Japanese Spitz: breed description, color options and care rules

Like the German Spitz, the Japanese breed has an equally rich history. White dogs have their own characteristics of character, behavior and exterior features.

According to the cynological community, the Japanese Spitz descended from the Samoyed Laika breed. This theory, unfortunately, cannot be proven, as well as refuted, due to the fact that northern dogs are relatives of modern dog species.

It is officially believed that Japanese Spitz was bred in Japan, which is why it got its name... The time of birth of the breed is considered to be the interval between 1920 and 1930. During this period, German dwarf spitz was brought to the territory of Japan. It was they who became the progenitors of the Japanese subspecies of this breed.

In 1921, an animal exhibition was held in Tokyo, where the public was able to contemplate the German Spitz brought from Europe. The animals immediately won the sympathy of people, so local breeders decided to breed a similar breed.

In the course of a long selection, the Japanese managed to get a new breed of dog. The snow-white dogs received their recognition from the Cynological Federation only in 1964. A decade later, the breed was recognized by a Kennel Club in the UK.

From this year, the spread of the Japanese Spitz began around the world. Today, the dog handlers of only one country - the United States - do not want to recognize this breed. In their opinion, the Japanese dog looks very similar to the Eskimo dogs.

The Japanese Spitz differs from the classical type in the complete set of the body and the structure of the muzzle. Eastern influence is immediately visible in it.

The animal is small, with thick snow-white hair, the muzzle is pointed, like a "fox", the ears are set high, triangular in shape, the tail is curled into a ring.

More about the exterior of the breed.

• Head... The size of the muzzle is medium, the bones of the occiput are wide, as are the frontal ones. The transition in the forehead to the crown zone is pronounced. The area of ​​the nose is neat, elongated, the tip is colored black. The eyes are dark brown, almond-shaped, surrounded by black eyelids. The look is direct, curious. The jaws are medium, the canines are well developed. Scissor bite. The lips fit snugly over the mouth, without drooping. The surface of the lips is black.
• Body... The body is square. The body is harmoniously built, the backbone is developed. Well-developed musculature is well traced under the coat. The cervical region is medium in length, wide. The sizes of the body and limbs are proportional. The back is straight, without sagging. The thoracic region is oval in shape, the ribs are divorced. The belly is tucked up, not sunken. The skin is elastic, does not form folds. Females are feminine, graceful, elongated. Males, on the contrary, are stocky, densely formed.
• Extremities. Feet straight, set parallel. The shoulder and shoulder blade form an even angle, the elbows are not turned out. The thigh is wide and strong. The step is quick, measured. The hands of the paws are rounded, the toes are close to each other, the nail plate is black, like the pads of the paws.
• Tail. Set high above the back, saber-shaped, which allows it to fit into the ring.
• Wool... Dogs have a thick undercoat with long, light hairs. On the chest, wool forms a fluffy collar. The feathering in the area of ​​the shoulders, the sternum is long, on the muzzle and the front zone of the legs, the hair is shortened. The tail is voluminous, fringed.

Japanese Spitz are different quick-witted, easy to train, can serve as a companion dog or act as a watchdog. A good disposition helps the dog to easily adapt to people, small children. The price of a dog of this breed ranges from 25 to 60 thousand rubles.

The breed belongs to friendly, cheerful. The animal quickly makes contact, easily gets used to the owner and his family, without showing any signs of aggression. Spitz love children, treat babies well, but they will not become a nanny.

The main distinguishing feature of dogs is their silence. Unlike mini-spitz, the pet does not give voice to the right and left, the dog practically does not bark. Due to the silence of the dog, some owners begin to think that the pet has health problems, but this is not so. The Japanese only give voice in case of alarm, danger, fear.... The rest of the time, they can whine or sniff slightly, snort.

Japanese Spitz are constantly on the move, showing activity anywhere. They prefer games to boredom. The pet needs to purchase a variety of toys, and the owner must devote more time to walking with the animal.

Spitz will happily share his morning run in the park. The dog makes good contact with representatives of other breeds or with other animals. Lack of hunting instincts allows her not to chase cats, squirrels, small rodents.

The mind and docile nature of the animal allow him to quickly memorize commands, perform various tricks. Dogs will not wake up the owners in the morning or beg for a treat when not allowed.

They are loyal to the owners, show a feeling of tenderness, require affection, but not annoying. The Japanese Spitz is great for families with children, phlegmatic or melancholic.

There can be only one color for this breed - white. The presence of colored spots, specks, marks or other signs on a dog's snow-white fur coat is considered a defect.If the seller offers you, under the guise of a Japanese Spitz, animals with a red, black or gray fur coat, you should know that this is a deception.

