Animal register · DogComing soon to the app
Keeshond
Wolfsspitz, German Wolfspitz, Keeshonden
The Keeshond is a medium-sized Spitz from Germany — the Wolfsspitz variety of the German Spitz — with a long, stand-off grey-shaded coat, a thick mane and dark 'spectacles' around the eyes (FCI breed standard). The FCI standard gives a height of 49 ± 6 cm; PDSA gives an average weight of 16–20 kg. A dog of this size is fully grown at about 12–15 months (PetMD); PDSA gives a lifespan of over 10 years and VCA 12–14 years.
PDSA writes that the breed needs up to an hour of exercise a day, that grooming is a daily requirement for the thick double coat, that Keeshonds make excellent family pets, get along with other pets in the household and respond well to training given time and patience. VCA describes them as playful and careful with children, advises a bath every month or so and notes above-average shedding and a thick coat that may make them prone to overheating.
Built and tested; it arrives with a coming app release.
Updated:
At a glance
- Size
- medium — PDSA S709
- Adult weight
- males 16–20 kg, females 16–20 kg — PDSA S709
- Daily exercise
- up to 1 hour a day — PDSA S709
- Brushing
- every day — PDSA S709
Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.
Who it suits
The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.
What it needs
From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.
Questions and answers
Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.
How much exercise does a Keeshond need?
According to our sources, the Keeshond needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — PDSA S709.
How long does a Keeshond live?
According to our sources, the lifespan of the Keeshond is: more than 10 years — PDSA S709; 12–14 years — VCA Animal Hospitals S710. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.
How big does a Keeshond get and how much does it weigh?
Size and adult weight of the Keeshond, according to our sources: Size: medium — PDSA S709; Adult weight: males 16–20 kg, females 16–20 kg — PDSA S709.
Game rules, not veterinary advice
How PetPrep simulates it
In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.
| Life stage | Starts | Meals a day | Daily step goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy | arrives at 2 months | 4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 2 | 1,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6 |
| Young dog | month 9 | 2 | 6,000 steps |
| Adult | month 36 (3 years) | 2 | 6,000 steps |
| Senior | month 90 (7.5 years) | 2 | 4,500 steps |
- Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
- Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
- Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
- Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
- Combing 7 times a week.
- Care: a bath every 4 weeks — a reminder for the parent.
Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S709S710
Common Keeshond owner mistakes
Small habits that cause bigger problems — each point comes from the sources of this breed.
- Too little daily exerciseExercise needed: up to 1 hour a day. Plan it into every day, not only at weekends. — PDSA S709
- Skipping coat careBrushing: every day. — PDSA S709
- Forgetting that the puppy is still growingAdult size reached at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class). Until then, plan exercise and food for a young animal that is still growing, and ask your vet what suits yours. — PetMD S10
- Too little to do for the brainNo. 16 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
- Overlooking the breed's known health issuesHip dysplasia, a poorly developed hip joint that can lead to arthritis, occurs in the breed; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips scored. Epilepsy, a brain disorder that can cause seizures, occurs in the breed. Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S709
In PetPrep a child practises exactly these habits — steps, meals, care — before the real pet comes home.
Health
For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.
- Hip dysplasia, a poorly developed hip joint that can lead to arthritis, occurs in the breed; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips scored. — PDSA S709
- Epilepsy, a brain disorder that can cause seizures, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S709
- Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S709
Before you buy: what to check with the breeder
Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.
For every breed
- See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
- The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
- Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
- Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
- National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
- Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10
Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.
Health tests of the parents for this breed
We have not yet found a reliable source that lists health tests for the parents of this breed. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.
Similar breeds
Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.
Sources
Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.
- S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
- S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
- S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
- S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
- S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
- S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
- S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
- S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
- S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
- S246FCI — FCI-Standard N° 97 — German Spitz, including Keeshond and Pomeranian (EN PDF, FCI development host)https://dev.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/097g05-en.pdf
- S709PDSA — Keeshond breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/medium-dogs/keeshond
- S710VCA Animal Hospitals (LifeLearn; no author / date shown) — Keeshond — dog breed pagehttps://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dog-breeds/keeshond
- K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
- K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
- K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
- K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
- K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.
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