Funny face, fluffy hair and kind mischievous character - these are the main advantages of dogs, which will not leave indifferent neither children nor adults. In our article, we will focus on the characteristics of small German Spitz dogs, the intricacies of caring for them, the content and type of feeding.
Description
German Spitz is one of the oldest dog breeds. Its remains were discovered during excavations in Sweden and attributed to the X century BC. e. It is believed that her distant ancestors were peat dogsthat looked exactly like the big spitz, better known as the Wolfspitz. However, in addition to large dogs, small breeds were also bred in Germany, they were first introduced in the 18th century and almost immediately won the hearts of thousands of breeders with their charming appearance. The monarchs, court ladies, gentlemen and other secular personalities showed interest in these miniature dogs. Gradually small Spitz from Germany migrated to other European countries.
Today, the small Spitz or, as it is also called, Kleinspitz, in accordance with accepted and officially approved standards should have a mass of 3-6 kg and height at the withers of 22-28 cm. Thus, if two-month-old puppies weigh about 3.5 kg and have a height of 23 cm, then you have a typical small Spitz, and weight is not considered the main classification standard for these dogs - standardization is carried out by height.
An important factor in evaluating a dog at an exhibition is the quality of its coat. As a rule, it is of medium length with a rather thick almost cotton undercoat.The outer hair itself is straight and quite tough, therefore care for such a wool does not present any problems - it is not prone to tangling and has the ability to repel dirt and moisture from itself. The entire head, with the exception of the muzzle, is covered with this hair, including the area near the ears, the collar is expressed on the breast. The rest of the body, in addition to the areas of the elbow bends, is also covered with dense stuffed wool.
The color of dogs of this breed can be very different:
- from light sand to beige;
- tan;
- with bluish tones;
- grey;
- light chocolate;
- ginger;
- brown.
Dogs can be single and dual tonal. All representatives of small German Spitz have a sharp muzzle resembling a fox, small erect ears and black eyes. Spitz is characterized by a raised tail, bent into a ringlet so that it fits snugly against the back. The landing of the body is either square-shaped or straight.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
The undoubted advantage of the dog is its mischievous appearance, due to which it causes the warmest feelings. The small size makes the pet truly universal - you can hold the dog in your arms and enter even those rooms where access to animals is prohibited. An important advantage of dogs of this breed is a very sharp mind, which greatly simplifies the training.
Dogs literally catch all the teams on the fly and learn various tricks in the shortest possible time, which is why small Spitzs are especially popular for circus performances.
At the same time, pets are very sensitive dogs, they have a fine mental organization, only restrained and gentle treatment is allowed with them. Angry and irritable people cannot become good hosts for such a Spitz, because they remember even the slightest resentment. Building a relationship with a dog that has been shouted and beaten will not be easy.
Another plus of small Spitz is a loyal disposition, so such a pet can become an ideal companion for both a single person and a large family. The pet is friendly towards school-age children, and the dog’s annoying attention and sometimes careless attitude may not appeal to the dog, and it will begin to show aggression.
This is not to say that Spitz coexists well with other pets. Of course, they will not be able to harm cats or other dogs, but they are quite capable of causing conflicts. Being extreme owners, they will not tolerate the "sharing" of the owner with other animals and they can start a stormy showdown even with larger dogs. Small Spitz are active dogs, they are unlikely to suit older people whose walks are reduced to rest on a bench.
When this animal is walking, active games are supposed, and the shorter the walk, the more load the dog should get.
How many years live?
Small Spitz can be safely attributed to centenarians - the lifespan of these indoor decorative pets with good care is up to 15 years. However, in the pursuit of decorativeness, two new dwarf breeds have recently been introduced: puppet and bear spitz, these dogs are in great demand because they resemble a plush toy, but, unfortunately, they do not meet any accepted standards and have very poor health.
So, a flattened, too shortened muzzle in practice makes it difficult for dogs to breathe and thereby weakens the pet's cardiovascular and nervous systems.
However, standard small spitz dogs are prone to certain diseases. Among the most common can be identified:
- hip dysplasia;
- common problems when changing teeth - usually milk teeth have to be removed;
- a tendency to increased tearing and suppuration of the eyes;
- tracheal collapse.
It should not be forgotten that, despite their miniature size, dogs belong to real gluttons, and if you do not control food intake, they are quite capable of eating non-stop, and this often leads to problems in the heart, blood vessels and joints of animals.
