Keeshond
荷蘭毛獅犬
Updated 2026-09-09
At a glance
The Keeshond is the Dutch barge dog — a square, sturdy spitz with a foxy face, a plumed tail over the back and the shaded 'spectacles' around its eyes, once the mascot of the 18th-century Dutch Patriots and a watchdog and companion on the canal barges of the Low Countries. Kees are friendly, lively and outgoing: happy dogs that will smile every day if you spend time with them, good with children and other dogs, very smart and highly trainable — some are nationally ranked in obedience — but quick to train themselves in the wrong things if you don't. They adapt from farm to barge to flat, need a daily walk or free run and then a place on the sofa, and a weekly session with a pin brush.
Facts
| Size | Medium |
|---|---|
| Height | 43–46cm |
| Weight | 16–20kg |
| Life expectancy | 12–15years |
| Breed group | AKC: non-sporting FCI: 5 |
| Role | Companion |
| Coat | Double coat |
| Shedding | 3/ 5 |
| Exercise | 30–120min/day |
| Can be left alone | up to 3 hours |
| Companionship need | 5/ 5 |
| Trainability | 5/ 5 |
| Barking | 4/ 5 |
| Good with children | 5/ 5 |
| Good with other dogs | 5/ 5 |
| Heat tolerance | 2/ 5 |
| Cold tolerance | 5/ 5 |
Health
This page is general information compiled from published sources. It is not veterinary, legal or purchase advice. Dogs vary within a breed — talk to a vet or a reputable breeder about the dog in front of you.
Health notes are not veterinary advice. Conditions listed are those reported for the breed, not a diagnosis of any dog. Always consult a veterinarian.
Hip dysplasia
Commonly reported in the breed; breeders screen hips by X-ray. Ask your vet about hip screening and about keeping your dog lean and fit.
Elbow dysplasia
Commonly reported in the breed; breeders screen elbows by X-ray. Ask your vet if you notice front-leg lameness, especially in a growing dog.
Inherited eye conditions
Various inherited eye conditions are reported in the breed; annual eye examinations by a veterinary ophthalmologist are recommended for breeding stock. Ask your vet about eye screening.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is reported in the breed. Ask your vet about thyroid testing if you notice weight gain, lethargy or coat changes.
Patellar luxation
Patellar luxation (slipping kneecaps) is commonly reported in small breeds; breeders screen for it. Ask your vet if your dog skips or holds up a hind leg.
Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT)
Primary hyperparathyroidism, an inherited endocrine disorder in which overactive parathyroid glands raise blood calcium, is reported in the breed; the AKC, the parent club and the Royal Kennel Club all list a DNA test. Ask your breeder about PHPT status and your vet about blood calcium checks in an older dog.
Copper toxicosis
The parent club describes copper toxicosis — a liver disease in which copper builds up to toxic levels, causing inflammation, chronic hepatitis and potentially fatal cirrhosis — as a concern in the breed. Ask your vet about liver blood tests if your dog is off its food, vomiting or lethargic.
Behaviour
Happy, smart, 'the dog with spectacles'
The AKC says the essential thing to know about Kees is that they are happy dogs that will smile every day if you just spend time with them; a well-kept secret is that they are very smart and highly trainable — nationally ranked in obedience, the first multiple-MACH agility dog was a Keeshond, many work as therapy dogs — though the trainer has to keep up or they get bored, and without training they will learn things, but not necessarily what you had in mind. Its trait chart scores affection, children, other dogs, trainability, openness to strangers and protective nature all 5/5. The CKC calls the breed loyal, protective and good with children.
From barge to farm to flat
The AKC says Keeshonden adapt to many environments — historically from farms with room to run to barges with little room to move — need regular exercise and like being with their families: a free run or a nice daily walk, and then they will happily climb on the sofa with you; a weekly pin-brush session keeps the undercoat out and shedding down. The CKC calls it middle-of-the-road for activity, good-natured, adapting to city or country and satisfied by a daily walk; the Royal Kennel Club suggests up to 1 hour a day and daily grooming.
Energy and exercise
Energy level is rated 4/5 (high) on the AKC breed-trait chart. The Royal Kennel Club puts its exercise need at "up to 1 hour per day".
Training and barking
AKC trait chart: trainability 5/5, barking level 4/5. Individual dogs vary; early socialisation and reward-based training are recommended for every breed.
Official guidance
Summaries of official documents are ours; the source is linked. Breed standards, laws and licensing rules change — check the issuing body for the current version.
American Kennel Club — Keeshond
Breed overview, breed-trait chart, history, official standard summary and health notes from the AKC and the national parent club.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
Canadian Kennel Club — Keeshond (Non Sporting Dogs)
Origin, temperament, activity level, height/weight, coat and grooming as described by the Canadian Kennel Club.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
The Royal Kennel Club — Keeshond
Breed characteristics (size medium, exercise up to 1 hour per day, lifespan over 10 years), plus the recommended pre-breeding health schemes and DNA tests.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
FCI nomenclature — German Spitz (standard no. 97, group 5)
FCI breed nomenclature entry with the official breed standard PDF in English, French, German and Spanish.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
What owners say
Owner advice is quoted from public community posts and reflects those owners' opinions, not PocketPaw's position. It is unverified and not a substitute for professional advice. Each item links to where it was said.
“The parent club's general-information page describes handsome, intelligent dogs with a delightful personality whose playful, affectionate nature makes them ideal family pets — but says anyone unwilling to make a dog part of family life should not own one, because a Keeshond will not do well tied in the back yard or left without companionship day after day; it will adapt to a working owner's schedule as long as it gets real company. It recommends a kindergarten puppy class at nine to twelve weeks, warns that Keeshonden can train themselves, but not always in the things you would prefer, and says the double coat takes about 30 minutes a week with a spray bottle and pin brush, a bath every six to eight weeks, and has no doggy smell. The club's health page lists CHIC tests of hips, elbows, patellas and eyes, with PHPT DNA, thyroid and cardiac evaluations also available, and names copper toxicosis, epilepsy, gastric cancer and PRA as subjects of research.”
— Keeshond Club of America — General Keeshond Information via breed clubWorldwide2026-09-09
Sources
- [1]Keeshond — Dog Breed Information — American Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [2]Keeshond — Choosing a Breed — Canadian Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [3]Keeshond — Breeds A to Z — The Royal Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [4]German Spitz — FCI standard no. 97 — Fédération Cynologique Internationale (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [5]How do I help my dog adjust to spending time alone? — The Royal Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [6]Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness (heatstroke) in UK dogs under primary veterinary care in 2016 (Hall, Carter & O'Neill, Scientific Reports 10:9128) — Nature / Scientific Reports (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [7]General Keeshond Information — Keeshond Club of America — Keeshond Club of America (public breed information) (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [8]Keeshond Health Information — Keeshond Club of America — Keeshond Club of America (public breed information) (Accessed 2026-09-09)
Still have questions?
Ask owners on the PawMunity forum — every breed has its own board.
Breed data compiled by PocketPaw from the sources credited on each entry. Text and layout © 2026 NextPath Solutions Limited. Please link to a page rather than copying it.