The Keeshond originated in the Netherlands and was used as an alarm for danger as well as a companion to people when they took trips over seas. They are a mixture of the Pomeranian, Samoyed and Chow Chow. The Dutch barge dog, the German spitz, or Wolfsspitz are other names for this breed.

The Keeshond is a fluffy, medium sized dog that has a pointed muzzle like that of a fox. Their ears are triangular and pointed upward giving them a constant alert expression. This breed has an athletic body and straight toned legs. These dogs have a tail that is coiled over and touches their lower back with their paws being rounded like a cat.

The Keeshond is a lively, curious dog that has a playful and animated character. They will make great family pets because they are devoted to their masters, great with children and interact well with other pets. These dogs are not a breed that enjoys being left alone often as they can become quite depressed. Although bred to warn their owners of strangers, the Keeshond will generally be quite friendly towards people they’ve never met giving up the “watch-dog” trait they have mastered.

Breed Group

Non-Sporting

Size

Males: 17-19 inches high
Females: 16-18 inches high

Weight

Males: 35-45 lbs

Females: 35-45 lbs

Color(s)

The Keeshond comes in one colour variety which is the black and gray with accents of tan. The top coat will be a dark gray or black and the undercoat will be a light gray accented with tan. Their coat colouring is complex but the end result is a beautifully marked breed.

Coat

This breed has a very thick, lustrous double layered coat that protects them from the extreme cold. The top coat is wispy, long and plentiful while the undercoat is soft, plushy and insulating giving this breed the ultimate winter jacket! The fur of this breed is not curly or even slightly wavy, it is straight and stands on end giving them the puffy look that is desired among the breed.

Life Expectancy

About 12-15 years.

Personality

The Keeshond is a bright, charming breed that will need an owner who has the time they need to spend with them. They are a breed that needs a large amount of affection as they require this to be truly happy. Training these dogs will not be too difficult because they are clever enough to grasp the concepts of different types of training quickly. Although they can be a willful dog, the Keeshond just needs a patient owner and short training lessons to be able to teach them anything!

This breed’s purpose was to keep an eye out for danger or strangers and to this day, this is their job. They can be barky as they get quite excited when something is near their territory so this will need to be controlled or they can become a loud mouthed dog! If strangers are to enter their territory, they become their new best friend and will show off their outgoing, happy personality.

Care

This breed will need a large amount of grooming maintenance to upkeep their coat. They have thick, long fur that will need to be brushed at least 5-6 times per week and bathing should be done every 2-3 months. The Keeshond is prone to heart disease, luxating patella’s, hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, skin allergies and bloat. Before purchasing a puppy, the parents medical history should be checked to ensure they have no major inherited diseases that they could pass on to their offspring.

Training

The Keeshond will need firm repetitive training in order for them to grasp the basic obedience concept. They are bright dogs but need to have consistency to truly understand what they are being taught. Lessons that are kept short and made to be fun will have much more effective results.

Activity

This breed will need about an hour of exercise per day to tire them out and this can be done in an off-leash dog park or on a long walk. These dogs will burn their energy better running around chasing a ball or playing with another dog as opposed to going for a walk. The Keeshond will do well in an apartment and a backyard would be preferable so they have an outdoor area at home to sniff around in. Since these dogs have such thick coats they should be monitored outside in the summer as they can become overheated.

The Kerry Blue Terrier originated in Ireland and was bred to hunt and retrieve small game for farmers and hunters alike. It is thought that the Wheaten, Irish Wolfhound and Portuguese Water Dog are in the bloodline of the Kerry Blue. This breed also called the Irish Blue Terrier and is famously known as the dog of Ireland.

This breed is known for their unique coat colour and texture. They have very tight curls all over their body and their fur and skin are a slate blue colouring. The Kerry Blue’s muzzle is rectangular and will have long tufts of fur resembling a beard and moustache! Their ears are small and slightly pricked upward and they have round deep set eyes. This dog has a muscular body that allows them to be quick and agile when hunting and their tail is naturally long but will be docked for show purposes.

