Keeshond vs Chorkie - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Chorkie is a very popular little dog but he is not a purebred. The Chorkie was developed by crossing the Yorkshire Terrier with the Chihuahua. Probably the most popular Chorkie ever was the Taco Bell dog in the 1990s. This hybrid is a young breed created in the late 1900’s. These small, toy dogs are great lapdogs. It’s not possible to know the exact heritage of the Chorkies but the initial crossing of the two breeds occurred in the early part of the 20th century.

The Chorkie makes a great indoor pet best suited for the single or elderly person. Not because the Chorkie does not like children but because they are so small they can be easily injured by children. They are continuing to grow in popularity all the time among those who enjoy the new designer dogs.

Keeshond is the term used for German Spitzes and although many American references have it that the Keeshond originated in the Netherlands, some say the dog originated in Germany and is a member of the German Spitz family.

The Club for German Spitzes was founded in 1899. The Nederlandse Keeshond Club was formed in 1924. The Keeshond is also referred to as ‘The Smiling Dutchman’.

It was in the 17th and 18th centuries that the Keeshond was used greatly as a watchdog, appearing in England in the late 1800s, but after the turn of the 20th century, Mrs. Wingfield Digby of Dorset, England and Mrs. Alice Gatacre, a Dutch breed authority, living in England, stirred interest in the breed with their kennels.

An English breed Club was formed in 1926, and the first Keeshond was registered with The American Kennel Club in 1930.

As mentioned previously the Chorkie is a mix between the Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie) and the Chihuahua. They Tend to look more like the terrier than the Chi with a small head carried high on a well-proportioned body, with the long silky hair of the Yorkie. Their head carried the shape of the Chihuahua. Like the Chihuahua, they have mostly pointed ears although some Chorkies have droopy ears. The Chorkie coat is silky, long, and can be in a variety of colors. The ears are either fringed like the Yorkie or smooth like the Chihuahua.

The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog and a member of the Spitz group of dogs. He stands at 43 – 48cm in height and weighs 14 – 18kg.

He has a 2-layered, dense coat which is fairly long, straight and coarse and colors are grey, silver, black and cream. His undercoat is a very light cream color. He has erect ears, a fairly shop muzzle and a feathery, plumed tail which curves over his back.

The hair on his legs is fairly short accompanied with some feathering. A typical marking-feature of the Keeshond is the dark line which runs from the outer corner of each eye to the lower corner of each ear. It's what gives the dog his well known keeshond expression. The eyes of the dog are dark brown.

Temperament:

The Keeshond, just like other Spitz dogs, are playful, affectionate, friendly and eager to please. He is intelligent too and will respond well to training and socialization.

He makes a wonderful family pet as he is friendly and playful with children, loving all their games. He gets on well with other pets too. He is a social dog, thriving on being with his human family, wanting to participate in all family activities.

They are sensitive, loving pets and become very attached to their owners. They have even been used as comfort dogs in rescue situations, as they bond so well with people.

He makes a good watchdog too with his loud bark which he uses to deter intruders. He may well be a good watch- and guard dog but he isn't an aggressive dog.

Remember that the Chorkie is a cross breed and not a purebred. Its temperament is that of a mixed breed dog which is usually laid back and mellow. The Chorkie might bark a lot as both the Yorkshire and the Chihuahua are known to bark. It can carry the traits of either or both of its parents.

The Chorkie is a great lap dog though he can be stubborn and wear their owner out with all their energy. They are playful and willful and need strong leadership despite their small size. They will bark at anything they find to be suspicious. Despite their size they are highly intelligent and very loyal, affectionate dogs. They love their people and will not like it if you leave them alone very often. They are quite brave to the point of being reckless and can be aggressive toward dogs a lot bigger than they are. Due to their courage and their barking they are great family dogs.

The Keeshond, with his thick double coat, loves to be outdoors in cool weather. He won't be there too long however, because he will be missing his human family. He is such a social dog, craving human company and therefore isn't a dog to be put out in the backyard and left day after day.

He loves games and being totally involved with his human family. Look after your Keeshond well – he is a companion dog - and you will find him to be a most exceptional friend of yours.

Chorkies can have any of the health issues of any toy dog but they are known to be prone to allergies and skin issues. They are susceptible to injury from children or rough play including possible tracheal collapse.

With good food, fresh water, exercise and lots of interaction with your Keeshond, he can reach 12 to 14 years of age.

No matter how healthy your dog is, he can still get ill, but the chances are less likely when he is feed nutritionally. Nonetheless look out for hip dysplasia, bloat, ear infections, skin rashes and eye diseases.

Cataract:

This is a problem in the lens of the eye. Your dog has a cloudy look to the eye. A cataract can occur when the cells are damaged. A disease such as diabetes can also cause a cataract and high blood sugar levels can change the metabolism of the cells in the lens.

The lens should be crystal clear, but with a cataract, the vision of the dog is obscured. It can cause blindness. Thankfully, cataracts aren't painful and most times dogs with cataracts can still see. There is the option of surgery to remove them too.

Feeding

These small dogs have a lot of energy and need to eat a food that is high in quality calories. No empty calories for these guys. Feed them at least twice a day and no more than a fourth of a cup of dry food for the entire day. They can become overweight easily so do not overfeed.

Health issues

Additional health issues might include knee cap dislocation leading to arthritis or lameness and a tendency to develop low blood sugar.

Exercise and games

Again, these are high energy little dogs. They need to be exercised or at least have brisk play inside the house. They excel at competitive games such as barn hunt, agility and obedience.

Grooming:

With his double coat, your Keeshond will need regular brushing to get rid of all those loose hairs. He is a dog which doesn't have that typical dog odor about him so bathing him is discouraged. Too much bathing irritates a dog's skin and dries it out.

Check the inside of his mouth and make sure that his teeth are in a healthy state. If you are unsure, speak to your vet about dental hygiene as bad teeth won't only cause pain and discomfort for your pet, the teeth can affect his immune system and other body parts.

Check his claws too and have them cut when they become too long. When they are long they can hook on things and injure the sensitive area of the paws.

Exercise:

The Keeshond is a sturdy dog, loving all the activities and games that his family are involved in. He will love to be your walking companion and looks forward to his walk every day.

He is such a playful, adventurous dog and is always willing to join you in new games. Never put him in your back garden and forget about him, as this will make him ill and depressed. He must be part of the family to be healthy and happy and relies on you to include him in all your activities. He can live in the city or the countryside but will require being exercised wherever he is.

Diet:

Top quality dry kibble will work for your Keeshond. If you want to keep him bright eyed and bushy tailed, mix in some quality home-made food too such as cooked chicken, rice and vegetables. You can also try to sometimes include a little bit of raw meat as well.

He is an active dog and will need a diet high in protein. Also, his thick coat needs to be maintained, and apart from regular brushing, look for quality dog foods that have Omega-3 fatty acids in them so as to maintain the skin and coat of the dog. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.