my favorite breed of dog, the Keeshond! this weeks rare breed highlight is on the intelligent and highly charismatic Keeshond or Kayshond. This breed is the national dog of the Netherlands, but they almost went extinct as they fell out of favor for a few decades after a failed rebellion in the Netherlands. they became the symbol of the rebel Dutch Patriot Party and got their name from the commander of said party “Cornielus Kees Gyselaer. They have many nicknames including Smiling Dutchman and Dutch Barge Dog as they prefer to breathe through their mouths and appear to be always smiling and were often found on barges in the rivers of the Netherlands. Keeshond is a medium sized spitz dog weighing 30-50 lbs with males being larger. They come in a few color variations that always include a mixture of grey, black, white, cream, or pale grey. They have distinctive black circles or spectacles around their eyes, a tight curled tail, and a dense double coat with an impressive mane. Keeshond require frequent brushings, regular grooming, and blow their coats in the spring and fall. They should never be shaved as their coats insulate them from both the heat and the cold. Speaking of the cold, this breed loves the snow and does best in temperate to cold climates and care must be taken to ensure they stay cool in hotter weather. Despite loving snow, they do get “snow balls” on their bellies in wet snow. They are very playful, eager to please, and easy to train. Keeshonds have been used as service dogs, therapy animals, and even search and rescue dogs during the aftermath of 9/11. They love people and get along well with all other animals and dogs. They are non-working dogs, and were bred to alert their owners to people entering the barges, so they can be quite clingy toward their owners and have a loud bark. However, they can be trained easy to only bark at appropriate times. They are often rated a 5/5 for watch dog abilities but a 0/5 for guard dog abilities as they are completely non aggressive. They have low to medium energy levels compared to other spitzes of the same size, and will be happy with a couple walks a day if they get time to play and spend time with their owners. They are very smart and can learn tons of tricks and enjoy practicing them daily. Owning a Keeshond is like having a celebrity accompany you everywhere you go. Their charming personalities and incredible looks draw attention from everyone you meet. They can even become offended if someone doesn’t want to greet them. Despite getting along well with other dogs, they can be lazy and prefer to hang with people instead of running around after other dogs at the dog park. Some keeshonds can be picky eaters and tend to graze rather than eat their food all at once. They can be predisposed to certain health conditions like diabetes, heart defects, and thyroid problems so make sure to only buy from reputable breeders that throughly health test their dogs. This is my favorite breed of dog and I would highly recommend them to dedicated owners commited to brushing and with lifestyles that allow the dogs to accompany them most places. #dogsoftiktok #dog #rarebreed #keeshond #keeshondpuppy #samoyed #spitz #akc #akcregistered #dogbreeds #veterinarian #veterinarymedicine #vetschool - @mai.read