Japanese Spitz
The Japanese Spitz is a devoted, lively, and affectionate companion who is also very smart and gentle with children. They are a ‘Spitz-type’ breed that is small to medium in size. However, owing to variations in breed standards, there is considerable variation in their size across the world. These little dogs have captivating personalities, are full of life, and enjoy playing. They enjoy being around people and will prosper in your business, remaining by your side.
Despite their small stature, this breed is brave and bold, making them outstanding watchdogs. Their dense and luxurious pure-white coat contrasts with their big dark almond-shaped eyes that are subtly slanted. This breed would appreciate curling up in your lap for a cozy nap. But don’t be fooled; this is not a sedentary breed; they like being active and to go on long walks outside.
The History of the Japanese Spitz
The Japanese Spitz, as the name suggests, is a Japanese breed. However, it is not completely clear how this lovely dog came to be. According to some sources, the breed was developed around the turn of the twentieth century by crossing various Spitz breeds from around the world in the hope of creating a ‘healthy’ breed of dog.
Others claim that the Japanese Spitz originated from the Samoyed, another Spitz breed indigenous to Japan. These two breeds look very similar and It’s easy to see how this could be plausible.
Others assume that the genes of the White German Spitz are found in this breed. If that’s the case, then the origin wouldn’t be Japanese at all.
Despite the fact that the roots of this breed are unknown, the end result is a magnificent little dog who is a delight to be around.
The Japanese Kennel Club did not officially recognize the Japanese Spitz until the late 1940s. This breed is now seen all over the world and was formally listed in the UK Kennel Club’s ‘utility’ category (which includes non-sporting dog breeds) around 1977.
However, due to anatomical similarity between this breed and the American Eskimo Dog, it is still not recognized by the American Kennel Club.
Because of their alert, bold, and vigilant nature, this breed makes excellent guard dogs in addition to being an excellent companion.
Appearance of the Japanese Spitz
The Japanese Spitz is characterized by a wedge-shaped face and large dark ‘almond’ shaped eyes set at a strongly slanted angle. Their ears are short, upright, and triangular in shape. The skin around their eyes, nose, and mouth is black, which helps to distinguish their faces from their white hair. They have a pointed muzzle, a deep belly, and a square-shaped body that is compact. Their delicate, ‘cat-like’ paws are heavily feathered, allowing this breed to move quickly.
One of the most striking characteristics of this breed is its beautiful long thick pure-white double coat. It consists of a coarser outer coating that contrasts with the fine undercoat, giving the Japanese Spitz a ‘teddy bear’ look. They also have a dense lion-like mane with thicker hair that stretches from their neck and shoulders all the way down to their brisket. Their hair on their muzzle, ears, and the front of their fore and hind legs is shorter. They have a long fuzzy tail that is normally rolled up on top of their lower back.
This breed’s standards vary across the world, especially in terms of height, but they are often uniformly larger than their cousins, the Pomeranians.
Temperament and Character of the Japanese Spitz
The Japanese Spitz is an excellent partner because it is obedient, lively, playful, and affectionate. Because of their friendly and caring temperament, they are also fantastic with young children. This breed thrives in social environments and will enjoy being the center of attention.
They are a very loyal breed who will always want to be on your side. Because of their sociable temperament, they get along well with other dogs and domestic pets. Despite their ‘lap-sized look, this breed loves activity, going for walks, and running off-leash. This isn’t to suggest you won’t find this friendly dog curled up on your lap after a day out.
This breed makes an excellent guard dog so there’s no need to buy a burglar alarm. He will readily bark to alert his family of the arrival of a visitor in their home. The idea is a big dog stuck within the body of a small dog.
However, if they are not well socialized as puppies, this characteristic may be troublesome, as they can become wary of outsiders. This breed is not unusual to be aloof to visitors to your home at first, but once they relax, they can easily win your guests over with their lively and engaging personalities.
A word of caution: You need to have plenty of time to spend with this breed because they will suffer from separation anxiety if left alone. Which will result in undesirable behaviors such as repetitive barking and disruption.
How to train your Japanese Spitz
Training is simple because this breed is instinctively intelligent, loyal, and willing to please. Just be consistent and you will have the desired results..
They will soon pick up on house training, so don’t waste too much time with a mop in hand; however, that doesn’t guarantee there won’t be a few mistakes!.
Health issues
The Japanese Spitz has a reasonably stable health profile, with few documented genetic-based issues; they normally have a lifetime of 10–16 years. This breed’s primary health issue is luxating patellas, which arise when the kneecap gets displaced from its location. With time, this can possibly result in inflammation and lameness, as well as osteoarthritis.
This is attributed to abnormal wear and tear of the kneecap cartilage, which may result in injury to the underlying bony structures. Because of the abnormality, dogs with luxating patellas are more likely to have secondary complications. This disorder will put pressure on other tissues in the knee joint. It will, for example, put extra strain on the cruciate ligaments that protect the knee joint, making them prone to tearing or rupturing.
Runny eyes can also be a concern for this breed, which are thought to be caused by too narrow tear ducts. This will result in an outpouring of tears down their cheeks. You can avoid skin sores and secondary infections by washing the dog’s face on a daily basis.
The Japanese Spritz is an active breed
The Japanese Spitz is a fun, playful, and enthusiastic dog that needs mild exercise on a regular basis. They like going on walks outside, and it is important that they are allowed to run free while it is safe to do so. They also like throwing balls and Frisbees and participating in agility.
Grooming your dog
A Japanese Spitz’s dense double coat can seem to be an intimidating prospect in terms of grooming. Their coat, on the other hand, is remarkably easy to care for. Dirt does not stick to it and if it does, it can easily be shaken off due to its texture. To keep their coat from being matted, they should be washed about 2–3 times per week.
This breed molts and grooming them for 5–10 minutes every day will help clear any dead coat during this time. A pin brush or slicker is the perfect grooming option for this breed since it can penetrate down into their outer coat to their fine undercoat. Part the fur and sweep from root to tip to ensure that you are brushing both layers.
They have a somewhat drier coat than other dogs, and over-bathing should be avoided because it can strip away essential oils required for their coat and skin protection. And since their hair doesn’t retain much of the mud and dirt, they just need to be bathed a few times a year.
Famous Japanese Spitzes
For some reason, this beautiful dog hasn’t made it all the way into the film industry in any noticeable way., Still, a Japanese Spitz named Lykke has captured the hearts of almost 50.000 devoted Instagram fans! Channing Tatum and his partner, Jenna Dewan, are also proud owners of Meeka, a 9-year-old Japanese Spitz who often visits a doggy spa for her dream treat — a ‘blueberry facial’ — and is often photographed and featured in YouTube videos with the famous couple.
Cross-Breeding the Japanese Spitz
Crossbreeding with the Japanese Spitz is rare. Breeds that may be crossed include the Schnauzer, Husky, Poodle, and German Spitz.
