German Spitz

Temperament:

Attentive, Lively, Devoted
Size: Small
Height: 30-46 cm
Weight: 7-18 kg
Lifespan: 13-15 years
Coat: Longhair
Colors: Black, Brown, White, Orange, Grey clouds
FCI Group: Spitz and primitive types

The German Spitz is a popular guard and companion dog. The breed is suitable for families with children as well as for singles and senior citizens. Thanks to its distrust of strangers, the Spitz also scores highly as a guard dog.

German Spitz
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Characteristics

The German Spitz was long regarded as the descendant of the Stone Age turf dog. It is one of the oldest dog breeds in Central Europe. The breed is recognized by the FCI and is classified in FCI Group 5 (Spitz and primitive type dogs).

Long, straight outer coat and a cotton-like undercoat characterize the coat of the German Spitz. The colors of the Spitz are black, brown, white, orange and gray. Other colors are quite common and not uncommon.

These attentive and lively pedigree dogs are very affectionate. Due to its lack of hunting instinct and distrust of strangers, the German Spitz is well suited as a house and yard dog.

The German Spitz is particularly popular because of its docile behavior. With its eagerness to learn and intelligence, the Spitz fits into the family without any problems. The German Spitz is an ideal everyday companion for singles and seniors. As these animals are neither fearful nor aggressive, they can be kept in both rural and urban environments without any problems.

At first glance, the German Spitz impresses with its cheeky appearance. The lively eyes and fox-like head already indicate that the animals of this breed are very curious and lively. The animals learn correspondingly quickly. They are happy to adapt to the circumstances of their own accord. Their goal is to please "their human". This makes handling the German Spitz very pleasant.

When training the German Spitz, it is very important to constantly offer the animal new input. The animal learns basic things very quickly. That's why it's easy to teach it little tricks.

As a house and yard dog, the Spitz is naturally characterized by its alertness and distrust of strangers. It is also well suited as a guard dog, as it is considered to be very robust and insensitive to the weather. The Spitz is not afraid, yet it is quite peaceful and aggressive behavior is alien to it.

Sufficient exercise and targeted activity are important components of keeping a Spitz. If the Spitz is mentally challenged, it blossoms and is very balanced. The breed can be kept indoors without any problems. However, varied walks should be on the agenda. Agility is also recommended with the Spitz.

It is ideal for Spitz dogs if they are allowed to accompany "their" humans. If this is not always possible, this is not a problem. The Spitz can cope with shorter periods of time alone at home without stress. Single people and senior citizens should get their Spitz used to a few other caregivers early on. This can be very important in the event of illness or when traveling.

Coat care:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Shedding:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Energy level:

Little
Medium
High

Trainability:

Little
Medium
Good

Children suitable:

Less
With supervision
Perfect

The right food

When choosing food, make sure that it contains high-quality ingredients, is balanced and meets your dog's requirements. Age, size or weight, activity and health status play an important role. You should follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the amount of food.

Treats should only be fed in moderation and deducted from the basic diet to avoid obesity.

Puppies can be fed 4-6 times a day. The number of meals should be gradually reduced to 2 per day until the dog is fully grown.

The problem with the German Spitz is that it is very cunning. Care must therefore be taken to ensure that the food is not freely accessible.

It is also a challenge for all Spitz owners not to give the German Spitz anything from the table. If the owner is not consistent, the dog quickly learns to beg. It is also not uncommon for the Spitz to try to get its food by playing tricks. For the sake of your dog's health, make sure that he does not get any leftovers.

Health & Care

The German Spitz is also undemanding when it comes to grooming. Of course, regular brushing of the coat is important. It makes sense to use a Fulminator during the shedding period. This makes it easy to thin out the undercoat. This is pleasant for the animal and also ensures that less hair is spread around the home and on clothing.

The breed's fluffy coat is dirt-repellent and the Spitz itself is very clean and cleans itself a lot. That's why it's usually enough to simply brush it.

Of course, you should also check the eyes and ears regularly. You can carefully remove any dirt that may have accumulated. In summer, there is also the search for ticks. When the lively Spitz roams through tall grass, the risk of tick bites is quite high. As its fluffy coat makes it difficult to spot, you should actively search for ticks. The Spitz usually likes to be touched.

Thanks to its robust health, further care requirements are limited. The usual worming and vaccinations are often sufficient to keep the Spitz fit into old age. However, anyone who is interested in a Spitz should be aware that the animals usually reach an age of 15 years or more. With increasing age, the amount of care required can of course increase somewhat.

Suitable accessories

As a playful contemporary, the German Spitz naturally needs a good harness and a suitable lead. It is important that the harness fits well.

Toys for small dogs are ideal for keeping your Spitz occupied. Basically, small balls, branches and the like can be easily incorporated into the training.

You don't need to worry about the cold with the Spitz. Its fluffy coat and cotton-like undercoat keep it warm in winter. However, a cooling mat can be a welcome refreshment in the hot summer.

Other accessories that your German Spitz needs are a sleeping basket or mat as a retreat, food and water bowl, tick tweezers, claw clippers, brush and comb, transport box for transportation in the car.

Pomeranian Spitz

Origin & History

The origins of the German Spitz have not yet been clearly established. It is assumed that the Spitz is descended from the prehistoric turf dog. However, this has not yet been proven.

However, there is clear evidence that the Spitz was widespread in the Middle Ages. Animals of this breed were bred throughout Europe and spread as far as Asia. Until well into the 19th century, the Spitz was one of the most popular dog breeds, not least because of its loyalty. The Spitz was mostly used as a house and farm dog to guard the estate.

The small, agile dog was bred early on as a family and guard dog. During breeding, care was taken to reinforce the positive character traits. This resulted in the Spitz character that is considered typical today.

With increasing industrialization, the spread of the Spitz became much less common in the 19th century. More and more people moved to the cities and no longer needed a pet dog. During the Second World War, the Spitz regained popularity as it was considered very robust and frugal.

The wolf spitz was very popular with the English kings, among others. Among others, the animals were kept at the court of George III and George IV. Other historically important personalities were also fond of the Spitz. Among those who loved the breed were: Pastor Sebastian Kneipp, Martin Luther and Amadeus Mozart.

The Spitz even made its way into literature through Wilhelm Busch, where it plays an important role in the stories of Max and Moritz.