This is a sturdy dog, with a classic spitz appearance of a foxy face, pointed ears, bright eyes and a plush double coat, consisting of a long, straight outer coat and a short, thick, cotton-wool like undercoat. They have a thick ruff around their chest and shoulders and a plumed tail that curls over their back. Their coat comes in a beautiful array of greys and silver, with darker tipped areas, and distinctive ‘spectacles’ around their eyes an important feature for this breed. Keeshonden are handsome, friendly and smart dogs, and make a super addition to the family household. Being playful, yet gentle they make excellent companions to children of all ages. These are smart dogs, who get great joy from playing games with their owners and being at the centre of their attention and devotion. The smart Keehound makes an excellent agility and obedience dog, which sees it regularly trained as a guide dog. Their intelligence means that they get bored without appropriate amounts of exercise and activities, which can lead to excessive barking and destructive behaviour. They do like to ‘talk’ and make good watchdogs, although their friendly ways mean they quickly accept strangers. Their thick coat is high maintenance and requires daily grooming to keep it in top condition and they are best suited to colder climates. These are smart and fun dogs, which are most at home with active owners or families.