What does each club give for Height at the withers in the Keeshond?

AKC, Male: 43.2–48.3 cm; UKC, Male: 43.2–48.3 cm; KC, Male: 46 cm; CKC, Male: 45.8 cm; AKC, Female: 40.6–45.7 cm; UKC, Female: 40.6–45.7 cm; KC, Female: 43 cm; CKC, Female: 43.3 cm; FCI, Height at the withers: 43–55 cm.

Keeshond breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
Measure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Height at the withers, male	No ruling	43.2–48.3 cm	43.2–48.3 cm	46 cm	45.8 cm
Height at the withers, female	No ruling	40.6–45.7 cm	40.6–45.7 cm	43 cm	43.3 cm
Height at the withers	43–55 cm	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Height to length	1	No ruling	No ruling	1	1
Skull to muzzle	1.5	1	No ruling	1	No ruling

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
BiteScissors bite	Standard (“complete scissor bite with 42 teeth”)	Standard (“meeting in a scissors bite”)	Standard (“meet in a scissors or level bite”)	Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)	Standard (“upper teeth should just overlap the lower teeth”)
BiteLevel bite	Alternate (“Pincer bite is permissible”)	No ruling	Alternate (“meet in a scissors or level bite”)	No ruling	No ruling
BiteOvershot	No ruling	Fault (“Faults-Overshot, undershot or wry mouth”)	Fault (“Faults: Misaligned teeth. Undershot bite. Overshot bite.”)	No ruling	Fault (“Overshot or undershot”)
BiteUndershot	No ruling	Fault (“Faults-Overshot, undershot or wry mouth”)	Fault (“Faults: Misaligned teeth. Undershot bite. Overshot bite.”)	No ruling	Fault (“Overshot or undershot”)
BiteWry mouth	No ruling	Fault (“Faults-Overshot, undershot or wry mouth”)	Fault (“Wry mouth”)	No ruling	No ruling
DentitionFull dentition	Standard (“complete scissor bite with 42 teeth”)	No ruling	Standard (“A full complement of strong, white, sound teeth”)	No ruling	No ruling
Ear carriageErect (prick)	Standard (“always carried upright, stiff at the tips”)	Standard (“triangular in shape, mounted high on head and carried erect”)	Standard (“set high on the head and carried erect”)	Standard (“Erect, velvety texture”)	Standard (“mounted high on the head and carried erect”)
Ear setHigh	Standard (“small ears are set high”)	Standard (“mounted high on head”)	Standard (“set high on the head”)	No ruling	Standard (“mounted high on the head”)
Eye shapeAlmond	Standard (“medium size, almond-shaped, slightly slanting”)	Standard (“medium size, almond shaped, set obliquely”)	Standard (“medium size, almond-shaped eyes are set obliquely”)	Standard (“Dark, medium size, almond-shaped, obliquely set”)	No ruling
Eye shapeRound	No ruling	Fault (“Faults - Round and/or protruding eyes”)	Fault (“Faults: Round eyes. Protruding eyes.”)	No ruling	Fault (“Protruding round eyes or eyes light in colour”)
StopModerate	Standard (“Stop: Moderate to marked, never abrupt”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
StopPronounced	Alternate (“Stop: Moderate to marked, never abrupt”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
StopNone	No ruling	Fault (“Faults - Apple head or absence of stop”)	Fault (“Faults: Apple-head. Absence of stop.”)	No ruling	Fault (“Apple head, or absence of stop”)
ToplineSloping to the rear	No ruling	Standard (“topline is straight with a slight slope to the hindquarters”)	Standard (“topline slopes slightly downward toward the hindquarters”)	No ruling	Standard (“sloping slightly downward towards the hindquarters”)
Tail carriageCurled over the back	Standard (“rolls forward over the back”)	Standard (“tightly curled over the back”)	Standard (“tightly curled over the back, lying flat”)	Standard (“tightly curled over back”)	Standard (“tightly curled over back”)
Tail carriageDouble curl	Alternate (“A double curl at tip of tail is tolerated”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“double curl highly desirable”)	No ruling
Tail setHigh	Standard (“The tail is set on high”)	Standard (“set on high”)	Standard (“set on high”)	Standard (“Moderately long, high-set”)	Standard (“set on high, moderately long”)
Tail lengthMedium	Standard (“set on high and of medium length”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
FeetCat foot	Standard (“round and closed ... so called cat feet”)	Standard (“compact, well-rounded, cat-like”)	Standard (“compact feet are well rounded, cat-like”)	Standard (“Well padded, round, cat-like, tight”)	Standard (“compact, well rounded, cat-like”)
Neck lengthMedium	Standard (“The medium length neck”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
DewlapNone (clean throat)	Standard (“slightly arched without dewlap”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
ChestDeep	Standard (“The deep chest is well sprung”)	Standard (“with a deep chest that extends approximately to the elbow”)	Standard (“The chest is deep and strong”)	No ruling	Standard (“deep and strong of chest”)
Tuck-upModerate	No ruling	Standard (“belly moderately tucked up”)	Standard (“belly is moderately tucked up”)	No ruling	Standard (“belly moderately tucked up”)

