A striking luxurious coat despite grooming that’s not as intensive as it looks has given the Keeshond the nickname, “the lazy man’s glamour dog.”

Owners tell us that a Keeshond with the proper coat texture repels dirt in a most amazing way: Dirt and mud tend not to accumulate in the coat, making frequent baths unnecessary. With good training, a Kees will lay quietly on a grooming table as s/he is “line brushed,” a method of parting the fur and brushing all the way down to the skin. Starting at the ruff,  the dog’s hair is pushed toward his or her posterior, and using a long pinned brush, the hair is brushed in small sections towards the head. So as not to lose one’s place, hair that hasn’t been brushed is held down by one’s hand while brushing the other sections in front of that hand. For the odd mat, a long tooth Resco comb is used around the ruff, pants and furnishings. We’re told that an experienced groomer can get a dog done in 45 minutes, and depending upon where the dog has been, and what s/he’s been doing, grooming can range from once or twice a week, to every two weeks.

By the way, Keeshond is pronounced “kayz-hond.”

“Hokie” by Nadi Spencer (winner of National Purebred Dog Day’s 2016 Fine Art/Poster Competition)