Keeshond vs Bull Terrier Miniature - Breed Comparison

Keeshond is the term used for German Spitzes and although many American references have it that the Keeshond originated in the Netherlands, some say the dog originated in Germany and is a member of the German Spitz family.

The Club for German Spitzes was founded in 1899. The Nederlandse Keeshond Club was formed in 1924. The Keeshond is also referred to as ‘The Smiling Dutchman’.

It was in the 17th and 18th centuries that the Keeshond was used greatly as a watchdog, appearing in England in the late 1800s, but after the turn of the 20th century, Mrs. Wingfield Digby of Dorset, England and Mrs. Alice Gatacre, a Dutch breed authority, living in England, stirred interest in the breed with their kennels.

An English breed Club was formed in 1926, and the first Keeshond was registered with The American Kennel Club in 1930.

Less well known than the Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier which actually follows the same breed standard, has a height of 35cm. The Bull Terrier and Miniature are classified as the same breed. The weight of the smaller Miniature is only about 15kg.

It was in the early 1800s that the Miniature Bull Terrier was developed, descending from the English Bulldog as well as the White English Terrier which is now extinct. This blend produced the Bull and Terrier, which was later shortened to the Bull Terrier. They came in a number of colors such as pure white, white and tan as well as white-and-black-patched or tri-colored.

Breed fanciers wanted a compact dog which looked much the same as the larger Bull Terrier. It was in 1938 that Colonel Glyn founded the Miniature Bull Terrier Club in England and the Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America was formed in 1966.

The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog and a member of the Spitz group of dogs. He stands at 43 – 48cm in height and weighs 14 – 18kg.

He has a 2-layered, dense coat which is fairly long, straight and coarse and colors are grey, silver, black and cream. His undercoat is a very light cream color. He has erect ears, a fairly shop muzzle and a feathery, plumed tail which curves over his back.

The hair on his legs is fairly short accompanied with some feathering. A typical marking-feature of the Keeshond is the dark line which runs from the outer corner of each eye to the lower corner of each ear. It's what gives the dog his well known keeshond expression. The eyes of the dog are dark brown.

Temperament:

The Keeshond, just like other Spitz dogs, are playful, affectionate, friendly and eager to please. He is intelligent too and will respond well to training and socialization.

He makes a wonderful family pet as he is friendly and playful with children, loving all their games. He gets on well with other pets too. He is a social dog, thriving on being with his human family, wanting to participate in all family activities.

They are sensitive, loving pets and become very attached to their owners. They have even been used as comfort dogs in rescue situations, as they bond so well with people.

He makes a good watchdog too with his loud bark which he uses to deter intruders. He may well be a good watch- and guard dog but he isn't an aggressive dog.

Miniature Bull Terriers, just like the regular Bull Terriers have short, glossy coats and these coats can be white, tan, brindle or tri-color such as black, tan and white. This is a muscular little dog, with the same very distinctive egg-shaped head and small, closely-set dark eyes and erect ears. The medium length tail is carried horizontally.

The Miniature Bull Terrier isn’t particularly good with small children, but he still makes a good companion for people, whether he lives in the city or the country. In fact, this smaller breed Bull Terrier makes a great pet for people with smaller spaces, and like the Bull Terrier, he is a loving, devoted pet. He has an entertaining personality, is playful and energetic, making him a good watch dog.

However, even though he is small, he is always more than ready to take on any larger pets and therefore isn’t considered the greatest pet to have if you have other animals in the house. However, with excellent training and socialization, this handicap can be overcome.

The Keeshond, with his thick double coat, loves to be outdoors in cool weather. He won't be there too long however, because he will be missing his human family. He is such a social dog, craving human company and therefore isn't a dog to be put out in the backyard and left day after day.

He loves games and being totally involved with his human family. Look after your Keeshond well – he is a companion dog - and you will find him to be a most exceptional friend of yours.

The attractive Miniature Bull Terrier is just a small version of the regular Bull Terrier, and many people are drawn to them because they have all the spunk of the larger breed but are easier to manage. He is such an entertaining little dog and guarantees to make an excellent family companion. He is just longing to be involved in every family activity happening around him.

