An Introduction to the Keeshond

The Keeshond (plural is Keeshonden) is an extremely affectionate dog that tends to get along wonderfully with people and with other pets in the household. They are a medium sized dog, weighing about thirty-five to forty-five pounds and stand at seventeen to eighteen inches tall.

The Keeshond History – Dog of the Patriots

The world almost didn’t get to enjoy this great companion dog, though. It was in the late 1700s that the breed almost disappeared. The people of Holland dared to stand up to the royalists at about the same time the colonists in the New World were preparing to fight King George of England.

The Dutch commoners chose as their mascot a medium-sized dog that had served for centuries as the guard dog on barges and as a household companion. The leader of the Patriots had one of these dogs that followed him everywhere. The dog’s name was Kees.

The Patriots were not victorious and people were afraid to be seen with a dog that had stood for the rebellion, so these great dogs almost disappeared. Then in 1920 Baroness van Hardenbroek found a few of these dogs that had been kept in low profile by farmers and river boatmen. She used the fine individuals to bring the breed back.

The Baroness fought the attempt to change the name of the dog to German Spitz, and in 1925 the breed was officially changed to Keeshond (after the dog Kees, mentioned above, and the Dutch word for dog, “hond”). It is now the national dog of Holland.

The Keeshond’s Temperament

The Keeshond is very smart and such a great companion that it’s a bit of a mystery why it is not more popular in the United States. In 2006 they were ranked 93rd most popular dog by the AKC.

Like many dogs they want to be inside with their family instead of locked outdoors. They make great housedogs: playful, attentive, loving, content to take it easy, and yet ready for adventure. A daily walk and a play time is all they need each day to satisfy its needs for exercise.

They are also easily trained, friendly to everyone but yet an alert watchdog, and an excellent companion for children and adults. With their thick fur they can tolerate cold temperatures but cannot tolerate heat.

Like dogs such as Border Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs, the Keeshond has a double coat to keep them warm. This coat requires brushing once or twice a week and more often when shedding.

Unlike herding and hunting dogs the Keeshond is a general, all-purpose dog. An excellent watchdog, friendly and affectionate, they are a wonderful pet for any family who is looking for a dog to share their home.

Some interesting facts:

Energy level - 3 (out of 5)

Playfulness - 3

Affection level - 5

Friendliness towards strangers and household pets - 4

Ease of training - 3

Cold tolerance - 4

Heat tolerance - 1

If you are looking for a dog that marches to the beat of its own drummer, loves to round up the kids for dinnertime and has a happy go lucky attitude, then you may want to take a look at the Bearded Collie.

This breed, which has been seen as far back as 1514 in Scotland, is a direct descendent of the Polish Sheepdog. It is fairly likely that the Bearded Collie is also related to the Old English sheepdog because of the obvious similarities.

Some of the Beardie’s talents are tracking, herding and performing tricks. The Bearded Collie was used in Scotland as a herder of both sheep and cattle. Since collie is the Scottish word for herding dog, it makes sense that the breed eventually became known as the Bearded Collie.

This breed, which is still fairly rare in the U.S., is registered with AKC as a member of the Herding group. It is the 101st most popular dog in the United States according to the AKC.

The Beardie is a robust, hardy and active dog. This medium to large sized dog weighs in at a solid 40-60 pounds with a height of 20-22 inches.

The Beardie has a shaggy coat all over his body, including under the chin, which makes him look as if he is sporting a beard. That is why lovers of this breed refer to it as Beardie.

The Bearded Collie is not recommended for apartment life. These dogs are fairly active, even indoors, and will do best with at least an average-sized yard.

This is a dog that needs lots of exercise, preferably running free. Beardies do not like to be confined and your dog should have a place to run off of its lead.

Obedience training is important for this breed because although they are intelligent, these dogs can be very headstrong. Since it was bred to be an independent thinker, the Beardie may resist training.

The Beardie is a natural herder of people and animals. They are noisy barkers, but most Beardies do not make good watchdogs.

Grooming for the Bearded Collie involves daily brushing of its long, shaggy coat. If you don’t maintain your dog’s coat, it will become so matted that you will have to have the dog shaved to remove the matts.

You should use a brush to thoroughly groom your dog’s coat once a day. A fine mist of water will help to tease out any matts. A spray on conditioner can also be helpful. Pay extra attention to the coat when the dog is shedding. Grooming can help gather up all of that loose hair before it hits the ground.

You might want to consider having your dog professionally groomed every few months. A daily check of the eyes, ears and paws is also a good idea.

Bathe your dog or use a dry shampoo when necessary. Check regularly for ticks on the thick undercoat.

Overall, Beardies are a sturdy breed that enjoys good health. However, problems do occur within the breed.

These include allergies, hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, auto-immune disease and some eye problems. Also, the breed’s dense coat may conceal external parasite infestation.

If you’re looking for a dog that is a good family companion that has a tail that is almost constantly wagging, then the Beardie may just be the perfect breed for you and your family.

