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HEAD and SKULL
Well proportioned, wedge shaped when seen from above, from side showing definite stop. Dark muzzle equal to length of flat skull. Neither coarse nor snipey. Nose black.
Well proportioned, wedge shaped when seen from above;
 The head must be well proportioned when viewed from above showing the correct balance of muzzle to skull length in a clean wedge shape.
When the ears are drawn back by covering both ears and the nape of the neck with one hand, the whole head - not just the muzzle must give the impression of a wedge shape when viewed from above, being broadest at the base of the skull and, tapering gradually to the nose. There should be no indication of obvious cheeks or hollows beneath the eyes.
The wedge shape must not appear so heavy as to make the head look clumsy, nor so narrow as to appear fine or snipey.
From side showing definite stop;
When viewed in profile, the head should show a clearly defined stop. The stop (the bridge of the nose) should not be so weak as to be barely discernible and 'collie like' nor however, does this statement indicate that it should be so acute as to be a 90 degree angle.
Dark muzzle equal to length of flat skull. Neither coarse nor snipey. Nose black;
In order for the head to be correctly balanced, the length of the muzzle and that of the skull (the area from the stop to the occiput) must be equal. If the muzzle is too short the head will appear coarse, too long and it will look snipey. Therefore, the muzzle must be the same length as the skull, tapering out and widening gradually into the jaws, cleanly and smoothly to complete the desired wedge shape.
The skull should be relatively flat. A round skull or 'apple head', particularly when combined with a very abrupt stop, is highly undesirable.
The full depth of the muzzle should be a balance of two thirds upper jaw, and one third lower jaw, with the two of the same length giving a definite chin, which helps to give the essential expression of a Keeshond. The muzzle should be covered in dark, almost black hair, ending at the foreface in a semi-circle shape under each eye. The dark of the muzzle usually fades into a soft tapering line, up between the eyes and over the skull, between the ears.
The nose, like the eye rims and the lips, should be fully pigmented black.
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FAULTS
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Too broad or too narrow a skull.
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Too long or short a muzzle.
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Obvious cheeks or hollows beneath the eyes which would detract from the desired clean wedge shape.
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Rounded, domed skull.
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Lack of dark colouring on muzzle.
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Lack of pigmentation on the nose, lips or eye rims.
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The Breed Standard
Copyright © The Kennel Club
Reproduced with their permission
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The Illustrated Breed Standard
Copyright © The Keeshond Club
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Page Last Updated: February 2010
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