German Spitz - Elegance and charm in a canine breed
Under the name of German Spitz we have five separate races, but that the FCI has decided to put in the same standard with some differences between them, although what distinguishes them most is the size. We are going to focus on three, leaving aside the wolf and the pomerania.
- Weight: 2.5 to 22 kilos, depending on the variety
- Hair type: Long and smooth
- Character: affectionate, active and sociable
- Health: Very good
- Life expectancy: 12 to 14 years
Origins
It is no novelty that the origins of a race are not well defined and those of the German Spitz are no exception, although it is believed that it could descend from the dogs of the stone age.
These dogs were known as "Spitz of the lacustrine communities", so that it may be the oldest breed of what we now call Central Europe.
The German Spitz and the rest of its varieties such as the small, medium or large spitz are described as primitive dogs, as is the case with those that come from that can of the Lagos area.
The reason they are called that is because they look a lot like the wolf. They have the ears raised, the snout ends up and the tail always goes on the back. In Europe, all Spitz are of the breed that concerns us, with the exception of the Italian Volpino.
His popularity in the West is due to Queen Charlote, wife of Jorge III of England. With it the German Spitz arrived at the English court, becoming known in all the palaces.
Right now, outside Germany they are not very famous, except for the smallest race, called Pomerania Or Dwarf Spitz, because it has become a very appreciated company animal.
Main characteristics
The characteristics of these dogs, be it the medium spitz, the big spitz or the small German dog, which in this case would be the small spitz, they are the same in all cases. Only its size varies and also the colors available or your disposition.
One of its most characteristic parts is the head, because these dogs look like foxes. The stop (the area that joins the skull to the nose) is marked and the nose is round, very small.
His eyes are medium, oblique and dark. As for the ears, it takes them erect, put very high and are triangular like those of other primitive races, for example, the Shiba Inu.
If we look at it as a profile we will see that it is square, with a short and very strong back. The chest is deep and well muscular, while the tail is rolled on the back and is covered by a lot of hair, being another of its identity signs,
It has a mantle with two layers. The interior is dense, cuts and looks a lot like wool. The outside has longer and more separate hair.
The colors that are accepted are not the same in all varieties:
- Large Spitz: It can be black, white or brown.
- Medium Spitz: The same colors are accepted plus black with fire, orange, grayish, cream or saber cream.
- Small Spitz: It has the same tones as the median.
As for the height to the cross, the small variety measures around 26 cm; Those cm rise to 34 in the medium spitz and reach 46 in the big one.
German Spitz character
The temperament of the three varieties or sizes is very similar. These are happy dogs, very attached to their families and at the same time reserved with strangers, quite barking.
That can come well for us if we live in the field, because although they do not protect them, they put us on notice when they see something strange. However, if we are going to live with the German Spitz in the city, this must be taken into account.
With same -sex dogs they tend to be problematic, which does not happen with the pets of the house, to which the German Spitz considers his family.
You have to work in order to tolerate dogs outside, affecting socialization since they are very puppies.
If we have young children at home it is better to look for another race, because they do not endure the ill -treatment to which the most young are subjected to them. In fact, they usually react badly to this situation, bite if they feel they are mistreated.
Another thing is that we talk about older children, who exceed 10 years. In this case, they will become inseparable playmates.
Care
Hair is what will give us the most work, especially in the big Spitz, which is the one with a major mantle.
In fact, it is recommended to comb it every day in order not to take over. At the time of the mute it should be done until twice on the same day, otherwise the house will be filled with hairs.
They adapt very well to life on the floors, especially the small Spitz. For the medium and large German Spitz it is better to have a garden, even if it is not large.
They will ask us to walk, plus the two more size varieties And all, regardless of their elevation, have a problem with heat. For the wool blanket they have as a subpelo, heat is not the best for them.
We will take this in mind, because if we live in an area with very hot summers it is possible that it is not the best race in our case.
Feeding
Their food needs differ a lot and are consistent with the size of the German Spitz that we have at home.
If we decided on the little one, you have to buy a specific feed for mini breeds. The reason is that the "normal" feed have a croquette too big and hard for the mouth of the mini dogs, let's not say if they are puppies.
The medium and the big can eat specific feed, although they will not have problems when breaking any type of croquette.
We will acquire a premium feed, with a good composition in which the main part is meat and not by -products. Here, it is possible that in the case of the small Spitz you have to try several brands until the ideal.
For his hair, it would be convenient to give him some supplement. If we see that with dog food your mantle does not shine, we can add a stream of olive oil to your food several times a week.
Another option is to look for a brand that supplements its formula with oils or even move on to one of those feed that are done alone of fish, they will have a high content of fatty acids.
German Spitz Health
The health of the German Spitz is very good and that is no accident. This comes from the same moment in which the standard was written, as no exaggerated feature was reflected in it, as if it happens with other races.
In fact, they look like foxes, an aspect in which the functionality on aesthetics has prevailed.
Yes, there are some problems, but not typical of the race, but of that type that can suffer any dog, even the mestizos.
One of them is Rotula dislocation, a disease that is named in almost all races. It is more common in the miniature Spitz, although it can be given in the medium and the big one.
The mouth causes problems in the small Spitz
Everyone, perhaps the most delicate is the small Spitz. In fact, their mouth can be a source of problems, starting with retained teeth when they start moving.
Another disease has to do with The early loss of dental pieces. This happens to small breeds, although you can get teeth more with periodic cleaning in the veterinarian.
They are not oblivious to hip dysplasia
It looks like a curse of all medium and large races, so The German Spitz of these sizes can also suffer hip dysplasia.
It is true that because of their morphology the possibilities are lower than those that have other races, such as the German shepherd, but we always have that risk there.
The best way to avoid it is to ask for evidence of parents when we buy a copy. Both must be free of dysplasia and if possible we will ask for the certificates of the grandparents as well.
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