| Country of Origin: | Germany |
| Registries: | FCI, ANKC, APRI, ACR, DRA, NAPR, AKC/FSS |
| Breed Group: | FCI: Group 5 Section 4 #97, AKC : FSS, ANKC : Group 7 (Non Sporting), KC :UK) Utility, NZKC: Non-Sporting |
| Occupation: | Superb watchdog |
| Size: | Height: 40.5 to 41.5 centimetres (15.94 to 16.34 inches) Weight: 17.5 to 18.5 kilograms (38.6 to 40.8 lbs) |
| Longevity; | 13 to 15 years |
| Exercise: | Daily walk or jog |
| Training: | Strong leadership, socialize well |
| Grooming: | Easy |
| Colors: | Black & Tan, Cream, Brown, Orange, Black, White |
German Spitz has a lot of characteristics of dogs found in the oldest stone age in the Central Europe. This led some scientists to think that the Spitz is one of the oldest dog types ever. After some recent researches, the Spitz has been placed into more new lineage.
The German Spitz dogs that were brought to America later became known as American Eskimo Dogs. However, the term “German Spitz” stands both for the breed of a dog and for category of dog. There are a lot of modern dog breeds that developed from the German Spitz. These new breeds are usually registered as varieties of German Spitz or sometimes even as a separate breed.
Here are just some examples – the The Wolfspitz, the Großspitz (Grossespitz) or Giant Spitz, the Keeshond, the Mittelspitz and similar. The Japanese Spitz is also a breed that derived from the German Spitz and is very similar to the Spitz Klein. It is interesting that Kennel Club from UK and the Australian Kennel Club recognize only the Kleinspitz and Mittelspitz while Grossespitz is not recognized. There, the Pomeranian (Zwergspitz) and Keeshond (Wolfspitz) are recognized separate breeds.
All the German Spitz dogs are very similar in appearance with the difference of their color. For example, the German Spitz is usually black, cream or white-ish. From the other side, the Standard, Small and Dwarf Spitz can have various color combinations. What is common for all German Spitz dogs is that they all have a wolf/fox-like head as well as double coat and high set triangular ears. Their tail is curled over the back.
German Spitz is excellent pets, however not suitable for everyone. Even though these dogs are intelligent, they are also very lively and can be very noisy if not taught otherwise. This dog breed doesn’t require a lot of exercise, but they enjoy long walks, as they don’t like to stay bored. The German Spitz learns very fast and likes to please its owner. Also, it is important to note that this is not a very destructive breed; however they are more inclined to bark excessively, which can be a bit annoying.