General Appearance and Conformation: The Keeshond is a handsome dog, of well balanced, short coupled body, attracting attention not only by his alert carriage and intelligent expression; but also by his luxurious coat, his richly plumed tail, well curled over his back and by his fox-like face and head will small neaatly pointed ears. His coat is very thick round the neck, fore part of the shoulders and clest, forming a lion-like mane. His rump and hindlegs, down to the hocks, are also thickly coated forming the characteristic "trousers." His head, ears and lower legs are covered with thick short hair.

Height: The ideal height of fully matured dogs (over two years old), measuring from the ground to the withers is for males, 18 inches; bitches, 17 inches.

Head: Expression is largely dependent on the distinctive characteristic called "spectacles" - a delicately pencilled line slanting slightly upward from the outer corner of each eye to the lower corner of the ear.

Skull: The head should be well proportioned to the body, wedge shaped when viewed from above. Head in profile should exhibit a definite stop.

Muzzle: The muzzle should be dark in colour and of medium length.

Teeth: Upper teeth should just overlap the lower teeth.

Eyes: Eyes should be dark brown in colour, of medium size rather oblique in shape and not set too wide apart.

Ears: Ears should be small, triangular in shape, high on head and carried erect; dark in colour and covered with thick velvety, short hair.

Body: Neck and Shoulders. The neck should be moderately long, well shaped and well set on shoulders.

Chest, Back and Loin: Body should be compact with a short straight back, sloping slightly downward toward the hindquarters;, well ribbed, barrel well rounded with moderate tuck up, deep and strong of chest.

Legs: Forelegs should be straight seen from any angle, and well feathered. Hindles should be heavily feathered down to the hocks, not below, with hocks only slightly bent. Legs must be of good bone and cream in colour.

Tail: Tail should be set on high, moderatelylong and well feathered, tightly curled over the back. Tip of tail should be black.

Coat: As described above.

Colour: A mixture of gray and black. Undercoat should be very pale gray or cream (not tawny). Hair of the outer coat is black tipped. Colour may vary from light to dark, but any pronounced deviation from the gray colour is not permissible. Plume of the tail should be very light gray when curled on back with tip black. Legs and feet should be cream. Ears should be very dark almost black.