He becomes attached to his human family, but this deep bond between him and his family can lead to separation anxiety. Never leave him alone day after day in the backyard. You wouldn’t to that to one of your children, and he is a family member, albeit a 4-legged one.

Just like the standard Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier is going to need firm training from a young age. Then he becomes an exceptional pet as he understand the boundaries in your particular home.

With good food, fresh water, exercise and lots of interaction with your Keeshond, he can reach 12 to 14 years of age.

No matter how healthy your dog is, he can still get ill, but the chances are less likely when he is feed nutritionally. Nonetheless look out for hip dysplasia, bloat, ear infections, skin rashes and eye diseases.

Cataract:

This is a problem in the lens of the eye. Your dog has a cloudy look to the eye. A cataract can occur when the cells are damaged. A disease such as diabetes can also cause a cataract and high blood sugar levels can change the metabolism of the cells in the lens.

The lens should be crystal clear, but with a cataract, the vision of the dog is obscured. It can cause blindness. Thankfully, cataracts aren't painful and most times dogs with cataracts can still see. There is the option of surgery to remove them too.

The Miniature Bull Terrier can live to be 10 to 12 years of age. Their most serious health issue is blindness which is caused by lens dislocation, showing up more or less after 3 years of age. With the white dogs, other breed health concerns can include congenital deafness and compulsive tail chasing.

Tail Chasing:

Some Bull Terriers develop a compulsive neurologic disorder where the dog turns round and round chasing his tail. As soon as you see this, try and distract him with an exciting game, because allowed to develop, it’s a habit that can become difficult to control.

Dental Disease:

This is a common problem with dogs and you need to watch that tartar build-up on the teeth which can lead to infection of the gums. Brush your pet’s teeth with special dog toothpaste and toothbrush 2 or 3 times a week so that he doesn’t lose any teeth. Bad teeth can affect other organs such as the kidneys and heart.

Grooming:

With his double coat, your Keeshond will need regular brushing to get rid of all those loose hairs. He is a dog which doesn't have that typical dog odor about him so bathing him is discouraged. Too much bathing irritates a dog's skin and dries it out.

Check the inside of his mouth and make sure that his teeth are in a healthy state. If you are unsure, speak to your vet about dental hygiene as bad teeth won't only cause pain and discomfort for your pet, the teeth can affect his immune system and other body parts.

Check his claws too and have them cut when they become too long. When they are long they can hook on things and injure the sensitive area of the paws.

Exercise:

The Keeshond is a sturdy dog, loving all the activities and games that his family are involved in. He will love to be your walking companion and looks forward to his walk every day.

He is such a playful, adventurous dog and is always willing to join you in new games. Never put him in your back garden and forget about him, as this will make him ill and depressed. He must be part of the family to be healthy and happy and relies on you to include him in all your activities. He can live in the city or the countryside but will require being exercised wherever he is.

Diet:

Top quality dry kibble will work for your Keeshond. If you want to keep him bright eyed and bushy tailed, mix in some quality home-made food too such as cooked chicken, rice and vegetables. You can also try to sometimes include a little bit of raw meat as well.

He is an active dog and will need a diet high in protein. Also, his thick coat needs to be maintained, and apart from regular brushing, look for quality dog foods that have Omega-3 fatty acids in them so as to maintain the skin and coat of the dog. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

With his short, smooth coat, the Miniature Bull Terriers requires little grooming. He’ll need a good brush down twice a week to remove loose hairs.

Spaying or Neutering:

This is one of the best things you can do for your Bull Terrier if you don’t want them having puppies. Spaying or neutering decreases the likelihood of certain types of cancers too.

Diet:

Keep your dog’s diet consistent, varying between a top quality commercial produced dog food appropriate to his age. You can include home-made meat, vegetables and rice and some raw meat every now and then. Never feed him human-food such as peanuts, crisps and chocolate. Always have fresh, cool water available night and day.