Japanese Spitz

Behavior

The Japanese Spitz is known as a very playful dog. It is very alert and always ready to play with people at any time. This breed is very smart and very obedient, making it great to train as long as you stay consistent with your commands and demands. The Japanese Spitz can learn everything quite easily and will get used to your routines quite quickly. It really enjoys playing all kinds of games, such as Frisbee or catch and it has a great spirit. The Japanese Spitz is also known to get along very well with other dogs and pets, so if you already have some in your home this should not be an issue. It also does very well with children.

One issue that some people do have with this breed is excessive barking. However, the barking can be controlled through training and most of these dogs learn when barking is appropriate quite easily through regular training. The one thing you want to remember most with the Japanese Spitz is to establish yourself as the leader so the dog will always follow your commands. This can help you to avoid any behavioral problems like the excessive barking or even separation anxiety, something that is common among many breeds.

Appearance

The Japanese Spitz is a long-haired dog that is not very large. The typical dog of this breed will only grow to be between twelve and fifteen inches tall and not weigh more than eleven to twenty pounds. They have a very thick coat that is always a pure white color. Their tails is always curly in the back and features the some long, thick hair as the rest of the body. The only area where their hair is known to be short is on the bottom portion of their legs. They are also noted for their small, pointed ears and very large, dark eyes. Their coat is often very feathery, making it look and feel silky and soft.

Grooming

As is the case with many breeds, even though the Japanese Spitz is noted for its long, flowing, feathery hair, with regular brushing the hair is easy to maintain and keep free of tangles and debris. The dog itself is known for being quite clean, so bathing should only be done when it is very necessary to avoid dry skin developing. The Japanese Spitz will shed, meaning without regular brushing your home will be filled with white hair. If you use a shedding blade as part of your regular brushing routine you will be able to control and ease the shedding and keep your dog’s coat looking great. The shedding blade will help to remove loose hair from the thick under-layer of hair, keeping everything from tangling and leaving hair everywhere.

History

The exact origin and history of the Japanese Spitz is not really known. There are several theories regarding the dog, including that it is a descendant of the Siberian Samoyed, which it bears a great resemblance to in looks and traits. The breed is first known to come about in the 1800s and started to become very popular within Japan around 1950. Although it is less popular in Japan today, it has maintained popularity across Europe and in North America.