German Spitz
The family that gave the world the pomeranian, kept in several sizes from toy upwards. Alert to the point of noisy, and a watchdog on barges and farms.
Photo by Lil Shepherd, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The German Spitz is the ancestral type behind most spitz companion breeds, including the Pomeranian and the American Eskimo Dog, and it comes in several sizes depending on the registry: Klein, Mittel and Gross among them.
It was a working watchdog on farms and on Rhine barges, valued for its alertness and its willingness to announce everything that moved.
Temperament
Lively, alert and devoted. German Spitz are affectionate with their families, wary of strangers, and they are enthusiastic watchdogs.
The barking is the main consideration. This is a breed developed specifically to raise the alarm, and it does. They are intelligent and trainable and they can be stubborn. They bond closely and dislike being left alone.
Care and grooming
A thick standing double coat that needs brushing two or three times a week and daily during the heavy moults. It should not be shaved, because the coat may not regrow correctly.
Patellar luxation is the main concern, along with progressive retinal atrophy and epilepsy at lower rates. Thirteen to fifteen years is normal.
Living and exercise
Forty five minutes to an hour a day plus play and training.
They suit flats given the exercise, with the caveat about noise. They are hardy, long lived and considerably more robust than their fluffy appearance suggests.
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