Character Features
The peculiarity of this cute little dog is the ability to command its owners and always achieve its own, not in vain with all its appearance, this animal resembles a cunning fox that can always beg for what it needs, whether it be the weasel of the owner or a piece of delicious treats. Spitz is able to ask, curse, dodge, and even demand. Such a manner is far from always pleasing to breeders and sometimes gives them very unpleasant emotions.
Therefore, from the first days of the pet’s stay in the house, you must not succumb to all its tricks and make it clear that it is not — this means a final refusal. Be sure that dogs learn these lessons very quickly and stop begging. In all other respects, the Spitz is simply perfect, and if you can properly educate it, you will no longer have problems with such a pet, and minor disadvantages will fade into the background.
Although in fairness, we note that it is very difficult to refuse such pussies, so owners often start to indulge them and thereby make a rather big mistake.
Small Spitz is sincerely interested in all the actions of its owner, and whatever he does, he tries to be near. However, sometimes he can find a more interesting occupation - for example, having fun with his favorite toy or spending time with young children. Already in what, and in playfulness this dog simply has no equal. Some Spitzes very successfully cope with the tasks of a guard - their loud barking can scare away anyone, however, dogs have a frightening effect only in cases where they are not visible. But if you want to get a truly watchdog, it is better to give preference to large spitz.
How to choose?
When choosing a puppy, it should be borne in mind that as a dog grows older, its color can change, and the full color is revealed only by the age of 3. The most difficult will be breeders who bought black and white dogs - already in the second month of life, a dark coat can lighten, and a light coat, on the contrary, can become darker or reddish. Given that puppies are bought at an earlier age, it is better to focus not on the color of the wolves, but on the pigmentation of the mucous membranes. So, if the dog has black lips and eyelids, it means that the animal will retain its dark color.
When buying white puppies, you can navigate your ears - if the fur growing behind them has a brown tint, then as the dog grows, the fur coat will change its color to cream or beige.
It should be noted that light-colored Spitz are considered the most expensive variety of the breed, this is due not only to the external attractiveness, but also to the difficulty of breeding. The fact is that if you cross two light dogs, you get too large puppies, so the breeders bring white and beige dogs, from litter to litter, "lightening" their fur.
How and what to feed?
When feeding small German Spitz, several principles should be followed. The dog should always have free access to drinking water. In comfortable conditions, in a normal state of health, an adult dog weighing 2.5 kg drinks up to 50 ml of fluid per day, if we are talking about small puppies or lactating females, then this figure needs to be increased. Spitz needs regular, varied nutrition. The feeder should be located in one place and filled at the same time.
Feeding should be dosed. So, dogs weighing 2.5-3 kg per day need 75-85 g of food, if the animal is obese or has been over-fed in the last meal, then the dose is reduced by 40-50 g. If the animal leads an active lifestyle and participates in tricks , then the dose, on the contrary, is increased to 100-120 g.Nutrition should be balanced - up to 70% of the diet should be proteins of animal origin, they are obtained from meat and offal of high quality. In addition, low-fat cottage cheese can become another source of protein; it is recommended to include it in the menu 2-3 times a week. All other useful substances, including carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, pets get from vegetables and cereals.
It is forbidden to give dogs salted, canned, spicy and fried foods. It is not necessary to introduce store sausages and sausages into the diet. As a rule, they contain preservatives and flavor enhancers, which is fraught with the most unpleasant consequences for the pet's gastrointestinal tract. If you wish, you can use ready-made feeds, preference should be given to expensive premium and super premium products that have a balanced composition and contain only natural ingredients of the highest quality.
The food offered to the pet should be biologically safe, that is, fresh. To avoid the entry of dangerous microorganisms into the dog’s body, you should wash the feeders and the drinking bowl after each meal, store the prepared food in a cool, dry place and, of course, refuse to use products that are in doubt.
When feeding a pet, its weight and physical activity should be controlled, adjusting the diet as necessary.
How to care?
Small Spitz are truly miniature indoor dogs that adore comfort and therefore feel much better in an apartment than in an aviary. The main problem comes down to the care of the hair - it needs to be combed every day (at least 2 times a month) and trimmed periodically. It is best to entrust the grooming of your favorite pet to professionals, but if you have some grooming skills, you can walk the pet’s coat yourself, but only with scissors.
The use of cars is unacceptable, since in this case the undercoat can be affected, and it grows very slowly in Spitz, its violation can for a long time spoil the quality of the coat as a whole.
Video about a small German Spitz see below.
