These dogs are known for their love of humans. They form extremely strong bonds with their families and love to be the centre of attention. However, because they love their owners so much, they don't like to be left by themselves for too long as it can lead to them developing separation anxiety. This can result in destructive behaviours meaning someone will need to be in the house with them for most of the day. They get on tremendously well with children, dogs, cats and other animals and these dogs are sometimes referred to as 'smiling dutchman' as they are rarely seen without a smile on their face. They are a great choice for first-time owners as they are so easy to train.

Keeshonds are thought to have been created in the Arctic during the 18th century, similar to lots of other Spitz-type dogs. Many legends surrounding the breed discuss how the dog appeared on the shores of Friesland, after a Viking Ship got lost, off the coast of Holland. It's discussed that all the crew on the ship died, apart from the Chieftain's son and his dog who were rescued by a fisherman. The story led many to believe that having a dog on-board a shop would bring you good luck and it soon became custom on most ships. However, the breed is most well-known for their excellent herding abilities and providing excellent companionship to their owners. It's thought the breed went on to be developed in many European countries and were crossed with Spitz-like dogs. The breed was also used in a rebellion against William of Orange in the late 1700s and used as mascots, however, the failure of the rebellion led to many dogs being destroyed to avoid association with what had happened. It then took hundreds and hundreds of years to bring the breed back into prosperity, but the breed found itself falling once again due to WW1 and 2. Fortunately, they were just about saved and are now a fairly popular breed across a lot of the world.