Keeshond (Wolfspitz) - description of the breed and character of the dog

By German Wolfspitz we mean a breed that is otherwise called keeshond. Dogs are distinguished by large forms and are considered the largest among all available Spitz dogs. A distinctive feature is excessive fluffiness, wool thick and gray. The history of the spice-like has many centuries, therefore such pets just need to pay enough attention. Numerous reviews of the owners urge everyone to become the proud owner of a Wolfspitz! Let's talk about it in more detail.

History reference

It has already been mentioned that the breed is almost the most ancient. The origins of the Spitz takes from the peat dog, which was met in the Stone Age. Partly for this reason, many of the Spitz family are so desirable, their story speaks for itself.

Wolfspitz is from Germany and Holland, these countries are considered the birthplace of dogs. The local specialists applied a lot of strength to make keeskhond a separate breed.

The four-legged friends were especially popular with the Dutch, who allegedly kept them for security purposes on barges and large ships. Partly for this reason, family members love to swim.

Otherwise, the dog is called a barge because of understandable reasons. When the dog was brought to the ship, it coped well with its main tasks, namely, to catch and kill rats. The breed was named in the late 1700s, when a revolutionary uprising was carried out.

The dog entered the historical summary as a symbol of the current Netherlands. The revolution was choked with blood, but indirectly it affected the further development of the discussed breed of dogs. They tried to get rid of the pets, because everyone who had a dog was equal to revolutionaries.

Representatives of the keeskhond were so quickly bred that the breed was literally on the verge of extinction. Dogs counted on the fingers, so few were. However, at the end of the 19th century, amateur dog breeders in Germany still received breed standards, they were helped by the selectionists of Holland.The teamwork was crowned with success, so the breed began to slowly but surely recover.

In order to revive the keeskhond, the most fluffy friends took part in the selection activity. Namely, chow-chow, spitz, elkhound, husky and others. The dog is obliged by the fine wool to predecessors who are capable to survive in a severe climate.

Breed destination

Even less often dogs participated in hunting. They easily coped with the task, pounded the game, raised the bird to a shot, but were tired more quickly than other purebred pets. This was partly due to the large and hot undercoat.

The dog got its name Wolfspitz, because it was compared with wolves. Pet plant in German families, so that they protect the children and were their companions.Large-bred spitz spread across the Netherlands, they were held by sailors and boatmen to guard the ship and dwelling. The Dutch gave the dogs the second name keeshond.

External data

The animal does not have an impressive size, but is considered quite large among all available spitz-like ones. The height at the withers of a dog varies from 42 to 55 cm. But it is not the size that is valued in the breed, but rather the body composition. By weight category dogs reach as much as 30 kg., Which is quite a lot for the Spitz-chain family.

Well-built, harmonious, dexterous - this and much more can be said about the representative of the breed. Wool is strictly vertically, does not fall off. The head is like a fox, the ears are upright, which is typical of the whole family. On the tail there is also a long hair, it is twisted into a kind of ring and pressed against the rump.

Keeshond is a bit like a panda, if you look at his face. There are dark spots around the eyes. The eyes themselves have an almond shape, they are brown, medium size. Due to the fact that there is a black bezel on the lips, the spitz seems to be smiling. Wolfs are sometimes called a smiling dog.

The coat is hard, standing, in some places of medium length. In the neck there is a kind of bezel that makes the spitz look like a lion.In the zone of the hind legs there are “pants” made of wool, which give the dog even more mercy. The hair on the head is not long, so the skull appears small. But if the spitz is shaving baldly, you will see how harmoniously it is complex.

It is worth remembering forever that the family of dogs in question may have an exclusively gray color. Ash or coal, most importantly, gray. Without fail around the eyes there are spots of "panda", and the ears are famous for black. Undercoat light, cream or closer to white.

Breed character

1. By the nature of the Wolfspitz something resembles all Spitz-like dogs. The representative of the family is energetic, quickly becomes attached to the owner, it is difficult to tolerate the lack of communication with the person, is jealous of the owner to other people or animals. Therefore, when buying a Spitz, other animals prefer not to keep in the house.
2. However, dogs extremely adore the younger generation, they can play with children for hours on end and indulge their pranks. Dogs are patient, intelligent, know the sense of proportion and can distinguish a one-year-old child from a five-year plan.
3. The future happy owners of a representative of this breed should initially prove themselves as an authority and leader.The dog needs a tough hand, so it is necessary to study the commands and raise the puppy from an early age.
4. Keeshond has an amazing feature. He understands the person, as they say, without words. The owner does not have to talk to the dog so that the dog comes up. It is enough to nod his head. Spitz also reads facial expressions and intonation of the owner.
5. Since childhood, a dog of this family behaves like a hurricane. Therefore, for the release of energy, you must regularly walk with your pet, take it to places with minimal crowds of people and let go of the leash. Try to keep the dog busy by throwing a stick at it or swimming in the lake. When the dog matures, he becomes more calm.
6. Spitz dogs are amenable to dressage, therefore, in the expanses of our country, they appeared precisely as circus performers. Very often keeskhondov teach and present at the exhibition. The dog has every chance to make an excellent career.

