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German Spitz Mittel

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General
OtherNames		Mittelspitz
Dog Group Kennel Club		Utility
Breed Classification		The German Spitz (Mittel) belongs to the Utility group. They were originally used as watchdogs, today they are used as companions.
Cost of Ownership Visit our dog food department
Average Food Cost		< £4
Feeding Requirements		The German Spitz do not seem to suffer from any digestive problems so will eat any type of dog food. It is best not to feed too high a protein food though as the dog can become hyperactive.
Other Expenses		Puppies will cost between £400 - £500. A welfare dog will cost around £75.
Average Puppy Price		£300-500
Lifespan		> 15 years
Average Litter Size		2
General Physical Description		The German Spitz (Mittel) is a small compact long coated dog with a typical spitzy head and tail curled over the back.
Height Min Max Bitch 30cm 38cm Dog 30cm 38cm Weight Min Max Bitch 7kg 11kg Dog 7kg 11kg
Size Category		Small
Weight Height Range		Ideally the German Spitz Mittel should measure between 30-38cms at the withers and weigh between 7 to 11kgs. Dogs are generally larger than bitches.
Ailments		The German Spitz, being a very natural breed, tends to be very healthy. Breeders, however, should have all breeding stock eye tested. As with many small breeds there can be a problem with Patella Luxation.
Common Ailments
Susceptibility To Illness Pet insurance for dogs resource Pet health and vet advice		Low
Other
History		The German Spitz breeds descend directly from the Nordic herding dogs, like the Samoyed, which were probably taken to Germany and Holland by the Vikings during the Middle ages. These dogs then spread throughout Europe and were crossed with other herding and shepherd breeds, thus making the foundation of the Spitz type. By 1700's, the Spitz became the fashion of British Society. Queen Victoria acquired several Spitz dogs weighing between 20 to 30 pounds from Pomerania. The German's disapproved of the erroneous term Pomeranian being used to describe the Spitz dog. These were not the same dog which is recognised today as the Pomeranian but were more the size of the present day Mittel German Spitz. With the ascent to the throne of Queen Victoria, the breed would be changed forever. The Spitz were gradually bred smaller and smaller until the toy breed of Pomeranian emerged. The larger sizes Spitz died out apart from the odd large Pomeranian puppy cropping up in a litter. All things German dwindled away during the two world wars. The first German Spitz, as we know them today in the UK, was imported by a breeder who was wanting to re-introduce the white Pomeranian. As the breed was becoming established there was a mix of sizes as Pomeranians were used to mate with the imported dogs. You now have our present day German Spitz in two sizes in the UK and breeding between sizes is forbidden. However Kleins will occasionally pop up in Mittel litters and vice versa because of the mixed ancestry. Until 1994 the breed was classified by the Kennel Club as a Rare Breed.
Intelligence		The German Spitz is a very intelligent dog but he can be wilful so training needs to reward good behaviour. German Spitz are particularly good at agility and some owners take part in obedience competitions with their Spitz.
Show Characteristics		The head should be of medium size, with the skull being quite broad and the muzzle, which should not be too long, tapering to a wedge shape. The mouth should have a complete scissor bite. The eyes should be dark in colour, of medium size and oval in shape. Their ears should be small, erect, triangular in shape and high set. The neck should be short and set well into the shoulders. The chest should be deep with a level topline. The front legs should be straight and the back legs should show moderate angulation. The feet should be small, round with well arched toes. Their movement should be brisk and straight with good drive allowing them to cover plenty of ground. The long haired tail should set high, curl and lie over the back. The coat should consist of a long, straight, coarse feeling topcoat with a soft woolly undercoat. The hair should be profuse around the neck and front legs. The back legs should have feathering on them. The hair on the face and ears should be soft and short. All colours and markings are allowed in the breed. The most common are black, white and shades of cream, brown, orange, sable and gold. They can also be seen with these colours on a white background (parti-colour) and with black and tan (bi-colour.)
Country Of Origin		Germany
Famous Examples
Records Held
Characteristics Visit our dog training aids department
Energy		High
Overall Exercise		40 - 60 minutes
Distress Caused if Left Alone		Low
Personal Protection		Low
Suitability As Guard Dog		Medium
Risk of Sheep Worrying		Medium
Tendency to Bark		High
Ease of Transportation		High
Level of Aggression		Low
Compatibility With Other Animals		High
Suitable For Children		High
General Character And Temperament		The German Spitz is a happy, intelligent, friendly dog. There should be no signs of nervousness or aggression. They are very active and alert. They love human company and like nothing better than to be included in any family activities.
Grooming Visit our dog grooming department
Coat Length		Medium/Long
Grooming Requirement		Once a week
Trimming
Requires Professional Groomer
Grooming		As a general rule a 30-minute thorough brushing each week will ensure the coat stays clean and knot free. The hair should be brushed 'the wrong way'. Particular attention should be paid to the ears and elbows where knots can occur more quickly. The coat should not be trimmed as it will grow back very thick and will be more difficult to manage. Some occasional trimming of the toes, hocks and anal area may be necessary. Males tend to shed once a year and bitches twice a year: this is when most of the hair will be shed.
Colour		They can be seen in all colours from black to white and in shades of cream, brown, orange, sable, gold and blue. They can also be seen with these colours on a white background (parti-colour) and with black and tan (bi-colour.)
Shedding		Little
Suffers From Allergies
Tendency to Cause Allergies		True