A charming fluffy dog with a sharp mind, distinguished by a carefree cheerful disposition and able to become a great friend and companion. These are all the features of the breed of Spitz. It turns out that its variations are not so few. It will be about some of them.
Possible options
Subspecies of the breed are:
- German Spitz
- Wolspitz;
- Kleinspitz;
- Japanese;
- Finnish;
- American Eskimo;
- Italian volpino;
- Pomeranian.
Consider the most popular types of breed Spitz. Features of the character, care and maintenance of the dog will also be presented.
A bit of history
The oldest mention of the breed dates back to Ancient Greece and Egypt. In these countries, images and descriptions of Spitz were preserved. The origins of most modern varieties of these dogs are in the north: in Siberia, the Arctic, and Switzerland.
In the 15th century, in the province of Pomerania, a miniature version of the breed appeared - miniature spitz. In 1450, a dwarf spitzunda was introduced, which weighed 9 kg. Nevertheless, breeders continued to work to reduce the size of the Spitz.
Finally, in the 18th century, the Spitz appeared of the sizes that we know. It is this version of the breed that has found the greatest distribution.
England became the birthplace of the breed. Queen Victoria took an active part in the process of its creation. Nowadays, a dog is called a "German Spitz." There are several different variations of the breed depending on the size:
- Large (Wolfspitz) - 50 cm at the withers.
- Medium (mittelspitz) - 40 cm at the withers. It is also sometimes called German. This also includes Japanese, Finnish, Eskimo and American.
- Small (Kleinspitz) - up to 29 cm.
- Pomeranian - up to 22 cm. Its variations are also "fox", "teddy bear", "baby dollars", although not officially registered.
Wolfspitz
The breed appeared in the 16th century, and at first wolfspitz were used as watchmen and on hunting. They were also taken with them by sailors, so they began to call dogs “barge”.
Wolfspitz (Keeshond) - the largest of the Spitz. Its height reaches 40-55 cm, weight - up to 30 kg. This is a cute domestic dog. The color of her coat is black and white, with gray areas like a wolf. Sometimes for this feature the dog is called the “Dutch Wolf Spitz”.
Keeshond’s body is dense, short, ears are triangular, legs are short, muzzle is “fox”, tail is bent by a ring, hair is fluffy long, on hind legs are “panties”. A dog lives 14-18 years old.
Dog temper
Wolfspitz is energetic, confident, cheerful, active by nature. The peculiarity of the Spitz-Keeshond breed is the ability to subtly feel the mood of a person, which is often used in psychotherapeutic practice in the treatment of depression.
These dogs are very loyal, get along well with all family members, however, are wary of strangers. Their training takes place without problems, because the dog is smart and smart. According to many owners, this is exactly what their Spitz is.
Features of the breed and grooming consist in regular combing of the dog’s hair. Wolfspitz can live in an apartment, and in a private house, if necessary, will become a guard.
German Spitz
The standard of this breed was approved by FCI in 2013. The dog resembles a fur ball. If you look closely, you can see:
- A wide head of medium size, a narrow nose with a small lobe of black or brown.
- The eyes are round, slanting.
- Upright triangular ears.
- Strong bones, muscular limbs.
- A fluffy tail bent into a ring, tight to the back.
- Long coat with thick undercoat. The collar resembles the mane of a lion.
Character Features
The main distinguishing feature of the breed is the sharp mind of the dog. Therefore, Spitz can be trained, they quickly memorize commands and obey the owner.
A pet balanced, devoted to his family, a great friend. He feels the mood of the owner, can adapt to it.
This dog is very playful, kind, active. Even in adulthood, excitement and gaiety do not leave her. These are the main features of the breed.
German Spitz can get along with children. But you need to ensure that the child does not injure the dog. Spitz are good companions, they feel comfortable in human society.
Raising a dog of this breed, it is worthwhile to show affection for her, but in no case not rudeness. Pets have a subtle psyche, and they remember their attitude to themselves.
Outsiders are often mistrustful. Oriented to their master, devoted, go after the owner in the apartment.
Spitz is bold and decisive, feels like a big dog and can start a fight with other dogs, so it is important for the owner to follow him for a walk.
Japanese
Like all other Spitz, the breed features of which we are considering, Japanese is a cheerful and cheerful dog.
Description of appearance:
- The head is wide, lips are thin, the muzzle is “fox”, the nose is black.
- The eyes are black, slanting.
- The ears are triangular, small.
- The limbs are straight.
- The tail is high, pressed to the back. By standard, it should not twist into a ring.
- The coat of the dog is luxurious, snow-white.
These are the external features of the breed of dog Spitz.
Another distinguishing feature is “laconicism”. If the Spitz is noisy and cowardly, this is considered a serious flaw. Such representatives are rejected by breeders. Behind the scenes, the Japanese Spitz is called the "Silent Asian Dog."
