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.
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