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Reasons To Consider The People Loving Keeshond For Your Next Pet

By Donna Lee


If you're a dog lover, you probably have a favorite breed or two. The popularity of breeds changes over time, but today many favor Labs and teacup miniatures. These are not by any means the only breeds out there though. Anyone looking for a pet that will have people taking notice and asking questions, should consider the Keeshond. Not only are they show stoppers, they are lovable, intelligent, and family friendly.

This particular breed started showing up in the sixteen and seventeen hundreds in Holland. There the dogs were used primarily to guard boats and barges and serve as companions to the rowers. The breed is still commonly referred to as Dutch Barge Dogs. They are cousins to Chows, Pomeranians, and a number of other breeds. The Dutch count this dog as their favorite. Dutch Barges did not get to the United States until 1929 and in 1930 were registered with the American Kennel Club.

They make look like they require a lot of space, but they are actually quite manageable for apartment dwellers even though they have massive tails and luxurious coats. Adult Barges stand approximately eighteen inches high and weight about forty-five pounds. The females are slightly shorter and weigh about five pounds less than the males.

These are people dogs. Barges are devoted to their owners and become great companions. They are extremely intelligent and eager enough to please that they take to training quite easily. All these dogs need is encouragement, consistency, and some favorite treats to master basic commands. Barges are full of personality and love showing off. They are known to spin in circles at the sight of their owners.

Barges are considered a pretty healthy breed, but like all dogs they're prone to certain diseases and conditions. You need to familiarize yourself with all the possible health issues before you commit to any pet. Barges may develop Addison's Disease which is very serious. The dogs can suffer from hip dysplasia, diabetes, and Von Willebrand's Disease, which involves clotting of the blood.

These dogs can adapt to all kinds of housing. They even thrive on boats, as long as there are people around. Left to their own devices Barges will develop a tendency to bark loudly and often to the annoyance of your neighbors. If a dog that will run long distances with you is something you want, you do not want a Dutch Barge. These animals can only stand a certain amount of exercise. Any more and they will get overheated. They thrive in cold climates and need protection from the sun in hot climates.'

You'll be pleasantly surprised to learn that this breed is fairly easy to maintain. Even though they have double coats and an undercoat, matting really isn't a problem as long as they are brushed a couple times a week. They shed intensely twice a year.

Breeders advise owners not to have Barges shaved when it gets warm, even though they don't tolerate heat. Their coats serve as insulators and actually protect them from the heat. Their coats also give them protection from sunburn.




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