Keeshond Christmas party at Someron Koirametsä dog forest
The Keeshond Christmas party was held at Someron Koirametsä dog forest for the second year in a row, so we might soon be able to call it an annual tradition. Last year Somero was already a convenient distance for many participants, so it was chosen as the location again this year.
At the Keeshond Christmas party you always meet new Keeshond families and hear different stories about their everyday life. The event is very informal, and the main focus is of course simply watching the fluffy dogs enjoy themselves and have fun together. There is always enough time reserved to grill sausages over the campfire, and warm mulled drink has also been available. Both years the Finnish Keeshond Association has supported the event by reimbursing the organiser for the dog forest rental afterwards, and the event has also been promoted on the association’s event pages.
Keeshond Christmas party at Someron Koirametsä brought together families from around Finland
This year people came at least from the Pirkanmaa, Satakunta, Uusimaa, Kanta-Häme and Southwest Finland regions, including the Turku area. There were nine Keeshonds in total, two females and the rest males. As with all breeds, each dog is an individual, but with Keeshonds we’ve never had problems with strange males not getting along. Of course, you always need to stay aware in case a scuffle does break out between dogs.
Keeshonds usually like to stay close to their own families, and often if the people are not walking in the forest, the Keeshonds also tend to romp around in the same area. In that sense, Keeshonds are very good at motivating their humans to keep moving! A few independent adventurers can always be found too, happily sniffing around the many interesting scents of the dog forest. Even these explorers will regularly return to check whether the snacks have already been opened, and at that point they tend to stay very close by.
Towards the end of the event there was also the chance to have your Keeshond photographed, either with Christmas-themed props or simply in the snowy scenery. The photo session is intentionally scheduled for the end, by then the four-legged participants have usually burned off most of their energy and may be able to stay still for a brief moment.
Usually dogs of other breeds from the same household are also welcome at the event. However, this year that detail wasn’t remembered in the announcement, so the ground shook only under the paws of Keeshonds. I personally enjoy walking in the forest a lot. Sometimes it’s just our own group of three males, but everything is much livelier when there are friends around. I often message friends to see if someone could join, and then the group is happily a mix of different breeds.
The Keeshond is a cheerful and active family dog
Seven years ago, when we started thinking about getting our first dog, we went to see several different breeds. My husband’s opinion was that if we were getting a dog, it had to be “dog-sized”. We visited two different homes to meet Keeshonds and, after also reading the breed description on the association’s website, the decision was easy. I haven’t regretted the choice for a single day, and as it turns out, it’s very easy to end up with more than one Keeshond in the same household!
With our own Keeshonds we take part in dog shows with all of them, and with one of them we also train rally obedience. We’ve also tried tracking (the blood tracking trial for hunting dogs) a few times. In general, Keeshonds make versatile hobby dogs thanks to their willingness to please and quick learning. But as the Finnish Keeshond Association’s breed description also notes, they can get bored if the same exercises are repeated too many times. I’ve noticed this clearly in rally obedience, you shouldn’t repeat the same thing too often, or the motivation fades.
We’ve also done a lot of travelling as a family, always with the dogs along, and they are wonderful travel companions. As long as their own people are nearby, changing scenery and accommodation from day to day doesn’t bother them at all. Norway has been our family favourite for several years now, and our trio has always come along without any problems. The fluffy crew has also joined us on every winter skiing holiday.
Text and photos: Johanna Karonen
In the Dog visitors’ stories series, we share heartwarming and fun stories from visitors to Someron Koirametsä. Feel free to get in touch if you’d like to share your dog’s adventures in the dog forest!