Care and maintenance

1. As for external visible defects, they can be attributed only to wool. It is very difficult to care for her. The procedure should be given due attention and a large amount of time.To make the coat always look chic, it is important to purchase a quality directional shampoo.
2. Every day, you need to comb your pet with a special brush with long bristles. In a dog, the coat has a rather coarse structure; in spite of all this, the wool quickly becomes tangled. Most often this occurs during the flowering of herbs and high humidity. When the dog starts to fade, comb it better a couple of times a day.
3. It is not recommended to get involved in bathing your pet, the procedure should be carried out only as needed. However, it is worth noting that the spitz have a weakness for water. Therefore, at any opportunity a pet dives into the pond for a walk. If the dog wants to swim, do not deprive her of such pleasure.
4. Keeskhond is important to ensure proper nutrition. These spitz are prone to obesity. They have a very weak digestive system. Therefore, to feed the animal in a classic way will not work. If you decide to feed your dog with natural dishes, you should prefer foods high in protein.
5. If you do not want to spend time on preparing food for the dog, you should choose the right premium premium food from a trusted manufacturer. Be sure to consider the activity of the animal and its age.It is worth mentioning separately about the active temperament.
6. The Keeshondas are very mobile and restless, they will always and everywhere accompany you. At certain moments, you might even think that 10 pets are running around you instead of 1. You shouldn’t worry ahead of time, such activity subsides over time as the dog matures.
7. Spitz begins to gain a mind and simply learns to control their desires and emotions. Full calm comes to keeskhondam from 3 to 5 years old. Until this time, the dog must be given the most exhausting load. It is not recommended to indulge in small fluffy lumps and not to give them proper load. The dog should not get used to constantly running after you.
8. When the spitz strongly attached to the owner, they simply can not stand loneliness. Because of this keeskhondy begin to yearn for the owner, all this develops into serious stress for the animal. Also begin to develop diseases of a certain nature. Separately, it is worth noting that this breed is well trained frisbee and agility.

Health

1. Once they bred such a breed of dogs, they had no health problems. Only decades later, Spitz began to manifest diseases of a certain nature. Kneeskhondy live from 13 to 16 years. The indicator will depend heavily on how you will care for the dog.
2. In Wolfspitz it is possible to identify a number of certain pathologies to which they are often inclined. If you do not follow the eyes of an animal, it can develop glaucoma, retinal atrophy, or cataracts. Also, the breed is prone to the development of hip joint dysplasia.
3. This pathology can develop with age. The disease contributes to the depletion of articular tissues. Articulations are also deformed. Unfortunately, to cure such a disease is almost impossible. To prevent this from happening to your pet, constantly monitor the level of calcium in the body of the spitz, as well as phosphorus, potassium and magnesium.
4. From birth, Spitz can have a dislocation of the patella. The dog is prone to thyroid failure. Spitzs are also prone to von Willebrand disease. The disease is a sudden vascular bleeding. Not to be confused with hemophilia. Such a disease is inherited.
5. Also Wolfspitz are prone to obesity. It is quite possible to fight such a problem, there is nothing special about it. The main thing is not to run the dog, so that additional diseases do not develop. Check the correct diet with the vet. Choose high-quality premium food. Follow all recommendations.

Diet

1. Currently, you can easily choose high-quality feed for spitz. When choosing a product, it is imperative to consider the physiological state of the animal and its age. Of course, if desired, the dog can be transferred to the home feed.
2. It is important to learn how to cook for the animal. To do this, food should be well balanced. Otherwise, the pet may begin to develop obesity or other health problems.
3. The rest is worth noting that the Wolfspitz is quite strong and very hardy dogs. If you buy a purebred puppy, they have practically no pedigree pathologies.
4. Only in old age can there be minor problems with the cardiovascular system and impaired activity of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands.

Kneeskhondy satisfied interesting and funny dogs. If you decide to buy a puppy, you can be sure that you will not regret. Such a pet will always delight and charge positive. If you treat your care with full responsibility, the dog will not have any health problems.

Video: keeshond breed