Some helpful facts:

Energy level - 4 (out of 5)

Exercise requirements - 4
Playfulness - 4
Affection level - 4

Friendliness towards other pets - 3

Grooming requirements - 4

Cold tolerance - 4

Heat tolerance - 3

The Bearded Collie can live outdoors in cool climates but much prefers to be indoors with the family.

The Australian Cattle Dog has more aliases than most wanted felons. This breed is also known as the Heeler, Red Heeler, Blue Heeler and Queensland Heeler. The Australian Cattle Dog is the ‘official’ AKC breed name for this member of the Herding group.

These dogs are called heelers because they were developed in Australia for controlling cattle. They were trained to herd by nipping and biting at the heels of cattle and horses in order to control the movement of the herd.

The origins of The Australian Cattle Dog are not known, but we do know that the ancestors of the Australian Cattle Dog are Collies, Dalmatians and the native Australian Dingo.

The resulting Australian Cattle Dog is heavier and more muscular than the Border Collie and has good herding ability. These dogs have been working on Australian ranches since early in this century.

The Australian Cattle Dog is a sturdy, compact herding dog, with well-developed muscles. The breed is very powerful, strong and agile. These dogs are medium sized, weighing in at 32-35 pounds, with a height of 17-20 inches.

Since the breed was bred to withstand extreme temperatures and develop the resourcefulness to forage to feed itself like a wild dog, it is no wonder that the Australian Cattle Dog makes a very independent pet. If you are looking for a cuddler that idolizes you, you will be disappointed.

Still, Australian Cattle Dogs are good with children because they are naturally protective. However, this breed tends to frighten small children with its tendency to ‘herd’ them like cattle by nipping at their hands and feet.

The Cattle Dog is loyal, very protective, alert and is absolutely obedient to its master, but it is something of a one-person dog. The Australian Cattle Dog is not suitable for apartment life, as they have far too much energy. Like the Border Collie and Australian Shepherd, the Australian Cattle dog needs lots of room to run.

They do best in a large open yard. Also, the Australian Cattle Dog is a noisy animal and barks at any change in their environment, which would annoy your neighbors.

The Australian Cattle Dog requires a lot of daily attention. A bored dog will find something to keep him busy, which will result in destructive behaviors.

To keep your dog happy, you will have to spend time giving it regular exercise and training with positive reinforcement. The Australian Cattle Dogs are very quick to learn and extremely eager to please. Firm training from the start will produce a happy, obedient companion. Of course, you should allow the puppy time to adjust to new surroundings before serious training begins.

This breed has a double coat that is resistant to the elements. The top coat is smooth. These dogs shed constantly and require regular brushing. You should also brush your dog’s teeth and trim its nails.

The Australian Cattle Dog does have some genetic health problems. These problems include deafness, progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia and temperament abnormalities. Attention deficit disorders are also common in this breed, which can make ownership extremely frustrating for anyone who has limited patience.

However, with all the breed’s faults, few Cattle Dog owners complain of loneliness or lack of companionship. The Australian Cattle Dog will follow you wherever you go, including the restroom, bedroom and kitchen. It just won’t spend its time fawning over you.

This breed is a brave and trustworthy guard dog and a good choice for a best friend.

Energy level - 5 (out of 5)

Exercise requirements - 5

Affection level - 4

Friendliness towards other dogs - 3

Friendliness towards other pets - 2

Ease of training - 5

Watchdog ability - 5

Cold tolerance - 3

Heat tolerance - 3

The Australian Shepherd isn’t really Australian. There is evidence that they came from Europe with people called “Basque”. These people first settled in Australia with their dogs and sheep, and then relocated to the Western United States, again bringing along their dogs and sheep. The shepherds already here in the United States gave them the name Australian Shepherd.

Working sheep in the harshness of Australia and the Southwestern United States developed a breed of dog that has a lot of stamina and is bold, loving, alert, confident, independent, smart and responsive.

If your Australian Shepherd doesn’t get a chance to exercise physically and mentally he can get frustrated and be hard to live with. But with proper exercise and training he is a loyal, obedient, and utterly devoted companion.

Requirements to keeping your Australian Shepherd happy therefore include a good workout every day that provides physical and mental challenges. He also wants and needs to be with you. He has such a great need for human companionship that he will be very unhappy if stuck outside in the yard.

These dogs excel at a variety of activities including conformation, obedience, herding, and agility competition.

Many breeders, trainers, and owners have found that Australian Shepherds are great with children. The only caution is that these dogs are extremely playfull and might overwhelm small children with their size and energy. Otherwise, they make great family pets.

When breeding Australian Shepherds they warn not to breed two dogs that have a natural bobtail as the offspring can be born with serious spinal defects. Breeding two merle colored Australian Shepherds together can result in deafness and blindness.

Some basic information:

Energy level - high

Exercise - needs a lot

Playfulness - very playful

Affectionate - very

Easily trained

Great watchdog

Very protective

Weight - 50-65lbs male and 40-55lbs female

Here is a video that gives a lot of interesting information about this great dog.