Keeshond

The Keeshond (KAZE-hond) is a happy dog by nature. He has always been like that. The national dog of Holland was never asked to hunt, herd, or do anything except be a friend to people. And he's very good at that job.

Keeshonden (plural for Keeshond) are extremely affectionate. When a Keeshond joins the family, he looks forward to being an important part of it. He loves children and will gladly play games and bounce around with them.

The Keeshond is descended from the arctic Spitz type. Their lush, double coat has a harsh, outer coat that stands out from the softer one underneath. It is longest on the neck, where it forms a broad mane. The tail is a fluffy plume. He is always a mixture of gray, black, and cream.

Excerpts from the Standard

General Appearance: A handsome dog attracting attention by his coat, coloring, alertness, and intelligent, fox like expression.

Size, Proportion, and Substance: Height--males, 17 to 19 inches at the withers; females, 16 to 18 inches.

Fun Facts

The government leader in eighteenth century Holland, William, Prince of Orange, was often seen in public with his little Pug dog, Pompey. Opposing him politically were the Patriots, the party of the people. Their leader was Kees de Gyselaer. He had a beautiful dog, also named Kees, whose picture was used as the symbol for the Patriot Party. This dog became known as the Keeshond. The Patriots were defeated, but the Keeshond lived on to become the national dog of Holland.

Excerpted from The Complete Dog Book For Kids © 1996, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.