Neahond

Due to the fact that the Neahond is such a new breed, they do not yet have a history to share. Therefore, it is important to look at the histories of the parent breeds. The Keeshond came from the Netherlands in the 1700s from the Samoyed, Pomeranian, Norwegian Elkhound, Finnish Spitz, and the Chow Chow. They used to be known as the Dutch Barge Dog because they typically were used to guard canal barges as well as family farms. The breed got the name Keeshond from the Dutch Patriot leader named Kees de Gyselaer and his dog, Kees. He was called the “dog of the people” at the time. However, when the party was overrun by the opposition, many of these dogs were destroyed. Luckily, a woman named Mrs. Wingfield-Digby introduced the breed to the United Kingdom, where they became popular. The Keeshond was then accepted by the American Kennel Club in 1930 and became the 92^nd most popular breed of dog in the United States. The Mastiff is one of the most ancient breeds and the Neapolitan Mastiff has been around since ancient times. The records date back to the 15^th century when these massive dogs were found guarding and protecting temples and other structures in Rome. They descended from the Roman War dog and British Mastiff in Italy and were known as “big dogs for small men” due to their size and protectiveness. These giants made imposing looking guard dogs but they were found to be loving and gentle with people and quickly became popular as companion pets. They were acknowledged in 2004 by the American Kennel Club where they became the 99^th most popular dog breed.