German Spitz
Encyclopedia
German Spitz is used to refer to both a breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....

 of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

 and category or type
Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....

 of dog. Several modern breeds have been developed from the German Spitz, and are either registered as separate breeds or as varieties of German Spitz. All the German Spitz type dogs are dogs of the Spitz
Spitz
Spitz-type dogs are a type of dog, characterized by long, thick, and often white fur, and pointed ears and muzzles...

 type of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 origin. The Grossespitz, Mittelspitz, and Kleinspitz breeds of German Spitz type are also called the German Spitz in English.

The German Spitz breed

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...

 recognizes the German Spitz (Deutscher Spitz) under Group 5, Section 4, European Spitz. The Deutscher Spitz is one breed; names differentiate sizes and colour:
  • Keeshond
    Keeshond
    The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog with a plush two-layer coat of silver and black fur with a 'ruff' and a curled tail. It originated in Germany, and its closest relatives are the other German spitzes such as the Pomeranian...

     or Wolfsspitz - wolf grey with black points; 43 cm to 55 cm (17 in. to 22.5 in.) at the withers.
  • Großspitz (Giant/Large Spitz) - white, brown or black; 42 cm to 50 cm (16.5 in. to 19.5 in.) at withers.
  • German Spitz (Mittel)
    German Spitz (Mittel)
    The German Spitz Mittel is a breed of companion dog originating in Germany.- History :German Spitz Mittel originated in Germany sometime in antiquity, with examples nearly identical to the modern version viewable in 18th century paintings. The watchful demeanor of these dogs initially led to their...

     (Medium/Standard Spitz, incl. American Eskimo Dog
    American Eskimo Dog
    The American Eskimo Dog is a breed of companion dog originating in Germany. The American Eskimo is a member of the Spitz family. Despite its name and appearance, the American Eskimo dog is not from Alaska; the dog's heritage is traced back to Northern Europe...

    ) - black, white, cream, brown, sable, parti-colour and more; 30 cm to 38 cm (12 in. to 15 in.) at withers.
  • German Spitz (Klein)
    German Spitz (Klein)
    The German Spitz Klein is a breed of dog of the German Spitz type. They are usually classed as a toy or utility breed.A Spitz-type dog is compact of body, with a dense stand-off coat, tail curled over the back and a fox-like appearance to the head...

     (Miniature Spitz) - white, brown or black, orange, grey-shaded and other colours; 23 cm to 29 cm (9 in. to 11 in.) at withers.
  • Zwergspitz (Dwarf Spitz) or Pomeranian
    Pomeranian (dog)
    The Pomeranian is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe . Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz...

     - orange, cream, black, white, sable, parti-colour, etc. 18 cm to 22 cm (7 in. to 8.5 in.) at withers.

The German Spitz type

Since there is no one German Spitz breed type, "German Spitz" can also be considered a subtype of the Spitz. Dogs descended or bred from various German Spitze are included in this grouping.

The Wolfspitz is also called the Keeshond
Keeshond
The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog with a plush two-layer coat of silver and black fur with a 'ruff' and a curled tail. It originated in Germany, and its closest relatives are the other German spitzes such as the Pomeranian...

 and is registered as a separate breed by the Kennel Club (UK) and other registries.
The Großspitz (Grossespitz) or Giant Spitz is 40.5-41.5 cm/16-17 in. high and weighs 17.5-18.5 kg/38.5-40 lbs. The Keeshond and the Giant Spitz are divided primarily by colour.
The Mittelspitz or Medium/Standard Spitz is the ancestor of, and is sometimes taken to include, the American Eskimo Dog
American Eskimo Dog
The American Eskimo Dog is a breed of companion dog originating in Germany. The American Eskimo is a member of the Spitz family. Despite its name and appearance, the American Eskimo dog is not from Alaska; the dog's heritage is traced back to Northern Europe...

. The American Eskimo Dog is allowed to be registered as Mittelspitz by some registries. Only the Canadian Kennel Club and the two major American kennel clubs recognize the American Eskimo Dog as a separate breed.
The German Spitz (Klein)
German Spitz (Klein)
The German Spitz Klein is a breed of dog of the German Spitz type. They are usually classed as a toy or utility breed.A Spitz-type dog is compact of body, with a dense stand-off coat, tail curled over the back and a fox-like appearance to the head...

 (sometimes known as the Kleinspitz) is allowed more colours than the larger German Spitz under the Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard. The Japanese Spitz
Japanese Spitz
The is a small to medium breed of dog of the Spitz type. The Japanese Spitz is a companion dog and pet. There are varying standards around the world as to the ideal size of the breed, but they are always larger than their smaller cousins, the Pomeranian. They were developed in Japan in the 1920s...

, also bred from the German Spitz, is very similar to the Spitz Klein but is limited to the white colour and has a different breed history.
The Zwergspitz, the Pomeranian
Pomeranian (dog)
The Pomeranian is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe . Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz...

, is also registered as a separate breed in the UK and North America.

The Kennel Club (UK) and the Australian Kennel Club recognize only the Kleinspitz and Mittelspitz. In those countries the Grossespitz is not recognized, and the Pomeranian (Zwergspitz) and Keeshond (Wolfspitz) are separate breeds. In many countries the Miniature (Klein) Spitz is also confused with the Pomeranian (Zwergspitz). Some registries and breed clubs allow various sizes of German Spitz to be interbred, others do not.

Appearance

German Spitz are similar in appearance but vary in color. The German Spitz is usually Black, Gold/Cream or White-ish, but the Standard, Small and Dwarf can have various color combinations as well. All German Spitzen have a wolf/fox-like head, double coat, highset triangular ears and a tail that is curled over the back. Although the Kleinspitz and the Pomeranian
Pomeranian (dog)
The Pomeranian is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe . Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz...

 look alike, they are not the same dog. Also, although the American Eskimo Dog and Japanese Spitz look almost alike, they are in fact two different breeds with different lineages and breed histories.

History

German Spitz, like all spitzen, have many physical features found in oldest stone age fossil dogs in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...

, leading experts at the time to believe that the spitz is the oldest dog type
Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....

. However, modern genetic evidence places them in a much more recent lineage, dating the Wolfsspitz-type to the 1800s.. The German Spitz was later brought to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, and was renamed American Eskimo Dog
American Eskimo Dog
The American Eskimo Dog is a breed of companion dog originating in Germany. The American Eskimo is a member of the Spitz family. Despite its name and appearance, the American Eskimo dog is not from Alaska; the dog's heritage is traced back to Northern Europe...

 due to the widespread anti-German
Anti-German sentiment
Anti-German sentiment is defined as an opposition to or fear of Germany, its inhabitants, and the German language. Its opposite is Germanophilia.-Russia:...

 prejudice during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, although other breeds ("White Keeshonds" and Pomeranians, along with Japanese Spitz) were also used in the formation of the breed. The American Kennel club recognizes the breeds as separate.

External links

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