Keeshond vs Shetland Sheepdog – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Keeshond vs Shetland Sheepdog" Compare Keeshond and Shetland Sheepdog. Which is better: Keeshond or Shetland Sheepdog?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Keeshond	Shetland Sheepdog
Origins	Germany Netherlands	Scotland
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Sled Dogs	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)
Popularity Rank	87	24
Reviews	2	5
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Other Names	Dutch Barge Dog, Smiling Dutchman, Chien Loup, German Spitz, Deutscher Wolfsspitz, Wolfsspitz, Kees	Miniature Collie, Shetland Collie (obsolete), Dwarf Scotch Shepherd (obsolete), Toonie Dog (obsolete), Sheltie
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1930 as a Non-Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1911 as a Herding breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Spitz and primitive types group, in the European Spitz section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.
Breed Recognition	No set	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry
Price	$800-$1000	$800-$1000

General Appearance - Keeshond vs Shetland Sheepdog

Size	Medium	Medium
Weight	35-45 pounds (15-20 kg)	14-27 pounds (6-12 kg)
Avg. Weight	40 pounds (17.5 kg)	20.5 pounds (9 kg)
Height	Male: 17-19 inches (44-48 cm), Female: 16-18 inches (40-46 cm)	13-16 inches (33-41 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 18 inches (46 cm), Female: 17 inches (43 cm)	14.5 inches (37 cm)

Hair & Care - Keeshond vs Shetland Sheepdog

Coat	Fluffy Dense	Dense
Colors	Silver Gray Cream Black	White Blue Merle Sable Tan Black
Grooming	Advanced: The Keeshond requires a lot of grooming.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.
Shedding Level	Keeshonds are heavy shedders.	Shetland Sheepdogs shed moderately.

Characteristics - Keeshond vs Shetland Sheepdog

Temperament	Agile Obedient Quick Intelligent Bright Playful Sturdy	Affectionate Gentle Lively Responsive Friendly Intelligent Playful
Intelligent Rank	Very smart: Keeshond is an excellent dog breed.	Outstanding: Shetland Sheepdog is one of the brightest dog breeds.
Trainability	Keeshonds are quite easy to train.	Shetland Sheepdogs are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	Keeshonds, like any other dog breed, like playing.	Shetland Sheepdogs, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	Keeshonds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Shetland Sheepdogs don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	Keeshonds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Shetland Sheepdogs are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Keeshonds are a social breed.	Shetland Sheepdogs are a social breed.
Barking	High: The Keeshond is a very vocal breed.	High: The Shetland Sheepdog is a very vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Keeshonds are good watchdogs.	Shetland Sheepdogs are good watchdogs.
Territorial	Keeshonds are average defenders.	Shetland Sheepdogs are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Keeshond has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Shetland Sheepdog has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Keeshonds have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Shetland Sheepdogs have a low tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Keeshonds tend to escape less than other breeds.	Shetland Sheepdogs tend to escape less than other breeds.
Prey Drive	Keeshonds have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.	Shetland Sheepdogs have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.
Apartment Friendly	Keeshonds are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Shetland Sheepdogs are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.
Adaptability	Keeshonds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Shetland Sheepdogs adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Keeshonds do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Shetland Sheepdogs do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Keeshond vs Shetland Sheepdog

Stranger Friendly	Keeshonds are very stranger friendly dogs.	Shetland Sheepdogs are not the most stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Keeshonds are kid-friendly dogs.	Shetland Sheepdogs are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Keeshonds are cat-friendly dogs.	Shetland Sheepdogs are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Keeshonds are dog-friendly dogs.	Shetland Sheepdogs are dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Keeshond is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Shetland Sheepdog is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Keeshonds are usually recommended for elderly people.	Shetland Sheepdogs are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Keeshonds are usually friendly towards other pets.	Shetland Sheepdogs are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Keeshonds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Shetland Sheepdogs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Keeshond breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Shetland Sheepdog breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Keeshond vs Shetland Sheepdog

Health Issues	The Keeshond is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Shetland Sheepdog is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	No set	Cancer Cataracts Collie Eye Anomaly Drug Sensitivity Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Haemophilia Heart Problems Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Patellar Luxation Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Trichiasis Von Willebrand's Disease
Life Expectancy	12-14 years	12-14 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No
Energy Level	Keeshonds have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Shetland Sheepdogs have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.
Exercise Need	Keeshonds exercise need is minimal.	Shetland Sheepdogs have an average exercise need.
Sleeping Need	Keeshonds are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Shetland Sheepdogs are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.
Avg. daily food consumption	2 to 2.5 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers cold weather The Keeshond can adapt well to harsh weather conditions, and also can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Shetland Sheepdog can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Medium The Keeshond has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Shetland Sheepdog has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Keeshond is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Shetland Sheepdog is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Keeshond vs Shetland Sheepdog

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	3-8 puppies	4-6 puppies
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