By nature, the pet is attached to the owner and loves to "communicate" with him, gets along with children and elderly family members. The dog does not like to be alone, so you should not leave it alone for a long time, otherwise the dog may begin to experience real depression. These are the features of the breed.
Japanese Spitz will fill the house with endless positive, get along with other animals.
The dog of this subspecies requires regular grooming, which consists in combing, bathing, cutting, clipping claws, hygiene of the mouth, ears, eyes. For washing use shampoos for long-haired breeds, then apply balms against tangling of wool. You need to comb the chic spitz wool with a massage brush with long teeth.
Kleinspitz
The breed is also called German Small Spitz. This is a small dog with the same fox face and fluffy fur coat. She, like all Spitz, is energetic, active and attached to the owner.
Individual Standards:
- Growth up to 29 cm at the withers, weight - 5-10 kg.
- The head is wedge-shaped, the muzzle is small, with a round nose of a dark color.
- Triangular small ears.
- The eyes are small oval.
- The neck is short, covered with long hair, like the mane of a lion.
- Paws are straight, straight.
- Color can be different - white, brown, red and other shades.
- The coat is thick, long, with a dense shade.
Character
This dog belongs to the decorative, it is not intended for hunting or protection. However, you should not take the dog only as a soft toy. Kleinspitz are distinguished by a brave disposition and are able to fend for themselves.
The dog is cheerful and agile, loves games and entertainment. Kleins love their owners and need their attention. If they do not get it, they can become vicious and vengeful.
Like other spitz dogs, a miniature one needs regular hair care and combing, especially during molting. Often it’s not worth bathing the dogs, enough once a month. It is better to clean the coat with dry shampoo. The claws of the animal must be sheared, avoiding excessive regrowth.
Pomeranian Spitz
This is a dwarf dog for decorative purposes. Description of the breed:
- A small head, with a clearly defined stop on the muzzle.
- The nose is small, black or dark brown.
- The ears are triangular, closely spaced. From birth, puppies are hanging, they rise as they grow.
- The eyes are small, dark, slanting, oval. The look is mischievous, the muzzle as a whole resembles a fox.
- The tail is of medium length, bent into a ring, lies on its back.
- The orange coat has a long straight, the undercoat is thick and dense. Color is different.
Breed features
Spitz-orange is distinguished by the following features:
- The pet is suitable for adult conscious people, the dog will become for them a great companion and friend. Breeders categorically do not recommend having such a dog for families with children. This is due to the activity and playfulness of the dog, because of which he can be damaged by the guys.
- Possesses guard manners, informs the arrival of the guest with a voiced bark.
- Not suitable for enclosure. The best places for an orange will be a city apartment or a country house.
- The dog needs regular grooming, walking, outdoor activities. Before you start an orange, it is worth assessing your physical capabilities. The pet needs to arrange daily long walks with a good load.
- His barking can bother not only the owners, but also their neighbors. This is worth remembering, knowing the true nature of the Spitz.
- The features of this breed are the possible manifestation of stubbornness and dominance.
- The dog is not suitable for beginner lovers of tetrapods.
Orange character
The owners of these furry doggies celebrate their good nature and curiosity. This pet will not allow its owner to lie quietly on the couch. He prefers active games, and a walk in the fresh air will bring him a lot of pleasure. Do not deprive the pet of such joy. We continue to study the features of the breed and its contents.
Pomeranian gets along well with the owner, adapting to him and his lifestyle. The dog will not wake up in the morning. Pomeranians are attached to the family where they live. They will sincerely rejoice at the owner who has returned from work and will always be with him.
Owners often note the voiced barking of pets at any rustle. This dog is a great watchman who can scare away uninvited guests.
Pomeranian, the characteristics of the breed and the nature of which we are analyzing, loves to play with children. But to start a dog is already a grown child.
Spitz treats strangers with restraint, may bark passers-by. She gets along well with other animals in the house, but she is not safe from the manifestation of hunting instincts.
Separately, it is worth mentioning such variations of the Pomeranian spitz-dog as “baby dollars” and “teddy bear”. Breeders consider these subtypes unofficial and more likely to spoil the breed, as they violate accepted standards. However, puppies of these variations are becoming increasingly popular these days. From the classical oranges the “bearish” type is distinguished by a rounder flattened muzzle and a look resembling a teddy bear.
As for the “baby dollars,” it is now difficult to say whether their appearance was caused by a breed marriage or a commercial move. But the desire to bring out a too miniature dog led to the fact that oranges began to appear with a height of no higher than 18 cm and with a muzzle of no more than 1 cm. And the popularity of such dogs is only growing.
Owner opinions
Without exception, all Spitz owners note the dog's mobility and energy. This furry friend turns the life of any person into a sea of joy and positive. Caring for a dog of the breed presented (any options) will not become burdensome. Spitz does not spoil household items and furniture. Children from him are simply delighted.
So, we examined the main variations of the breed of Spitz. Features of the content and care of the dog were also presented in the article. We hope you find this information useful.