Keeshond vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

Keeshond vs Abruzzenhund - Breed ComparisonKeeshond is originated from Netherlands but Abruzzenhund is originated from Italy. Keeshond may grow 25 cm / 9 inches shorter than Abruzzenhund. Keeshond may weigh 27 kg / 59 pounds lesser than Abruzzenhund. Both Keeshond and Abruzzenhund has almost same life span. Both Keeshond and Abruzzenhund has almost same litter size. Both Keeshond and Abruzzenhund requires Moderate maintenance.

History

keeshond - historyKeeshond is the term used for German Spitzes and although many American references have it that the Keeshond originated in the Netherlands, some say the dog originated in Germany and is a member of the German Spitz family.

The Club for German Spitzes was founded in 1899. The Nederlandse Keeshond Club was formed in 1924. The Keeshond is also referred to as ‘The Smiling Dutchman’.

It was in the 17th and 18th centuries that the Keeshond was used greatly as a watchdog, appearing in England in the late 1800s, but after the turn of the 20th century, Mrs. Wingfield Digby of Dorset, England and Mrs. Alice Gatacre, a Dutch breed authority, living in England, stirred interest in the breed with their kennels.

An English breed Club was formed in 1926, and the first Keeshond was registered with The American Kennel Club in 1930.

abruzzenhund - historyAbruzzenhund was established as an individual breed in the middle of the 20th century. They are descendant of the big, white Eastern sheepdogs which came to Europe 2000 years ago. Abruzzenhund is a mix of Turkish sheepdogs Akbash and Karabash, the Kuvac, Slovakian breed Hungarian breed, Komondor, and a French sheepdog Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Those dogs were much bigger than today’s breed. Abruzzenhund is still not very popular breed, but it is very common in Great Britain and Italy. They have been used as guard dogs, hunting dogs, and working dogs because they are very brave and strong.

Basic Information

Group:
Non sporting dog
Herding dogs
Origin:
Netherlands
Italy
Height Male:
43 - 48 cm
16 - 19 inches
60 - 73 cm
23 - 29 inches
Height Female:
43 - 48 cm
16 - 19 inches
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
14 - 18 kg
30 - 40 pounds
30 - 45 kg
66 - 100 pounds
Weight Female:
14 - 18 kg
30 - 40 pounds
30 - 40 kg
66 - 89 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
11 - 13 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 8
6 - 9
Size:
Medium dog
Large dog
Other Names:
German Spitz , Dutch Barge Dog, Smiling Dutchman
Maremma, Pastore, Abruzzese, Cane da Pastore, Maremmano- Abruzzese, Italian Sheepdog
Colors Available:
silver, Grey, black and cream
Black, Cream, White, Grey and Brown
Coat:
Long, straight, coarse
Profuse and Long
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet, Territorial
Courageous, Independent
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

Description

keeshond puppy - descriptionThe Keeshond is a medium-sized dog and a member of the Spitz group of dogs. He stands at 43 – 48cm in height and weighs 14 – 18kg.

He has a 2-layered, dense coat which is fairly long, straight and coarse and colors are grey, silver, black and cream. His undercoat is a very light cream color. He has erect ears, a fairly shop muzzle and a feathery, plumed tail which curves over his back.

The hair on his legs is fairly short accompanied with some feathering. A typical marking-feature of the Keeshond is the dark line which runs from the outer corner of each eye to the lower corner of each ear. It's what gives the dog his well known keeshond expression. The eyes of the dog are dark brown.

Temperament:

The Keeshond, just like other Spitz dogs, are playful, affectionate, friendly and eager to please. He is intelligent too and will respond well to training and socialization.

He makes a wonderful family pet as he is friendly and playful with children, loving all their games. He gets on well with other pets too. He is a social dog, thriving on being with his human family, wanting to participate in all family activities.

They are sensitive, loving pets and become very attached to their owners. They have even been used as comfort dogs in rescue situations, as they bond so well with people.

He makes a good watchdog too with his loud bark which he uses to deter intruders. He may well be a good watch- and guard dog but he isn't an aggressive dog.

abruzzenhund puppy - descriptionA height of Abruzzenhund variates between 60-73 cm, males are slightly bigger than females. While the weight is 30-45kg, again, males are heavier than females.

Lifespan of Abruzzenhund

Abruzzenhund lifespan is between 11-13 years, but since these dogs don’t have any weaknesses and don’t tend to get sick, they can live longer with a proper care and adequate food and training.

Litter size of Abruzzenhund

Litter size of Abruzzenhund depends, but as any large breed, they usually have 6-9 puppies. And that is a very good considering size of the breed.

Abruzzenhund is not the only name of this breed. There are more names that you might hear. You can hear names like Maremma, Pastore, Abruzzese, Cane da Pastore, Maremmano- Abruzzese, Italian Sheepdog, and many similar names. Basically, they sound similar but there are differences.

Abruzzenhund is a friendly dog, but it is very powerful. Very strong jaw with a scissors bite makes them very strong. They have small but intelligent eyes, usually dark colored. The undercoat is dense, while the coat is white with segments of ivory to white yellow. Their long undercoat and coat make them winter resistant.

Characteristics

keeshond dog - characteristicsThe Keeshond, with his thick double coat, loves to be outdoors in cool weather. He won't be there too long however, because he will be missing his human family. He is such a social dog, craving human company and therefore isn't a dog to be put out in the backyard and left day after day.

