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2. How big will my keeshond get?
3. What should I feed my puppy?
4. How much should I feed my puppy?
5. How much water should I give my puppy?
6. How much exercise does a keeshond need?
7. How often does a keeshond need to be brushed?
8. How often does a keeshond need a bath?
9. Does a keeshond shed?
10. What is the typical lifespan of a keeshond?
11. Are keeshonden good with kids?
12. Is it OK to leave a puppy at home all day while I work?
13. Does a keeshond like to travel?
14. Don't they get hot in Florida?
15. Should I shave my kees if I live in a warm climate?
16. What's the difference between "pet quality" and "show quality"?
17. When should I start training my puppy?
18. When should I stop training my puppy?
19. Why should I buy from a breeder?
20. What should I look for in a breeder?
21. What questions should I ask before buying a puppy?
Answers
1. How much does a puppy cost?
Like anything else, the price of puppies varies from place to place and from breeder
to breeder. The best thing to do is contact a breeder directly and ask how much their puppies
cost.
2. How big will my keeshond get?
Typically, a female kees will grow to be about 17" at the withers (top of the shoulder blade)
whereas a male will grow to be about 18" at the withers. Like humans, some are bigger and some
are smaller. It's always a good idea to visit the parents of the kees (if possible) to get an idea
of how big yours will get. Their weight will depend on the owner. Keeshonden love to eat so it's
always a good idea to measure their food to prevent them from over eating.
3. What should I feed my puppy?
The type of food you feed is up to you. All food is different and no one food is good for
every dog. I personally feed Purina ProPlan Adult formula (Beef, Chicken, or Sensitive Skin
varieties) to most of my dogs and puppies. The exception is my oldest who is on a
vegetarian diet and therefore gets Nature's Recipe. No matter what you decide to feed, make sure
it's a high quality food that doesn't have a lot of by-products in it. This will ensure
your dog gets the most out of the food you feed. I also only feed dry food which helps
keep their teeth clean. The dry food helps to scrape the plaque off their teeth while eating.
Always ask your breeder what they are feeding your puppy before you take it home. If you decide
to change the food, you will want to start mixing the old food with the new until their stomachs
can adjust.
4. How much should I feed my puppy?
The amount of food you will feed will depend on the type of food you are feeding and how much
exercise your puppy gets. Start by measuring the food. If your pup starts to gain weight,
cut the food back. If they start to get to thin, add more. Ideally you should be able to feel
the dogs ribs without having to press hard on the skin.
- My keeshond puppies get 1 cup 3 times a day.
- Keeshonden from 6 months, I tend to feed 1 cup twice a day for the more active dogs and 1/2 - 3/4 cup twice a day for the less active dogs.
5. How much water should I give my puppy?
This is an excellent question! I have to say it depends on the age of the puppy. First, let me say
puppies need water in order to grow. They drink a lot to help the tissue grow. Now to answer the question,
my puppies do not get water in their kennel when they are babies. They are only allowed to have water when
I am there to take them out because let's face it, they can't hold it and I don't want to have to clean it up.
Once the babies are a little older and can hold it a little longer I will put a tiny bit of water in a bucket
when they are crated. The amount of water increases as the puppy proves he/she can hold it even if they have
water in the crate.
With all of this said, I will tell you that I, too, feel guilty about leaving puppies in a crate for a long period of time without water. So what I will do if I have to stay at work for 5 hours or longer, I will put a gerbil bottle in the crate with them. This way the puppy has access to a very limited amount but will still be able to get a little.
6. How much exercise does my puppy need?
Keeshonden don't need a lot of exercise. However, they do need some in order to stay healthy.
A daily walk or romp in the fenced backyard should take care of their needs. However, if you want to do
more, they will definitely be happy oblige.
7. How often does a keeshond need to be brushed?
OK, it's time to get real. Most breeders will tell you to brush your keeshond once or twice a week, but
who has time for that? We, at Spunkee's, work outside the home too! My dogs get brushed before
a show, trial, or therapy visit which turns out to be about once or twice a month. However, I cannot
stress enough that they should be brushed out EVERYTIME they are bathed. This will get rid of
all the lose hair and help promote new growth. If all else fails, take the dog to a groomer.
8. How often does a keeshond need a bath?
Keeshonden do not have a "doggy" odor and therefore do not need a bath often. I usually bath my
non show dogs when they are either smelly or when I pet them and I can feel a residue on my hands.
This usually takes a couple of months to happen. The show dogs get a bath more often of course.
9. Does a keeshond shed?
Yes they do! All dogs shed except for maybe the poodle and bichon. Some dogs shed more than others.
Also, keeshonden "blow" their coats once or twice a year. When a keeshond blows their coat, the undercoat
starts falling out by the handful. If you are not used to this, you may think your dog is molting. It
is extremely important to brush your kees when this happens. Brushing will keep it off the floor and
furniture! It will take about a month until the blowing stops. Usually males and spayed females will
blow once a year while intact females will blow their coat twice a year.