The Kerry Blue is an energetic, animated character that entertains their family on a regular basis. They have a loving, protective personality that gives them the trademark attitude they are well known for. Great for families, this breed loves people and will get along ok with other family dogs but when encountering strange dogs might be a bit aggressive. Smaller pets will need to be monitored around this dog as they have a high prey drive for rodents and game.

Breed Group

Terrier

Size

Males: 18-20 inches high
Females: 17-19 inches high

Weight

Males: 33-40 lbs
Females: 33-40 lbs

Color(s)

The Kerry Blue Terriers coat has many varieties of one colour, that being a dark blue. These can darken and lighten depending on age but most common is a slate or medium grey colouring. Puppies are born completely black but will lighten as they grow up!

Coat

This breed is notorious for their coat texture which is unique only to them. It is a tightly curled, soft to the touch coat that is unlike any other breed. Their coat is very clean so it will not give off the “dog smell” and will shed only a small amount of fur.

Life Expectancy

About 12-15 years.

Personality

The Kerry Blue is a free-spirited dog that is independent and enjoys finding different jobs to entertain themselves. They are a stubborn breed making them a bit more difficult to train and raise so for first time owners, this dog is not recommended. They are devoted to their master and are extremely loyal dogs making them a perfect breed for hunters or farmers. The Kerry Blue will make a great watchdog because they’re responsive but are not barky dogs that alert the household for false reasons.

This breed will excel greatly in tracking and agility trials because they are energetic, exuberant dogs that will work hard for their masters. Socialization as puppies will be greatly needed especially around dogs and small animals to ensure that upon meeting, the Kerry Blue does not become aggressive or timid.

Care

This breed will need a fair amount of grooming to keep them looking great. Brushing should be done 2-3 times per week and bathing about once every month. Their ears will need to be plucked every month or 2 just to remove the excess fur that will collect debris. The Kerry Blue is prone to a few eye ailments such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy and cataracts, as well as hip dysplasia and entropian. Hair follicle tumors, hypothyroidism, cysts, and Keratoconjuctivitis sicca are other diseases they might genetically inherit.

Training

This breed will need an owner that has experience in raising dogs and training as they are not recommended for first time owners. These dogs are stubborn and will be more difficult to train, so a firm hand and fun training exercises will be the key to helping these dogs grasp the information. Sessions should be kept short and be repeated often as this encourages them to want to learn!

Activity

The Kerry Blue Terrier will need to be exercised on a daily basis and time spent in an off-leash park or on a long walk will be perfect. These dogs will do well in an apartment as long as they are exercised enough and do not need a back yard but having access to one would be a bonus.

The Kuvasz is probably one of the oldest of all breeds. Some says that the Kuvasz has been known since 200 B.C., at the age of the Huns. Other says that it was used as a sheepdog and accompanied the Turkish refugees in Hungary when the Mongols invaded them in 1200.In the fifteenth century, the Kuvasz was often given as royal gifts.

The King Matyas is said that he only trusted his Kuvasz dogs and not humans. After the King’s death, the dog returned to being only a sheepdog. Many have been trained to hunt bears and wild boars.

This breed may have contributed to several sheepdog breeds like the Great Pyrenees, the Anatolian Shepherd, the Marema Sheepdog and the Tatra Sheepdog.

After World War II, there was only 30 Kuvasz left in the world, but with the perseverance of many breeders, the Kuvasz has been repopulated in Hungary.

Breed Group

Working

Size

Male: 28-30 inches
Female: 26-28 inches

Weight

Male: 100-115 lbs
Female: 70-90 lbs

Color(s)

white

Coat

The Kuvasz’s coat is very thick and wavy or straight. Short and smooth hairs cover the paws, muzzle, head and ears. The body and side of the thighs are covered with medium length hairs while the neck hairs are very long. Short hairs are found on the thighs and on the front of the forelegs to the elbow. The back of the forelegs have hairs of 2 to 3 inches long and the back of the thighs and the tails are covered with 4 to 6 inches hairs.