He loves games and being totally involved with his human family. Look after your Keeshond well – he is a companion dog - and you will find him to be a most exceptional friend of yours.

abruzzenhund dog - characteristicsAbruzzenhund is a very well-balanced breed who loves spending time with other animals and people. They have a very good temper. They love being around families, and they are very gentle with children. It is important to train Abruzzenhund properly because the dog of that size should be a leader. A human with a strong character should train this breed. Training is important because they tend to make their own decisions which can be bad sometimes.

Health Problems

keeshond puppies - health problemsWith good food, fresh water, exercise and lots of interaction with your Keeshond, he can reach 12 to 14 years of age.

No matter how healthy your dog is, he can still get ill, but the chances are less likely when he is feed nutritionally. Nonetheless look out for hip dysplasia, bloat, ear infections, skin rashes and eye diseases.

Cataract:

This is a problem in the lens of the eye. Your dog has a cloudy look to the eye. A cataract can occur when the cells are damaged. A disease such as diabetes can also cause a cataract and high blood sugar levels can change the metabolism of the cells in the lens.

The lens should be crystal clear, but with a cataract, the vision of the dog is obscured. It can cause blindness. Thankfully, cataracts aren't painful and most times dogs with cataracts can still see. There is the option of surgery to remove them too.

abruzzenhund puppies - health problemsA great thing about Abruzzenhund is that they are very healthy dogs. They don’t have any chronical health problems, so if you are feeding your dog properly, with a lot of exercises they will not have any health problems. It is also important to check genetics of the dog.

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

keeshond dogs - caringWith his double coat, your Keeshond will need regular brushing to get rid of all those loose hairs. He is a dog which doesn't have that typical dog odor about him so bathing him is discouraged. Too much bathing irritates a dog's skin and dries it out.

Check the inside of his mouth and make sure that his teeth are in a healthy state. If you are unsure, speak to your vet about dental hygiene as bad teeth won't only cause pain and discomfort for your pet, the teeth can affect his immune system and other body parts.

Check his claws too and have them cut when they become too long. When they are long they can hook on things and injure the sensitive area of the paws.

Exercise:

The Keeshond is a sturdy dog, loving all the activities and games that his family are involved in. He will love to be your walking companion and looks forward to his walk every day.

He is such a playful, adventurous dog and is always willing to join you in new games. Never put him in your back garden and forget about him, as this will make him ill and depressed. He must be part of the family to be healthy and happy and relies on you to include him in all your activities. He can live in the city or the countryside but will require being exercised wherever he is.

Diet:

Top quality dry kibble will work for your Keeshond. If you want to keep him bright eyed and bushy tailed, mix in some quality home-made food too such as cooked chicken, rice and vegetables. You can also try to sometimes include a little bit of raw meat as well.

He is an active dog and will need a diet high in protein. Also, his thick coat needs to be maintained, and apart from regular brushing, look for quality dog foods that have Omega-3 fatty acids in them so as to maintain the skin and coat of the dog. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.

abruzzenhund dogs - caringThey learn very quickly, but it requires strong will and constant training to keep them happy. They are great working dogs, and with the positive training, they are amazing. It is very important that they follow rules and to keep them in balance with training.

Feeding Abruzzenhund

They can eat a lot of food, depend on their activity. High-Quality dog food twice a day for a grown dog is a must. While puppies should eat 3-5 times, smaller portions of food. The food is important especially for working dogs, they need up to 2000-3000Kcal per day. Abruzzenhund will enjoy eating meat with a lot of vegetables and oil.

They are not recommended for small house or apartment. They need big yard because they require a lot of space. During the winter they can be outside because of their coat, but during the summer they need to be in the shade with a lot of fresh water available anytime.

Grooming the Abruzzenhund

The coat should be brushed and groomed very often because they have a thick coat. There is a lot of dead and loose hair in it. During shedding, period takes even more time to groom your dog properly. They love and they need exercise. Mental exercise is important as physical. Every day walking, running, playing with other animals is an important part of dog's activity. When they get enough quality exercise, they will sleep in the house.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Old English Sheepdog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  2. Akbash Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  3. Abruzzenhund vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  4. Briard vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  5. Rough Collie vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  6. Bouvier des Flandres vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  7. East German Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  8. Saarlooswolfhond vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  9. Estrela Mountain Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  10. Huntaway vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  11. Czechoslovakian Wolfdog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  12. Perro de Pastor Mallorquin vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  13. South Russian Ovcharka vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  14. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  15. Akita vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  16. Samoyed vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Labradoodle vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  18. Cane Corso vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  19. Alaskan Malamute vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  20. Mixed vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  21. Bullmastiff vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  22. Dogue De Bordeaux vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  23. German Shorthaired Pointer vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  24. Bloodhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  25. Great Pyrenees vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  26. Keeshond vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Keeshond vs Chow Chow - Breed Comparison
  28. Keeshond vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  29. Keeshond vs Dalmatian - Breed Comparison
  30. Keeshond vs Chinese Shar Pei - Breed Comparison
  31. Keeshond vs Australian Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Mexican Hairless vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  33. Tibetan Terrier vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  34. Standard Poodle vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  35. Norwegian Lundehund vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  36. Pembroke Welsh Corgi vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  37. Pomsky vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  38. Sakhalin Husky vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  39. Other vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  40. Olde English Bulldogge vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  41. Old English Bulldog vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  42. Schnauzer vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  43. Puggle vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  44. King Charles Spaniel vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  45. Schnoodle vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  46. Pharaoh Hound vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  47. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  48. Hungarian Vizsla vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  49. Redbone Coonhound vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison
  50. Norwegian Elkhound vs Keeshond - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds