German Spitz – the return of the watchful farm dog

Especially in rural areas, a German Spitz was omnipresent in ancient times as a domestic and farm dog and had a good view of its territory. Smaller Spitz were popular as lap dogs among the ladies. The popularity of the Spitz has declined so far in the recent past that it was declared an endangered pet breed in 2003. Maybe a German Spitz will find a new home with you?

Profile Deutscher Spitz

Spitz, watch out!

The Spitz is one of the oldest German domestic dog breeds, although its origins are not fully understood. There is evidence of Spitz-like dogs that lived together with humans as early as 4,000 years ago. Due to its wide distribution as a guard dog on farms and in petty bourgeois households, it also found its way into literature and painting. A German Spitz, who became very famous, is Wilhelm Busch’s widow Bolte’s loyal house dog, who is wrongly accused of stealing roast chicken by Max and Moritz. A German Spitz has the reputation of being a barker. In fact, the dogs are quite happy to bark; for a guard dog, making sounds is a desirable trait that cannot be reconciled with every neighbor today.

German Spitz Character

A natural mistrust, coupled with incorruptibility and loyalty is characteristic of the German Spitz character. This predestines him to be a watchdog who closely monitors his territory and reports suspicious incidents. A German Spitz reliably defends things entrusted to him. When he is not on his guard post, a German Spitz is a very friendly and affectionate, sometimes somewhat possessive dog that closes closely to its humans and likes to be petted. A German Spitz is generally considered child-friendly.

German Spitz Education and Keeping

With cheerful playfulness and docility, a German Spitz is a dog that absolutely needs a task. As a working guard dog, but also as a companion and family dog, he finds his place. With a lot of positive reinforcement and loving consistency, training is unproblematic and manageable even if you have little experience with dogs. For an animal-friendly German Spitz husbandry, you have to be weatherproof: The Spitz feels really comfortable outdoors, whether sun, rain or snow. He is an ideal companion for joggers, riders and cyclists. He is also enthusiastic about agility sports. Since the Spitz has only a weak hunting instinct, it does not tend to go its own way when forays through nature and is easy to retrieve. It is less suitable for intensive indoor keeping, especially since it is very keen to bark. Similar to the Poodle, the Spitz is available in different sizes from the Pomeranian to the Wolfspitz. The best-known variant is the Mittelspitz with a shoulder height of 34-38 cm and a weight of up to 10 kilos. Visually, the types do not differ, apart from their format.

German Spitz – Care

Surprisingly, the fluffy coat of the Spitz is not particularly maintenance-intensive. The hair is dirt-repellent, so occasional brushing is sufficient. In addition, a German Spitz is very clean and cleans itself. In terms of health, Spitz are also quite robust dogs.

Let yourself be inspired by other breeds from the Lace family:

• Eurasians: The Eurasier is an interesting choice for families looking for a warm, active and cuddly companion for their everyday life.
• Finnish Spitz: The Finnish Spitz cannot be overheard: it indicates visitors directly with loud barking. This makes it a reliable guard dog – but it can do much more:
• Icelandic Sheepdog: The Icelandic Dog is one of the rare dog breeds, but is finding more and more enthusiasts among dog lovers who are looking for an intelligent, active and affectionate companion.
• Japanese Spitz: Nihon Supittsu – that’s the name of the Japanese Spitz in its Far Eastern homeland. The elegant small dog has not been at home there for long, compared to time-honored traditional breeds.
• Quay: Once he hunted big game in the pack, today the Kai, or more correctly: Kai Inu or Tora Inu, is a dog that is one of the absolute exotics outside of Japan.
• Kleinspitz: The Spitz is one of the oldest German dog breeds, the Kleinspitz is one of its smallest representatives. However, you should not underestimate the handy companions.
• Samoyed: With its characteristic “smile”, the Samoyed inspires dog lovers all over the world. It was once used as a working dog and fluffy warmer by the Siberian nomadic peoples.