Males at the withers reach 40 cm, females not taller than 35 cm. The weight of an adult dog is 10 kg, bitches - up to 7 kg.

If you buy an adult up to 30 cm in height or less weight than indicated in the Japanese breed standard, then you are sold an ordinary Pomeranian or a sick animal.

The positive qualities of the animal include character. A good-natured disposition, a balanced psyche of an animal and a sharp mind allow the dog to easily win friends. The lack of hunting instincts and aggression makes this breed a companion. The dog is cheerful, playful, requires long walks, but they go in a positive way. These dogs practically do not bark, behave like aristocrats and do not vote for everything they see. In a house with small children, this will be a big plus. The mind of the dog and his character help the pet to easily memorize commands, without causing negative moments during training.

The disadvantages are primarily the cost of the puppy. This breed is not cheap, purebred individuals cost an average of 60 thousand rubles. Like all breeds of decorative dogs, the Japanese have hereditary diseases associated with vision or the digestive system. There are also acquired ailments. If you take proper care of your pet and visit your veterinarian periodically, the risks of developing sores can be reduced to almost zero.

Purebred puppies begin to wean at 2 months of age. At this age, the pet already shows the external signs of the breed and a character has formed.

When buying a dog, it is necessary to inspect the documents attached to the animal. They should describe the pedigree of the dog, the metric of the puppy. It is also recommended to independently examine the parents of the dog. A veterinary passport is also attached to the baby, which must contain all the necessary vaccinations.

It is advisable to observe the behavior of the baby and the conditions of his detention. The room must be clean, the baby must be active, his mucous membranes must be free of dirt and secretions. The puppy must have a good appetite.

The low cost of the puppy may indicate cheating on the buyer. Purebred representatives of the breed cannot cost less than 25 thousand rubles, since they are in demand and rare on the territory of Russia.

Most owners of the Japanese Spitz are inclined to believe that it is worth feeding dogs only with food of at least premium class, if it is not possible to provide him with a full-fledged balanced menu of natural food. Holistic, super-premium, premium food is suitable for Spitz. These mixtures are enriched with minerals, vitamins, their composition is ideally balanced.

The diet is selected based on the following factors: the age and size of the dog, the health of the pet. Proper nutrition affects the quality of the animal's coat, its stool, activity, purity of mucous membranes, and mood.

If a decision is made to feed the Japanese Spitz with natural food, then it is necessary to draw up a balanced menu, which includes the following items.

• Meat - beef, poultry, offal. 25 grams per kilogram of adult weight.
• Cereals - rice or buckwheat.Served boiled without salt, seasonings, spices or other additives.
• Vegetables... You need to give them to your pet a little every day.

The food is served cut into medium pieces so that the dog can relive them easily. Once or twice a week, it is permissible to replace meat products with boiled, deboned sea fish, treat the dog with boiled eggs of chickens, quails, give a little cottage cheese, kefir.

An important factor in pet feeding is access to clean drinking water. The water is changed every day or every half day, preferably keeping the bowl away from the feeding area to keep the liquid clean. There may be several containers with water, they can be placed throughout the apartment in places where the pet most often lives.

An important role is played by the dog's diet. Puppies consume food up to 4 times a day, adult dogs eat 2 times a day. Feeding should take place at the same hours. It is forbidden to arrange snacks for pets between meals. Such actions can lead to the fact that the animal will begin to refuse to comply with the regime and from normal food.

It is worth closely monitoring the dog's reaction to food, since the breed is prone to manifestations of allergic reactions. It is forbidden to give the dog smoked foods, as well as fatty, pickled or spicy foods. You cannot feed her with sweets, flour products, tough meat.

Taking care of your Japanese Spitz is easy. Attention should be paid to the condition of the animal's coat, to clean the eyes, ears, teeth.

Despite the fact that the dog itself is clean, it is still required to periodically carry out water procedures with it. A full bathing of the dog is carried out every two months or before the show.

The water should be warm so that the animal is comfortable in it. To cleanse the thick coat, special shampoos are used, designed for long-haired breeds of dogs. You can also use tinted shampoos to maintain the whiteness of the coat.

After the bath, the wool is wrung out, the animal is wrapped in a dry terry towel to remove excess moisture. If the dog is accustomed to a hair dryer, then the coat can be dried with it. Otherwise, it is better to leave the pet to dry naturally.

Next, you should start brushing. For this procedure, it is worth using a massage brush. The coat is combed in different directions. During the molting period, bathing is not recommended so that mats do not form, it is better to use a furminator or a slicker instead of water procedures.

Every time after a walk or once a week when kept in an apartment, the ears and eyes of the animal are treated. With the help of a cotton pad soaked in a special lotion, the area around the eyes is treated. It is better to clean the auricles with a cotton swab, being careful not to direct it deep into the ear. After a walk in nature, it is recommended to inspect the dog for ticks, if a special collar has not been used.