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Spectacles	Standard (“round the eyes well defined <spectacles>”)	Standard (“spectacles"- a hallmark of the breed.”)	Standard (“The distinctive Keeshond expression is largely dependent on the spectacles”)	Standard (“Well-defined spectacles shown as a delicately pencilled black line”)	No ruling
Pencil marks	Alternate (“except slight pencilling on the toes”)	Alternate (“Penciling is acceptable on the toes and feet.”)	Alternate (“Black markings more than halfway down the foreleg, except for penciling.”)	Alternate (“Pencilling acceptable.”)	No ruling
White markings	Disqualifying (“Definite white markings or spots.”)	Fault (“Pronounced white markings.”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Socks	No ruling	Fault (“White foot or feet.”)	Fault (“Pronounced white markings on the legs and feet. ... A white foot or feet”)	No ruling	No ruling

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
Procedure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Dewclaw removal	No ruling	Alternate (“Dewclaws may be removed”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live. See where each procedure is banned or allowed.

Keeshond colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Keeshond color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Keeshond in Black, Grey, Silver and Cream. Standard patterns: Sable and Agouti.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“a silver-grey with black hair-tips”)	Standard (“Black & Silver”)	Standard (“a mixture of gray, black and cream”)	Standard (“A mixture of grey and black”)	Standard (“a silver-grey with black hair-tips”)
Grey	Standard (“Grey-shaded”)	Standard (“Gray & Black”)	Standard (“a mixture of gray, black and cream”)	Standard (“All shades of grey acceptable”)	Standard (“Grey-shaded”)
Silver	Standard (“Grey-shaded is a silver-grey with black hair-tips”)	Standard (“Silver & Black”)	Standard (“a mixture of gray, black and cream, which may vary from light to dark”)	Standard (“Silver Grey”)	Standard (“Grey-shaded is a silver-grey with black hair-tips”)
Cream	Not recognised	Standard (“Gray Cream & Black”)	Standard (“a mixture of gray, black and cream”)	Standard (“Undercoat very pale grey or cream”)	Not recognised
White	Disqualifying (“Definite white markings or spots”)	Fault (“White”)	Fault (“Pronounced white markings on the legs and feet”)	Not recognised	Disqualifying (“Definite white markings or spots”)
Albino	Not recognised	Fault	Disqualifying (“Albinism”)	Not recognised	Not recognised
Brown	Not recognised	Fault (“never containing tan, brown, or orange tones”)	Fault	Not recognised	Not recognised
Orange	Not recognised	Fault (“never containing tan, brown, or orange tones”)	Fault	Not recognised	Not recognised
Fawn	Not recognised	Fault (“Tawny”)	Fault (“never tawny”)	Not recognised (“not tawny”)	Not recognised
Patterns
Sable	Standard (“a silver-grey with black hair-tips”)	Standard (“The hair of the outer coat is black tipped”)	Standard (“The length of black tips on the outer hair coat produces the color shadings”)	Standard (“body hairs black tipped”)	Standard (“a silver-grey with black hair-tips”)
Agouti	No ruling	Standard (“Wolfgray & Black”)	No ruling	Not recognised	No ruling
Solid	No ruling	Fault (“Entirely black or white or any solid color”)	Fault (“A dog that is entirely black, white, or any solid color”)	Not recognised	No ruling

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Dark brown	Standard (“dark”)	Standard (“dark brown in color”)	Standard (“dark brown”)	Standard (“Dark”)	Standard (“dark”)
Light brown	Fault (“Too big and too light eyes”)	Fault (“eyes light of color”)	Fault (“Light-colored eyes”)	No ruling	Fault (“Too big and too light eyes”)

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“pure black”)	Standard (“Nose pigment is black”)	Standard (“Nose black”)	Standard (“pure black”)
Pink	Fault (“Flesh-coloured nose”)	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Flesh-coloured nose”)

What the rulings mean

Standard: Described by the club's breed standard.
Fault: Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalised.
Disqualifying: The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this colour or pattern.
Not recognised: The club does not accept this colour or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Keeshond's colors can change over its life.

Blackchanges toRust
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toGrey
Coat · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Whitechanges toRoan
Coat · With age · from 2 weeks
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back

Sources

Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.

Published standards

Back to the Keeshond guide Grooming styles for the Keeshond