10. What is the typical lifespan of a keeshond?
The age is dependent on the breeding and health of the keeshond. A well-bred keeshond will live to be,
on average, 12 years. An overweight or malnurished dog may not live that long. However, a dog that is
kept healthy could live to be 15 years old.
11. Are keeshonden good with kids?
YES! However, not all kids are good with dogs. Small children should always be supervised when around
any dog. I always encourage families with children (no matter what age) to take the dog and child to
obedience classes. This will teach the child how to interact with the family dog while teaching the dog
to respect the child. It's a great way to have them bond with each other.
12. Is it OK to leave a puppy at home all day while I work?
Yes. Mine are home all day when I'm at work. It's always a good idea when bringing a new dog home, to
keep it crated while you are at work. This will keep the dog from destroying anything if they enjoy
chewing and will keep any "messes" in one place if they aren't housebroken. Once the dog is older and
you can trust it, you can try to leave it out of the crate. HOWEVER, don't try this for the first time
when you go to work. Try leaving the dog out for 10-15 minutes while you run to the neighbors to see
how the dog reacts. You can lengthen the time once you trust that the dog won't leave you any
"surprises".
13. Does a keeshond like to travel?
YES! I've never known a keeshond who doesn't like to travel...even kees that I've rescued from the
Humane Society go willingly and happily in the car. Keeshonden like to be with humans so if a
human goes in the car, they want to go too. As soon as my kees hear the car keys, they are at the
door waiting eagerly for me to invite them into the garage.
14. Don't they get hot in Florida?
I get hot in Florida so I would imagine they do too. I recommend keeping a kees in the house if you
live in a warm climate. However, when they are outside, they should always have access to water
and shade.
15. Should I shave my kees if I live in a warm climate?
This is a question that keeshond lovers have debated for years! I answer it like this...if you are
going to show your kees, no you shouldn't shave it. If the kees is a companion, then it's up to you.
I do not shave mine. However, I know other breeders that do. If you decide to shave your kees, don't
shave them to the skin since they can get a sun burn. Instead, leave at least an inch of fur to help
protect them from the sun.
16. What's the difference between "pet quality" and "show quality"?
We do not use these terms at Spunkee's. Since a litter will have the same mother and father, we feel
the quality will be the same. Instead we refer to them as "show prospects" and "companion pets".
The difference in these is that a breeder may feel 1 pup is more suited to go in the show ring. A show
prospect may have a better eye shape, cleaner legs, or a better bite, etc. than that of a companion
pet. None of these effects the health of a dog. Also, never hesitate ask why a companion dog wasn't
selected to be a show prospect or why a pup was selected to be a show prospect. A good breeder will
always tell you.
17. When should I start training my puppy?
My answer for this is true for any dog...AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Puppies shouldn't go to a new home before
they are 8 weeks old. Then when you bring them home at 8 weeks, you should start immediately! If you
should have a litter at home, puppies can start being clicker trained as early as 3 weeks old. Training
is the easiest way to bond with your dog. I recommend clicker training which is based on possitive
reinforcement. The dogs love it and it's fun for humans too. Not only will you come away from an
obedience class with an unmeasurable bond between you and your dog, but you will also come away with a
well behaved dog.
18. When should I stop training my puppy?
Never! I train my older dogs until the day they die. While they don't need a lot of organized
training, you can train them in the backyard. Training keeps their minds alert and they are happy getting
the one on one time with you.
19. Why should I buy from a breeder?
You shouldn't. You should buy from a REPUTABLE breeder. There are 3 different kinds of places you
can buy a puppy:
- petstore - where most puppies are bought from a puppymill
- reputable breeders - who do health checks on both sire and dam before breeding
- backyard breeders - who usually do not do any testing on sire and dam before breeding
20. What should I look for in a breeder?
Find a breeder that you feel comfortable with. A good breeder will gladly answer all of your questions
and will love the fact that you are asking them. They will take the time to answer your questions
completely so that you understand. You should find someone that will respond in a reasonable time
period, but understand that breeders frequently go to weekend shows and occasionally go on vacation too!
However, they should never take more than a couple of weeks to get back with you...while the norm would be
within 48 hours.
21. What questions should I ask before buying a puppy?
There are several questions you should ask. I will only go over the most important ones regarding the
puppies care and health.
- Do you currently show your dogs in the conformation ring?
The breeder should be showing currently in order to understand where the breed is going as far as looks, temperament, and structure. - Do you have the parents at your house?
If the answer is yes to 1 or both parents, try to go see them. If they do not want you to come by their house, run! A good breeder is always willing to show off their dogs. Also, when you are there, take a look around to see how the dogs live. - What health tests have you done to prove the parents are healthy?
Health test vary from breed to breed. However, I would always make sure the parents have had their eyes CERF'd (normal), hips OFA'd (excellent or good are preferrable. Fair is OK.), thyroid (normal I prefer thyroid to be tested at Michigan State), and stifles tight (vet checked). Always ask to see a copy of the test results for both parents!!!