The Miniature German Spitz are usually classified as either a utility breed or a toy breed. This breed is a compact dog that has a head that looks similar to a fox. It has a dense coat with a tail that tends to curl over its back. The miniature German Spitz looks similar in appearance to a small Chow. The Spitz does have less ruff at the neck and it has more of a fox like head than the Chow.
Archaeological discoveries have dated the German Spitz to dogs of similar structure that lived during the Stone Age. Throughout German history, the German Spitz has always been divided into five different sizes. All of these size classifications are still found in Germany today. Technically, they are considered separate breeds but they are considered to be part of the same family by the FCI. The most common sizes found in the USA and Britain are the Pomeranian and the Keeshond. In Australia, only the standard size German Spitz is allowed in their dog shows.
The AKC recognizes the various Spitz varieties as separate breeds. The FCI makes a separation of the variations based on size and color, with the exception of one variation.
The Spitz breed has a coat that is referred to as a stand off coat. This means that the individual hairs do not lie flat against the body. Instead, they stand away from the body. The ears of the miniature German Spitz is held in an upright position. The tail is curled over the back of the dog. The life expectancy of the Miniature German Spitz is between 14 – 15 years. This breed is recognized by the APRI, FCI, ACR, and ANKC.
Appearance
The Miniature German Spitz has a small fox fox like face. The rest of its body is more fluffy even though the fur is quite thick. This breed has triangular ears. Some have described this dog as having an appearance like a lion because the hair around the neck is thicker than the rest of the body. Its upper coat is smooth and straight. It has a woolly base of fur underneath its upper coat. In most circumstances the tail will curl over its back and it tends to lie flat. The Miniature German Spitz comes in a number of different colors. Some of these colors include blue, brown, black, orange, white and others. Most of these dogs tend to be black and gold. This breed has small feet that has hair between the toes. The eyes are proportionally large.
The average height of the Miniature German Spitz is between 9 – 11 inches. The average weight of the this breed is between 18 – 22 pounds.
Personality
The Miniature German Spitz is a happy and alert dog. They can also be described as being buoyant and watchful. The German Spitz has proven to be a good watchdog. This breed gives the appearance of always smiling or laughing. The German Spitz are very good at jumping. They are known for standing on their hind legs to get the attention of others. This breed thrives on a lot of human interaction. They enjoy pleasing their owner and their family members.
Most small German Spitz dogs are reserved around people they dont know and they have a tendency to bark a lot. It is important to teach this breed of dog that while it is okay to bark a few times when strangers arrive but then they should be quiet. It will be necessary to give this breed consistent training. Without consistent training, their demanding side may manifest itself. This breed tends not to listen unless they are taught and they learn that their owner is in charge. Generally speaking, the German Spitz is not recommended for young children. Children tend to make the German Spitz nervous if they are given too much attention. On the other hand, this breed makes a good companion for elderly people. They also do quite well in the show ring. The miniature German Spitz should be confident and level headed. They should never be aggressive.
Care
The Miniature German Spitz requires regular grooming and maintenance. They should be brushed on a regular basis to prevent its fur from matting. Many dogs of this breed do not enjoy being groomed. They should be taught to remain still while they are being groomed. Otherwise, grooming can be very difficult and time consuming. The Miniature German Spitz can do quite well living in an apartment. If they have a small fenced in yard, that will be even better for them. Make sure you take the Spitz on a daily walk or a daily jog. They need consistent exercise.
History
The Miniature German Spitz is one of the three different varieties of the German Spitz. The other two are the Giant or Grossspitz and the standard or the Mittlespitz. German Spitz are considered to be the oldest breed in Central Europe as literature and documents that pertains to the breed dates back to 1450. It was believed that this breed is the descendant of the ancient spitzen that existed during the Stone Age.
The German Spitz is thought to have descended directly from the Samoyed or the Lapphund. These profusely coated Nordic breeds were brought by the Vikings that looted and plagued northern Germany and Holland during the Middle Ages. Soon after the arrival of these breeds, they spread widely in Europe, reaching even the British Isles, which contributed greatly to the improvement and development of breeding in the continent.
The spitz is considered the mother of all domestic breeds and as documented by Count Buffon in 1750, he believed that all other domestic breeds came from this specific ancestor. In the 17th century, there were already breeds of this spitz- in Pomerania, there were white breeds of spitz dogs while in Wurttemberg, the black and brown breeds were common. These dog breed varieties were used for several purposes, either as house pets or domestic pets used to watch over the farms and properties of people. In a few years time, the original dark and light colored ancestor spitz have evolved into various shades of colors.
From this ancestor breed, popular breeds also came into existence such as the Wolfspitz, Keeshond, Small German Spitz and many other breeds. Two of the more popular breeds which came from this root breed are the Pomeranian and Toy German Spitz. In fact, during her reign, Queen Victoria loved these breeds and were even called after the queens name – being Victorian Poms.
Before the mark of the 20th century, the Spitz Club of Germany was formed and made the breed of German Spitz an official one. As time passed, more and more breeds start to be loved because of its petite size. This marked the beginning of the popularity of small dogs. More and more small dogs became the center of attraction most especially in show rings to the extent that there became a weight limit for the dogs which were admitted to shows.
However, people started to relive the previous love for the original bigger breeds and decided to stick back with the giants. Also, the breed was once again reestablished through the efforts of two persons- Janet Edmonds and Averil Cawthera. Because of their initiatives, the British Kennel Club was created which allowed owners of the original Kleinspitz and Mittelspitz breed to register their own pedigrees.
For more than 500 years, the spitz breed has existed and is still considered one of the best breeds in terms of domestic dogs. Giving rise to several other sub-breeds, the spitz breed has made possible the foundation of several other breeds which made the world of breeding more colorful and delightful.