MyDogBreeds
Keeshond is originated from Netherlands but Siberian Husky is originated from Russia. Keeshond may grow 12 cm / 4 inches shorter than Siberian Husky. Keeshond may weigh 9 kg / 19 pounds lesser than Siberian Husky. Both Keeshond and Siberian Husky has same life span. Both Keeshond and Siberian Husky has same litter size. Both Keeshond and Siberian Husky requires Moderate maintenance.
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.
Siberian Huskies are very close to Chukchi people.Chukchi is a tribe in Siberian nomads and huskies are beleived to be originated with them. DNA tests on huskies prove that they are the oldest among the dog breeds and they used them to travel fast. Also children used to sleep with them as they provide body heat to them. Siberian Huskies also like to be very close to the children. In 1908 at the gold rush, huskies were imported to Alaska and used as sled dogs. In Alaska they were used for dog sled race until today.
Siberian Huskies were exported from Siberia and they continued their journey in North America. American kennel club recognized them in 1930 and the Siberian club of america has been founded in 1938.
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.
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.
Siberian Huskies are said to be one of the beautiful dog breeds in the world. They are well known for their thick coat and blue coloured eyes. Siberian Huskies are really challenging for new dog owners. It is preferred to give them a fenced yard and the fence should be sunk well to the ground to prevent them from escaping, as they always try to escape. They are medium sized working dogs having high energy level. Initially huskies were developed as sled dogs.
They are affectionate and intelligent breed. Also they are independent in nature. They are kid friendly dogs and also are friendly with everyone including strangers. Siberian Huskies will be a good companion when given proper training and care. They are low shedders but it depends on the climate it lives. Normally they dont shed in cold climate but in warmer climate they will do. They shed heavily twice in a year for a three week strech. Normally Siberian Huskies do not suit well for apartment living. They are not watchdogs as they will bark very rarely but it enjoys to howl.
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.
Siberian Huskies are very much affectionate with children. But it is necessary to train both parties to behave with each other. It is recommended to have an adult supervision for younger children.
They are very good diggers and so they should be watched if they are in garden. They tolerate well in cold weather and mostly huskies can be seen in the area of snow falling. They are very good in pulling sledges.
They adapt well in cold weather. It is advised to give them a well fenced yard. They do not like apartment living. Also they do not like to be alone and if kept alone for long time they will disturb your house and make it dirty.
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.
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.
Siberian husky suffers with minor health problems such as hypothyroidism, Progressive retinal atrophy and cataract. They are also prone to lose pigment in nose and muzzle. Some health problems occur due to bad breeding practices and some due to environmental problems where the puppy is brought up. They have also chances to get skin disease such as allergies.
When they are in the age of 2 to 5 years, they are having chances to hairloss due to Alopecia X. This condition mainly causes due to hair clipping in Siberians. They will be healthy but the hair will not grow in affected areas. Siberians are double coated and when the situation prevails the topcoat will fall off first and the undercoat follows it. The hair will fall off in both side of the dog in same area. Spaying or neutering will reduce such problems as it causes because of sex hormones.
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.
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.
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.
In one method of feeding the Husky puppies, the food will be given always available, but this method is not recommended as it has some problems. This method is followed by large breeders because of lack of time to spend on individuals. Another method is to keep meal for 3 times a day. At about 12 to 16 weeks of age the meals can be reduced to two times a day. In this method the meal given should not be there after 15 minutes even if puppy did not ate. The important training for Husky puppies while eating is they should not growl when the food is taken by its master.
Many Siberian experts don't like commercial dog food as they are sure that because of such foods dog may get problems like itching, dandruff, loose stools and hot spots. According to experts the good food for them are home cooked food from turkey, real chicken, beef and fish. Fruits and fresh vegetables are also very good for them. It is advised by dog owners to add only low salt or even without salt in their food. Also sugar is not good for them as it will bring some problems like hairfall and itching.
Siberian huskies can be easily groomed. Their eyes should be checked in puppyhood as they get chances to get eye problems and hereditary eye diseases. It is advised to make siberians to bath once in a year and they must be brushed once in a week. While brushing, the ears should be inspected and its teeth should be brushed. It is good to trim the long hairs in their feet and also nails should be trimmed slightly and very carefully as they have blood vessels there.
To give training and exercises to Siberian Huskies, the home should be prepared for them and it is better to make a fenced yard to prevent escapes. They have very high chances to escape and so the fence should be minimum 6 feet high and base should be strong as it should not break it or dig under to escape. Since they are active from their puppyhood they must be given lots of exercise. They should be socialized in their early stages as to get good behaviour and manners.