- Also called:
- Dutch Barge Dog
- Related Topics:
- spitz
- non-sporting dog
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What is a Keeshond?
The Keeshond is a medium-sized spitz dog breed from the Netherlands, known as the national dog and a symbol of Dutch patriotism. Historically, they were watchdogs and companions on Dutch barges, earning the nickname "Dutch Barge Dog".
With a foxlike face and a plumed tail, their long, thick gray coat features a pale undercoat and black-tipped hairs, with markings around the eyes that give the impression of spectacles. The Keeshond’s coat needs brushing a couple of times a week.
Keeshonden are known to be smart, affectionate, and outgoing, making them ideal family dogs. They are moderately easy to train, and their loud bark makes them good watchdogs. They have an average exercise need of 45 minutes to an hour daily.
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Where did the Keeshond originate?
The Keeshond originated in the Netherlands in the 1700s and is the national dog of the country, representing Dutch patriotism. They were kept on Dutch barges as watchdogs and ratters, earning the nickname "Dutch Barge Dog".
Keeshonden share ancestors with breeds such as the Samoyed and Pomeranian. The name either came from a Patriot nicknamed Kees or from a Patriot mascot. The breed became unpopular when the House of Orange returned to power in 1814, almost leading to extinction. However, the breed was revived in the 1920s, and the AKC recognized it in 1930.
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What does a Keeshond look like?
The Keeshond is a medium-sized spitz dog with a thick, long gray coat consisting of a pale undercoat and black-tipped hairs. Markings around their eyes give the impression of spectacles, and shadings and markings around the eyes give the impression of spectacles. They have a foxlike face and a plumed tail that they carry high over their back. Their happy expression and lip-curling grin have earned them the nickname "Smiling Dutchman".
Keeshonds are compact animals with thick fur and tightly curled, plumed tails. The breed originated in the Netherlands, where they were kept on Dutch barges as watchdogs and companions. The Keeshond is the national dog of the Netherlands and a symbol of Dutch patriotism.
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What is the typical temperament of a Keeshond?
The typical Keeshond is known for being smart, affectionate, and outgoing, making them ideal family dogs. They are gentle playmates for children and quiet companions for less active individuals. Keeshonden generally get along well with strangers, other dogs, and pets, and they are moderately easy to train.
Because of their gentle nature, Keeshonden do not make good protection dogs. However, their loud bark makes them excellent watchdogs. The Keeshond is generally a happy and healthy breed with average exercise needs, around 45 minutes to an hour daily.
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How should a Keeshond be cared for and groomed?
The Keeshond has a plush coat that needs brushing and combing, down to the skin, twice a week, and more often when shedding. Trimming around the feet helps maintain a neat appearance. Bathing and blow-drying are recommended every three to six weeks. Nail clipping, teeth brushing, and checking ears and eyes are part of regular care.
Keeshonden need about 45 minutes to an hour of exercise daily. They are happy and healthy and can excel at obedience, agility, and rally sports. They also make good therapy dogs for autistic children and adapt well to different environments, including cold weather.
Keeshonden are smart, affectionate, and outgoing, making them ideal family dogs. They are gentle with children and get along with strangers, other dogs, and pets. They are moderately easy to train and are good watchdogs due to their loud bark.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Keeshond, thickly coated medium-sized breed of spitz dog. It is the national dog of the Netherlands and a symbol of Dutch patriotism. Long kept on Dutch barges as a watchdog, companion, and ratter as the boats navigated the country’s canals and rivers, it became known as the “Dutch Barge Dog” and was considered an onboard mascot of good luck. Keeshond is pronounced /ˈkās-hȯnt/, and the plural form is Keeshonden. In the Netherlands, Keeshonden incorporate features of several German spitz breeds, from the small Pomeranian to the larger Wolfspitz; they were called “overweight Pomeranians” in Britain. In other parts of the world, only the Wolfspitz is known as the Keeshond.
- Other names: Kees, Wolfspitz, Dutch Barge Dog, the “Smiling Dutchman”
- Area of origin: Netherlands in the 1700s
- Breed group: Non-Sporting
- Height at withers: 17–18 inches (43–46 cm)
- Weight: 35–45 pounds (16–20 kg)
- Life span: 12–15 years
- Did you know? Celebrity owners of Keeshonden included Walt Disney and Diana Spencer (later Princess Diana), and Oscar-winning makeup artist Rick Baker reportedly modeled the monster in An American Werewolf in London (1981) after his pet Kees named Bosco.
The dog was originally a working-class favorite, known as the “dog of the people.” It was the symbol of the 18th-century Dutch Patriots Party, which opposed the royal House of Orange in the years preceding the French Revolution. It derived its name from either a Patriot nicknamed Kees (perhaps Patriot leader Cornelis [Kees] de Gyselaer) or a Patriot mascot so named; hond is the Dutch word for “dog.” Once the House of Orange returned to power in 1814, the breed became frowned upon and nearly went extinct. It was restored to strength in the 1920s, and the American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized it in 1930. During World War II, however, when the dog was used to carry messages for the Allied Resistance, German soldiers began shooting the breed on sight.
Descended from the same ancestors as the Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, spitz, and Pomeranian, the Keeshond has a foxlike face and a plumed tail carried high over its back. Its long thick gray coat consists of a pale undercoat overlaid by black-tipped hairs. Shadings and markings around the eyes give the impression of spectacles, and its happy countenance and lip-curling grin has earned it the nickname the “Smiling Dutchman.”
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Care and upkeep
The Keeshond’s plush coat is composed of a thick undercoat with a longer outer coat. It needs brushing and combing down to the skin twice weekly, more often during the twice-yearly shedding periods. Trimming around the feet and pads makes for a neater look, and bathing and a blow-dry are commonly done every three to six weeks. No special care is needed aside from the normal clipping of nails, brushing of teeth, and routine checking of ears and eyes.
Keeshonden are generally happy and healthy, and their exercise needs are average, requiring about 45 minutes to one hour daily. They can excel at obedience, agility, and rally sports and have served as therapy dogs for autistic children. The breed is also adaptable to a variety of environments, including cold weather.
Temperament
Never bred to hunt, kill, or attack, Keeshonden are smart, biddable, affectionate, and outgoing. Ideal family dogs, they make gentle playmates for children, adventurous partners for active adults, and quiet companions for the less active. They get along well with strangers and other dogs and pets. They are moderately easy to train. Given their gentle natures, they are poor protection dogs, but their loud stern bark serves them well as watchdogs.
These are well established and widely accepted generalizations about the breed. Individual dogs may differ in behavior and temperament.
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