Life Expectancy

About 10 – 12 years.

Personality

At first sight, this independent dog seems reserved. However, you need to establish confidence to discover a joyful and playing dog. Brave, loyal and devoted, the Kuvasz would die to protect his family or what’s under its responsibility.

Strong, bold, fearless and very territorial, this dog has a high protective instinct. That’s why it’s used as a herder or guardian of the flock. The Kuvasz is suspicious of strangers and will make his own decisions about who he will accept as a friend.

This is not a god dog for children. It can be gentle and patient with the family children, but you may not leave it alone with children to prevent accidental injury. This breed usually doesn’t accept other pets especially other male dogs.

Care

Before buying a puppy, you should check with the breeder to make sure that the parents have hip clearance because they prone to hip dysplasia. This breed can also have osteochondritis dissecans, a disease that causes an inflammation of the shoulder joints. You should also pay attention to hypertrophic osteodystrophy, skin problems and allergies.

To avoid a matted coat, the Kuvasz should be brushed weekly. This breed doesn’t need bathing. Bathing will remove the natural oils of its coat that normally sheds dirt. The more this dog is bathed, the more he will need to be bathed. Instead, it should be brushed frequently to remove dirt. In cold climates, it sheds twice a year. In warmer climates, it sheds all year!

Training

To calm its high protective instinct, this dog must be socialized at a very young age. This breed needs experienced trainers that know how to be firm and dominant. Suspicious of strangers, they should be taught to accept the family’s friends.

The Kuvasz has been bred to work apart of the men, so it is not easy to obedience train. This dog must never be treated harshly. The family members should all learn how to handle the dog. If you want to train it to livestock guarding, the key is to have an experienced older dog to teach the puppy.

Activity

The Kuvasz needs a lot of exercise to help stop him from digging all over the yard.

The Komondor is a descendant from the Tibetan dogs. For a long time, people thought it was brought by the nomadic Magyars to herd sheep, however, a newer study shows that it has been brought by the Cumans.

In fact, Komondor bones have been found in Cuman sites. The name “Komondor” comes from the Cuman name Koman-dor which means dog of the Cumans. In 1920, the breed started to be presented in dog shows and became more popular.

Breed Group

Working

Size

Male: 27½ inches
Female: 25½ inches

Weight

Male: Approximately 100 lbs
Female: Approximately 80 lbs

Color(s)

The coat’s color is off-white. It can happen to see puppies with a little bit of cream, but it fades away as they grow up.

Coat

The Komondor has a very special coat; as a puppy, you can see a soft coat with a tendency to fall into curls. As it grows up, the coat tends to fall more into cords near the skin and to be fluffy at the end. When the dog is older, the undercoat stays as dense, soft and wooly as the baby coat. The outer coat is thicker and traps the undercoat to form cords. A fully grown Komondor dog is entirely covered with these heavy cords.

Life Expectancy

About 10 – 12 years

Personality

Bred to think by itself, the Komondor is intelligent, devoted and extremely loyal. They are very affectionate and protective of the people that they know; they always want to be near those they love and always seek attention and physical contact.

If the dog isn’t properly socialized, it can react very aggressively when confronted to a new situation or when meeting a new person.

Care

The coat of the Komondor must never be brushed but it has to be trimmed. It needs a lot of bathing and it is very long to dry. It barely sheds.

Training

The Komondor tends to think for himself so it can be obstinate and difficult to train. They might think that they have no good reason to listen. The Komondor gets easily bored, so the training sessions have to be entertaining. It must constantly be kept under control. It doesn’t need to have rough corrections; it could lead to mistrust.

Training and socialization must start early (at age of 4-8 months). The Komondor is intelligent and will quickly learn what is thought to him.

Activity

The Komondor is a very lazy dog. It can live in the city but he prefers country. If the Komondor is left outside, it will automatically burn the energy it needs to. In contrast, the dog doesn’t need a big amount of exercise and it sleeps a lot.