Pomeranian Spitz is a tender, unusual-looking dog, which has many admirers. Of course, the owners care how long the pet is able to live. We will discuss the main circumstances affecting the life span of this dog in our article.
Characteristics and features of the breed
Fans of the breed believe that Spitzs look like miniature chanterelles or cubs. They have an expressive face and very small sizes. The fur is thick and fluffy, which helps dogs not to freeze in the cold season. Spitz have a kind of woolen collar and panties. The final color appears at the age of six months.
Pomeranian spitz has a variety of colors. You can find orange, black, blue, red, cream and chocolate representatives of this breed. The males are slightly larger and the females are more elegant. They reach their maximum growth by the age of 6-8 months.
Dogs have a cheerful and good-natured disposition, love to play and look quite funny. They can become good friends to their owners. Animals are perfectly adapted to life at home.
average life expectancy
This indicator is rather arbitrary and depends on many factors. On average, dwarf spitz can live from 11 to 16 years.
If the conditions of detention are very good, and health is good, the dog can reach the age of 18-20 years.
Pomeranian Spitz is considered an adult from the moment his skeleton finishes forming. This usually occurs at 7-8 months of life.This is followed by a period of youth, and at 3-4 years old the dog enters adulthood. It is characterized by the fact that the animal manifests possible congenital pathologies and diseases, and it also becomes more susceptible to acquired diseases.
At this age, care plays a special role. It depends on him how long the pet will live. With serious pathologies, this period can be significantly reduced. A weak individual on average is not able to cross the border in 8-9 years. However, the absence of severe hereditary diseases, as well as the timely prevention of new ones, can extend the life span.
This breed has several varieties. Bear, fox and toy types of dwarf spitz are known.
This in no way affects the life span of the dog.
Small individuals that do not reach a height of 18 cm are called mini-spitz, and they live much less. This is because small dogs have weaker genetics, they are very tender and at the same time due to their small size they are not very developed physique. Mini-spitz are often injured, which also does not affect their health too well.
There is absolutely no exact data on average life expectancy, but in the case when good care is organized for the dogs, they continue to delight the owners for about 8 years.
The smaller the dog, the more fashionable it is considered. This affects the cost, which is impressive. However, owners often forget that compliance with standards is directly related to the health and longevity of animals.
Mini-spitz have a weak and thin spine, which is an unfavorable factor when it comes to fractures and injuries. Very often they have a disease such as hydrocephalus of the brain. Also, small sizes are directly related to the work of the body as a whole, which for this reason can cause malfunctions.
What factors influence it?
There are many nuances that a loving owner should consider when starting a Pomeranian spitz. The main problem is becoming a tendency to various diseases, from which the dog begins to suffer, reaching the age of 4 years.
However, in spite of the fact that a person cannot influence hereditary diseases, he is able to carry out preventive measures for acquired ones and treat them as quickly as possible. After all, it is they who are able to significantly shorten the life of a pet.
The main cause of the vast majority of diseases are mistakes in the care of dwarf spitz. It is this fact that can cause disruption of the liver and gastrointestinal tract, the appearance of neoplasms in the intestine, the development of cancerous tumors. In addition, dogs of this breed often have problems with blood circulation and heart function, joint diseases.
However, especially often owners of dwarf Spitz face all kinds of fractures. The fragile structure of the body is very sensitive to any impact, as a result, the animal is easily injured. Moreover, even a puppy can be injured, but the consequences will appear much later when the dog reaches old age.
As mentioned above, these problems most often occur as a result of improper care. The hosts make several common mistakes.
Primarily, they can’t always choose the right and high-quality food for a pet. And this fact threatens the occurrence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
It must be borne in mind that feeding from the table is contraindicated in Spitz.
In this case, the dogs need sufficient physical activity. You need to walk with them daily, failure to fulfill this condition threatens joint disease. Even taking into account the tiny size of the pet, movement within the apartment will not be enough for him.
Puppy must be on time vaccinate, because among ornamental breeds, distemper and enteritis are very common, which can lead to the death of a pet. They are also very susceptible to viruses, which also negatively affects life expectancy.
Spitz need to be protected from parasites. Specialized collars are sold in specialized stores that relieve fleas and ticks. These pests not only generally undermine the health of tender dogs, but can also become carriers of dangerous diseases.
Frequent stresses will not benefit any animal. The psyche of Pomeranian Spitz is weak enough, so you need to try to protect them from worries and fear, otherwise it can threaten a heart attack. Also banned are heavy penalties.
Very pleasant walks with pets in the summer. However, the owner needs to remember that Spitz is very sensitive to heat and direct sunlight. This can cause overheating of the dogs, which in turn increases the load on the heart, which is also a negative factor.
Pomeranian has breed diseases. One of them - inflammation of the paraanal glands. This disease must be stopped at an early stage, otherwise it can lead to serious consequences.
How to extend life?
If you provide the dog with good care and attention, it can reach the age to which it is genetically predisposed. Each owner hopes to maximize the life of his beloved pet. Regarding the Pomeranian, some nuances must be taken into account.
First you need to take care about ensuring the right diet. This breed has some limitations, certain products should be excluded.
It is necessary to carefully monitor the dosage, even visually hungry and unhappy eyes of the pet should not contribute to overfeeding, because as a result of it, the dog will appear obesity and failures in the cardiovascular system.
The diet should vary depending on the age of the Spitz, because a dog in old age needs a higher dose of mineral and nutrients.
Doggie needs regular walking. Ideally, you need to bring the Spitz out to the street three times a day, the duration of the walk should be at least an hour. You also need to try to avoid stressful situations that can injure the mini-spitz.
Dwarf Spitz need to be regularly shown to a veterinarian. He will conduct a full inspection and perform the necessary manipulations. The examination should be annual, and when the dog is 7 years old, it should be done every 6 months. In addition, you must strictly follow the vaccination schedule.
The maintenance of a Pomeranian spitz-dog is rather difficult and labor-consuming business. Failure to comply with the basic rules will not benefit the pet. The dog requires competent care and sufficient free time of the owner, given care and walks. These animals are very intelligent and intelligent, take root well in the family and are able to please domestic animals for many years.
You will learn more about how to properly care for Spitz from the next video.