Portraits of Popular Breeds at Home and Abroad: The German Spitz

This always active and playful companion is the oldest dog breed in central Europe. Its ancestors include even the dogs from the Stone Age. It is an extraordinary learner and a great watchdog. Its characteristic feature is very rich hair, sticking up from its body.

Spitz means sticky or sharp in German. It is quite precise about this breed’s ears and nose. If you like the appearance of this “furry ball”, you will almost definitely find the right companion for you. This breed exists in many sizes and hair colours. There are five variants of different sizes, from Dwarf Spitz (with 2 kg) to Wolfspitz (with 25–30 kg).

They are cheerful and careful companions in all sizes. This dog is very snuggly but vigilant and distrustful towards strangers. In combination with its beloved barking and the absence of hunting instinct, it makes this dog a perfect watchdog. However, it isn’t aggressive or fearful.

Thanks to its complete dependence on its master and the whole family, it doesn’t handle loneliness very well. That’s why keeping these dogs exclusively in the garden is not perfect for them, even though some larger varieties can be taught how to handle it. It likes children and usually gets on well with other pets in the household as well. The German Spitz is a
good learner and therefore it is also well-trainable. However, it needs some rules as any other dog – strict, but thoughtful.

Dogs of this breed have a lot of energy and therefore, they need enough activities and free movement. They will be glad to accompany you on hikes, cycling or running adventures. They are also great for most dog sports. This breed is even in the Rescue Brigade of the Czech Republic.

It’s also great that they live long and are generally healthy creatures. Moreover, they keep their playful spirit up to an old age. Even though their hair might seem like it needs a lot of care, it’s not true. However, you need to take into account that such fur replaces and sweeping hair (or trying to ignore it) might need some extra work.

Mainly dwarf and little spitzes have been very popular in the past couple of years. But in fact, all sizes have the same great features. It’s a pity that their larger brothers are sometimes left out. They can be great and playful companions for active people as well as children. They don’t tend to run away and don’t hunt other domestic animals.

Related articles

Crate for an indoor dog kennel. When to get one?

Crates or transport boxes provide your pet with safety and comfort not only during car journeys. You can see them more and more often in households with dogs. What can be the reasons for buying a crate for a dog living in a flat? What doesn't belong...

International Homeless Animal Day in August

Recent estimates indicate that every third dog in the world is homeless. Some estimates go even further and state that it's half of all dogs. It is a relatively high number but the situation varies in different continents. This is one of the reasons...

Wet fur care, as advised by Klára Miketová

Summer is a time of joy. The warm weather encourages trips and having fun in the water. However, summer may not be as great for our dogs as it may seem. We fur may sometimes do more harm than good. How to take care of wet fur and how to prevent any...

Cat scratching

Cats scratch, everybody knows that. But have you ever wondered why that is? If you have a feline companion at home, you might have thought it would be a good idea to break her habit of scratching. Especially if your cat has ruined your furniture with...

The ideal dog summer

Some love it, some hardly tolerate it. We are, of course, talking about summer and the hot weather that comes with it. Hot weather can become rather unpleasant for our canine companions. While cats usually tolerate heat without any major problems,...

Tips and recommendations: Preventing tick bites

Pet owners know that summer doesn't only bring warmth, sunshine and late sunsets. It's also the time of ticks, who know how to torment our four-legged friends. Unfortunately, it's very difficult, or even almost impossible, to prevent our pet from...

Pet grooming: When (not)to clip your dog's hair

The summer season calls for hair cuts. And not only yours but also your pets'. But a shorter coat doesn't always mean lower body temperature. On the contrary, sometimes it could be the other way round. How and when to clip our four-legged friends'...