COUNTRY: Netherlands
WEIGHT: 55-66 pounds
HEIGHT: 17-19 inches
COAT: Long, dense, double, stand-off
COLOR: Wolf gray; lighter shadings on head and undersides, creating the typical spectacles around the eyes
OTHER NAMES: Wolfspitz, Chien Loup
GROUP: Northern
Dogs of the spitz type have long been common in Friesland (northern Holland), left over from the Viking invasions. Legend tells of a Viking ship that went down at sea. The only survivor, a chieftain's son, was rescued during the storm by a Christian fisherman of Friesland and his dog, Wolfert (the fisherman) and the Viking finally landed in unknown territory and built a chapel to St. Olaf for their deliverance. This chapel became a village at the mouth of the Am-stel River, where a dam was built in later years. The town was known as Amstelredam, later Amsterdam. The dog, a participant in the entire legend, was never forgotten. The seal of the city of Amsterdam shows an ancient vessel with a dog of definite spitz type watching over the side. Carrying a dog on board a vessel thus became a good omen, and later a custom. A ship's canines came under the sea laws, as the pets represented ownership. In the owner's absence, no one dared ransack a ship if there was a dog on board! So throughout Dutch history, boats and barges traditionally carried dogs on board, for vermin control, as watchdogs and simply for companionship and good luck.
Keeshonden are of the same stem stock as the German Spitz, but the Dutch seemed to espe-cially like and adopt the large, wolf gray type. The Dutch dearly loved their dogs and passed laws for their protection. One such law shows the value placed on companionship: "He who kills a hunting dog shall be fined eight pieces, but if he kills someone's pet dog the fine shall be twelve pieces."
Although known for centuries, he acquired his modern name from Cornelius de Gyselaer, a Dutch patriot at the time of the French Revolution. De Gyselaer's nickname was Kees (pronounced kay$)s and Kees's dog became a symbol of the common and middle-class Dutch Patriot Party that followed de Gyselaer. With the eventual defeat of de Gyselaer's cause, the dog fell into disrepute. Prominent people proved not to have the loyalties of their dogs—they did not want to be seen with a Ke^s dog. The breed dropped from sight among the urban and upper classes.In 1920, nearly 150 years later, Baroness van Hardenbroek took an interest in the breed and began her search for good specimens. She was startled to find that among the bargemen, farmers and truckers of rural areas, there were still many enthusiasts of the breed. The dogs they had maintained were of remarkably good type, with many of these owners keeping their own rudimentary stud books. With the renewed interest that the Baroness stirred when she began breeding, the Keeshond again was seen throughout Holland. It was introduced in the 1930s into the USA and England simply as the Dutch Barge Dog. Never a dog of fads or crazes, the Keeshond has continued to have a steady and loyal following throughout the world. Although the FCI does not register the Keeshond, considering it the same breed as the German Wolfspitz, the USA, Canada and Great Britain consider him an entity.
Kees require only moderate grooming and are happy, family-oriented dogs, so much so they are sometimes called "the laughing Dutchman." They can be a bit self-willed, however, and may balk at being forced into doing things that they don't want to do. But with firm, consistent guidance, they prove compliant. The Kees is clean, personable and alert and has made the move from the boats of Holland to 20th-century apartments with ease.