Finnish Spitz
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| Finnish Spitz | ||
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| Alternative names | ||
| Suomenpystykorva Finsk Spets |
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| Country of origin | ||
| Finland | ||
| Classification and breed standards | ||
| FCI: | Group 5 Section 2 #49 | Stds |
| AKC: | Non-sporting | Stds |
| ANKC: | Group 4 (Hounds) | Stds |
| CKC: | Group 2 - Hounds | Stds |
| KC (UK): | Hound | Stds |
| NZKC: | Hounds | Stds |
| UKC: | Northern Breed | Stds |
A Finnish Spitz is a breed of dog originating in Finland. The breed is thought to be an old one, bred as a hunting dog. It is a "bark pointer", indicating the position of game by barking to attract the hunter's attention. It has been used mostly to bark at game that flees into trees, such as squirrels, grouses, and capercaillies, but it serves well also to hunt moose and elk. Some individuals have been known to go after even a bear, despite the dog's small size. In its native country, the breed is still mostly used as a hunting dog, but as it is very friendly and loves children[citation needed], in other countries it serves mainly as a house pet. The Finnish Spitz has been the national dog of Finland since 1979.
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[edit] Appearance
[edit] General appearance
The Finnish Spitz has a square build, meaning that the length of the body is the same, or slightly shorter than the height of the withers to the ground. Otherwise said to be slightly longer in the leg. The Finnish Spitz is a double coated breed but the outer coat should not exceed 2 1/2 inches at the ruff. The undercoat is soft and lighter in color than the red/gold outer coat. The undercoat will shed twice a year, and if a Finnish Spitz is to be kept healthy, a good shedding of the undercoat when the dog is ready to "blow coat" is needed. Some exhibitors show dogs with undercoat that should be removed but that is the breeder, owner or handler's choice. Dew claws can appear on front and/or back feet. If back dew claws appear, they should be removed by the breeder. The front dewclaws can be removed but since they are usually small (at least on my dogs), they are not removed. The dewclaws should be seen as a dogs ability to evolve into an upright species. If the back dew claws are present and not removed, they look like toes. The front dew claws appear to have no purpose.
Finnish Spitz are considered to interact well with people, including children. Some Finnish Spitz love other dogs and some are shy or passive/aggressive around other dogs. They are very loyal to their family, therefore the Finnish Spitz can be shy or moody around other dogs. Left alone the Finnish Spitz will figure out if another dog is acceptable. The Finnish Spitz is loyal to humans, exceptionally agile and should always exhibit a refined demeanor and a reddish gold coat.
[edit] Coat
The Finnish Spitz has a typical double coat, which consists of a soft, dense undercoat and long, harsh guard hairs that can measure one to two inches long. The coat should be stiffer, denser, and longer on the neck, back, back of thighs, and plume of the tail, whilst shorter on the head and legs. Dogs should sport a slightly longer and coarser coat than the bitches, who are slightly more refined. In the show ring, the coat should be shown as completely natural; a brush through the coat is acceptable but no trimming is allowed, not even of whiskers. However, any excessive undercoat should be removed. Some exhibitors leave in the undercoat to make the dog's coat look bigger. However, most well trained judges see this problem. Another exception is the hair under the bottom of the feet. The hair under the feet as well as the toe nails should be nicely trimmed for show.
[edit] Color
Puppies are often described as looking similar to a red fox cub. They are born dark grey or fawn, with a vast amount of black. The colour of the adult dog cannot really be assessed until about four months, but even then the colour may change. The adult colour must be red. It can be of almost any shade, varying from pale honey to dark chestnut. There are no preferences over shades as long as the color is bright and clear with no hints of dullness, which is of most importance. The coat should never be of a solid colour. It should be shaded and without any defined colour changes. The coat is usually at its darkest shade on the back of the dog, gradually getting lighter around the chest and belly. The undercoat must always be lighter in colour than the topcoat, but is never allowed to be white. A small patch of white, no more than 1.5 centimetres wide, is allowable on the chest, and white tips on the feet are acceptable, but not desired.
[edit] Pigmentation
The nose, lips, and rims of eyes should always be black.
[edit] Height and weight
- Height at withers
- Males, 16 to 19 inches (44-50 cm)
- Females, 14½ to 17 inches (39-45 cm)
- Weight
- Males, 27-33 lb (11-13 kg)
- Females, 20-27 lb (8-9 kg)
[edit] Temperament
Finnish Spitz are a lively, faithful, and intelligent breed of dog. They love playing with children, and are excellent companion dogs, which makes them an ideal family pet. They rarely show aggression unless needed (they are a breed who like to protect their family) but they do love the sound of their own voices. Careful training will need to be undertaken to teach him that his barking is both unnecessary and unwanted, although the barking does come in useful if you are looking for a watchdog, as the Finnish Spitz will very happily locate anything that is out of the ordinary and alert their owners to it.
Because of his intelligence, he is an independent and strong-willed dog and is best trained with a soft voice and touch. He will easily become bored with repetitive training and so sessions should be kept short and to the point, making patience a must-have for any owner. Obedience, agility and field training should be understood from the dog's point of view. Finnish Spitz are very obedient with a light touch and lots of "positive reinforcement" but most owners and trainers don't understand the sutle difference and use too much punishment. Top trainers have found Finnish Spitz to be manipulative and sometimes too smart for their owners, so beware, you may not own a Finnish Spitz but your Finnish Spitz may own you.
Finnish Spitz can excel in obedience, agility and rally as a companion dog.
[edit] Health
The Finnish Spitz is typically a very healthy breed, and health concerns are rare. Here is a short list of what is known to occur:
