the family well ahead ( the lab puppy was 5 years in the planning ) so currently looking about at different options . After 20 years of owning terriers I feel a bit 'terriered out ' at the moment ( recall? What recall !) and loving the easy going happy to please nature of my new lab puppy , yet I don't think I want two big dogs , so not another lab .

Any other breed ideas is also welcome .

[Simply Grand]

I haven't owned or lived with Keeshonds but I went through a few rounds of obedience classes with a pair of them. They were pretty laid back in general, happy go lucky but to me they did show a bit of the Spitz "nah, I don't feel like it" attitude. When they wanted to they performed well though, and they were never any trouble when they didnt want to do something, theyd just stare off at something else :laugh: I think the key would be finding what really motivated them rather than trying to "make" them do what you want.

I knew another one through the dog park and let's just say his owner very much though of him as her baby and he wouldn't always listen to her. Again, never caused any trouble just would run off to play when he felt like it and would make his own decisions about whether to approach other dogs, people etc rather than look to his owner but I suspect a just slightly firmer and more consistent, but still fun approach to training would help with that.

I really like them :)

ETA they'd be robust enough to play/run around with a lab too.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Simply Grand

[Loving my Oldies]

There are a couple living around here that I see being walked. One family has obviously had a couple of them over the years. They always seem pretty laid back when a couple of my pack have been doing their reactive stuff .

[Little Gifts]

Some neighbours left their outside only kees with my parents when they got evicted. He was only ever fed leftovers (when they had any) and they never brushed him or took him to the groomers. Anyway they ummed and ahhed about coming back for him and actually took him, got him shaved and returned him to mum and dad's with the most horrific razor burn around his genitals. So then I had to take him to my vet and get him fixed up. They decided they wouldn't be collecting him so we contacted a rescue group and he was rehomed. That dog was a saint. The family had loads of little boys and he was bomb proof. Even with the razor burn he was happy and calm with us strangers. Also very obedient even though he'd never had any training (we trained him to leash walk). Doubt he'd ever been wormed and was apparently pure but not papered. So behaviourally and health wise he was very sound with very little human assistance. We already had three dogs otherwise he simply would've remained with us. About the only bad thing was he used to mark furniture when we and his foster mum let him inside but who could blame the poor bugger being moved from house to house and living in chaos? Oh and he was adopted by a cat foster mum and whilst we don't know if he'd been exposed to cats in his past he was absolutely fine with hers. He has developed hot spots though so they keep his coat short. I see him still on FB from time to time.

[myValkyrie]

After years of owning nothing but Bull Terriers, I too was a wee bit "terriered out" :) So when my kids took an interest in showing, we looked for something a bit more manageable for a young child. Absolutely lovely little dogs - I had not owned a spitz breed before I found these guys very trainable & easy to get along with.

Wonderful attitude.....they bounce through life & find the fun in everything :)

My eldest had an absolute blast showing.....they are well aware they are gorgeous & more than happy to strut their stuff. They love to be involved in whatever you're doing and are a very robust, active little dog under all the fluff. The coat isn't nearly as much work as it may look.....which is great because they looove water. Get along well with other pets (I would be careful with guinea pigs & the like tho) good watchdogs & totally adoring of their family.

Can you tell I still miss mine

[Loving my Oldies]

I’m loving reading these responses. Many years ago, a couple down the road from me in Summer Hill had a lovely boy. They weren’t very responsible owners and would go away for weekends leaving him to fend for himself. Late one night driving home, I saw a Keeshund wandering around the Summer Hill shopping centre car park. I drove in, opened my back door and in he hopped.

He was the boy owned by the people down the road (he had something about one of his ears, I think - forgotten the details now) and so I kept him with my littlies with absolutely no problems until they came home.

I do have a photograph, but stored on CD which I need to have transferred to a plug in thingy.

[brightstar123]

Hi Dewclaws, I grew up with Keeshonds and also have had a few foster/rescues, including this girl who was lovely and is very happy in her forever home.

I've had loads of different breeds (including other Spitz breeds like Samoyeds, Huskys etc) and I still have a real soft spot for the Keeshonds :) For no particular reason (just how it worked out) we always had females - they were always sweet and affectionate (not at all aloof or independent) but with that cheeky, slightly defiant Spitz spark! There's definite naughtiness potential! I found them to be super smart and trainable and great at obedience (our girls were all highly food motivated!)

Our girls always had a burning need to be with people and were mostly inside. A downside is that I found that they were all great watch dogs, with the potential to sometimes nuisance bark if bored and outside. They were always great with other dogs, kids and cats and really became lovely dogs as they matured and grew out of the silly stuff. The coat obviously takes work but I didn't find the shedding to be too bad, the hair mostly stayed in the brushes/combs.

I'd be careful with health stuff too as I've seen quite a few with elongated soft palates, laryngeal problems and various skin diseases.

Anyway, if you have any specific questions, let me know - they are lovely :)

[casowner]

I got Keisha as an older stray from the AWL when I worked there, she was so funny and loving but if she got out that gate she was gone. I would never own another but she was an awesome little clown

[Dewclaws]

Thanks everyone for the replies . Definitely sounds like a gorgeous breed . In away their personalities seem very similar to cairn terriers , probably why I am attracted to them . I haven't lived without a cairn terrier for over 20 years , so when it comes to the crunch and my two current rascals leave me I will probably start pining for another but keeshonds definitely will be up there as a consideration .

[persephone]

Haven't ever owned one .. but loved any I've come in contact with :)

[RiverStar-Aura]

There's a lady who does agility in NSW with her Keeshonden and they're great to watch. I call them the Flying Fluffballs and they have an absolute blast!!

[dee lee]

I had one as a kid/teen & she was amazing! Sweet happy fun family dog. Really easy to live with, she was my best friend & companion. :D

We considered getting another one last time, but to be honest, I wasn't up for the fur (I then adopted a goldie, so I'm not sure what happened there! :laugh: ). And they are barkers.

Still, I can't recommend them enough as a family dog. Always up for anything & so sweet. :)

[Danois]

And they look like baby ewoks when they are puppies!

I've come into contact with a number of them and love them. Very chilled dogs, love a cuddle etc

They are on my list of maybe one day dogs.

[corvus]

I have a lapphund rather than a keeshond, but from my experience, all those fluffy medium spitze seem pretty similar. I say that you have to have a good sense of humour and like surprises to enjoy a spitz breed. My lappie is definitely more work on the obedience front than a working breed, but he is very responsive and has a great recall. Most of the time. Occasionally he has a "spitz moment" and blows me off, but he does it with such guileless joy that it's really hard to be annoyed about it. The lappies, sammies and keesies are all sunny, easy going, sociable dogs IME. If you don't mind the coat care and can laugh about it when the dog inevitably picks the worst moment to blow off a recall and disappear into the swamp and find a dead possum to roll in, then go for it. My lappie is a special dog, and sometimes I feel kind of guilty that he doesn't live in a big, bustling family, because he is one of those rare dogs that would thrive in it. The more the merrier as far as he is concerned. Apart from the odd spitz moment, he is an easy dog to live with.