Keeshond vs Samoyed
Side by side
Keeshond
Samoyed
Adult weight
16–20 kg (35–45 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 20–29 kg (45–65 lb); females 16–23 kg (35–50 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
Males 43–55 cm; females 43–55 cm3
Males 53.3–59.7 cm; females 48.3–53.3 cm (breed club figure)2
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes5
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Daily brushing
A brush once a week
Exercise
A moderate amount
Plenty
Class
Family
Family
Which suits you
Size
The Samoyed is a little larger on average: about 22 kg (49 lb) as an adult, against 18 kg (40 lb) for the Keeshond.
Grooming
The Keeshond needs more grooming, daily brushing, where the Samoyed needs a brush once a week.
Exercise
Plan for plenty of exercise with the Samoyed, and a moderate amount with the Keeshond.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Keeshond: keen to work with you; Samoyed: cooperative, with its own ideas) and on handler demand (Keeshond: suits a first-time owner; Samoyed: needs steady training).
Alike
Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Keeshond
Spitz & primitive · Medium
The Keeshond is friendly, lively and outgoing, and is closely attached to its household. It is quick to bark at visitors but is not aggressive.
Samoyed
Spitz & primitive · Medium
In temperament the Samoyed is friendly, gentle and sociable. It tends to greet strangers with interest rather than suspicion, so it makes a poor guard dog.
Breed traits
Day to day
Keeshond
Samoyed
Activity
Differs
A good daily walk and play
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Suits a first-time owner
Needs steady training
With people
Keeshond
Samoyed
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Keeshond
Samoyed
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Very vocal
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Usually fine with small pets
Chases; needs managing
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Samoyed grows to the heavier adult, about 23 kg against the Keeshond's 18 kg.
Keeshond
Samoyed
More comparisons
Compare the Keeshond with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Keeshond breed page. ↑
- 2American Kennel Club. Samoyed breed page. ↑
- 3
- 4
- 5Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 6
- 7Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 8Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 9American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 10
Parts of this page were written by AI ·