A Japanese Spitz should be taught to brush his teeth from an early age. Cleaning takes place using a special toothbrush that is put on the finger. This uses tooth powder or toothpaste for dogs and cats. Brushing the surface of the teeth is recommended twice a month or once a week, depending on what food the dog is eating. It is also recommended that you visit your veterinarian dentist periodically.

The claws of a dog, if it walks every day on the street, where the surface is paved with stones or asphalt, does not need to be shortened. In other cases, for the convenience of the pet, it is worth cutting them once a month using a nail clipper.The procedure should be performed carefully, since the black color of the plate can interfere with the visibility of the capillary channels, which must not be damaged. If you do not want to do this procedure yourself, the animal should be taken to the veterinarian.

Generally, a Japanese Spitz does not need to be trimmed regularly. This procedure is carried out before participating in competitions, exhibitions. For grooming, special rounded scissors are used to make it easier to handle the area of ​​the paws and in the area between the pads. This helps prevent dirt or other debris from sticking to your pet's paws. Trimming the anal area helps to keep the tail clean. Grooming allows you to give a beautiful silhouette to the body of the animal, its muzzle, paws. A shorn dog looks especially impressive against the background of its usual brother.

The animal needs daily walks. Duration of one walk should not be less than half an hour. The breed requires the purchase of additional toys that the dog will be busy with while in the apartment.

Only healthy animals are allowed to mate. It is better to bring the female to the male on the 11th or 15th day of estrus and not earlier than in the second year of life. Males must also not be less than two years old. Before this, the animals are properly walked, but not fed. Acquaintance of the couple takes place on the territory of the male. If the act of love happened during the acquaintance, you should not interfere in this situation. The male can stay on the female or settle down to her backwards. Don't try to separate animals. Even if the female wants to escape, it is recommended to gently hold the pet and relieve the animals from fear and stress.

Pregnancy goes away mostly without complications. The duration of bearing puppies is 58-64 days. The first visible signs of pregnancy occur on the 35th day. Throughout this period, the animal needs increased care, better feeding, and longer walks. Walking with the female is also necessary at her first request.

When the days of pregnancy are coming to an end, it is worth taking care of preparing the "maternity kit".

It includes:

• clean rags or disposable large diapers;
• gauze napkins;
• recording materials (pen, notebook, measuring tape);
• container for collecting the placenta;
• a heated container or a box with a heating pad for puppies;
• preparations for sterilizing instruments;
• scissors, clamps.

You may not need to use a birthing kit, as labor in most cases does not require human intervention. It is also recommended that you obtain a veterinarian number who can come to an emergency call. The doctor should be warned about childbirth a couple of days in advance.

Japanese Spitz are distinguished by good health, however, dogs are prone to the appearance of diseases of the digestive system (volvulus, ulcers), sometimes they have vision problems (cataracts). To reduce the risk of ailments, your pet should be fed a balanced diet, regularly wipe your eyes after a walk, especially in windy weather. Increasing portions or frequency of feedings can lead to obesity and gastrointestinal problems.

Unlike the Pomeranian, who become capricious and aggressive without training, the Japanese breed does not particularly require training, but it can still learn all the commands. Training should not be exhausting, training should be carried out in a playful way, combining it with a walk.

It will take about 3 days to train one Spitz team. Any team should be worked out every day for no more than an hour. It is worth starting to train puppies at the age of 3 months, since at the age of 1 month the dogs are still too small and do not understand what they want from them.

If the pet sleeps with the owner, he will quickly get used to his bed and abandon his place. Each dog should have its own bed.

Aggressiveness or stupidity in the behavior of Japanese Spitz practically does not occur, since such negative traits in the character of individuals were immediately discarded during selection. If for some reason you come across an unbalanced dog, the pet should be taken to the dog handlers for re-education. Professionals will be able to correct the behavior of the animal.

Feedback from owners of Japanese Spitz is mostly positive. The owners like the good nature of the pets, their coexistence with other animals, small children. The absence of barking suits all family members and neighbors. Dogs do not bark in the morning or at people passing by, they behave extremely calmly, aristocratic. The animal does not offend the owner and his family.

For some, the increased activity of the dog is sometimes made a minus, but the problem is easily solved if there is a country house where the pet can be released for a walk in a fenced area. It is better to start a dog for active young couples. Their health problems begin most often in old age. Feeding a pet is easy for anyone.

The rarity of the breed and the price sometimes do not allow everyone to purchase a pet. In general, Japanese Spitz are suitable for urban and suburban life and are excellent companions.

In the next video, see the features of this dog breed.