As you call lovingly to your Keeshond who is investigating something interesting at the other end of the garden and is completely ignoring you you may wonder if it is possible to train him/her to do anything apart from eat and bark. That look that says ” What do you mean come here? I’m having fun” or “Who are you – do I know you?” or “You might think that that’s my name but it isn’t – I changed it yesterday.” I suspect is familiar to all Keeshond owners. Keeshonden and all Spitz breeds in general, are stubborn and independent.
BUT, if you treat training as a negotiating exercise rather than a laying down of the law; can persuade them that obeying a command is a GOOD IDEA which does not involve a loss of face or dignity, remarkable results can be achieved. After all, Keeshonden are intelligent dogs.
A number of Keeshonden have passed the various Kennel Club Good Citizens Awards and – even more impressively :
Xander, Rumour & Delco handled by Lynn Mayes, have competed on equal terms with collies amd GSD’s in OBEDIENCE trials; with Rumour having won her way out of Novice classes.
Christina and Roger Wilkin have had considerable success in training their Keeshonden for AGILITY competitions.
Sue Lindsay and Lexie demonstrate some basic moves used in their DANCING PAWS routines. In March 2007, Lexie achieved a distinction in her Level 1 progress test, (run by the Paws n Music Society.) – the 1st Keeshond to achieve this. In September she came 2nd in the My Dog’s Got Talent competition at Paws in The Park, Kent (judges Richard Curtis & Caroline Monteath) & in Nov. 07 she achieved 4th in the Freestyle Dog Dancing competition at Guildford. (Less than 1.5 points split the top 4 places)
Check out Carmen and handler Janice doing their thing in sunny Bermuda…
IT CAN BE DONE!