German Spitz

From ArticleWorld

The term German Spitz is used to cover a group of five different dog breeds in the Spitz line. The five breeds are the Wolfspitz, the Grosspitz, the Mittelspitz, the Kleinspitz and the Zwergspitz. Most kennel clubs only recognize the Mittel and Klein types as German Spitz and consider the others as separate breeds.

History

The German Spitz is the oldest dog breed in Central Europe, having descended from the ancient spitzes of the first Stone Age. It is believed that modern spitzes are direct descendants of the Turfspitz, a breed that inhabited the swampy regions of the northern German plains. Excavations in these areas have shown that the non-nomadic hunter-gatherers of this area kept these animals as pets. In the early 18th century this dog breed became popular in England court under George I who had a German wife. As the German aristocrats began to visit the English court, they brought with them the ancestors of today’s German Spitz. These dogs were called Pomeranians although were much larger and had little resemblance to today Pomeranians. Queen Victoria later became an enthusiast of the breed and began importing the kleinspitze, which weighed from 3 to 7 pounds. Due to anti-German sentiment the breed began to go into decline around the time of the First World War. In 1975 Mrs. Averil Cawthera began importing white Pomeranians from Holland and began the re-emergence of the breed.

Characteristics

German Spitz, while similar in appearance, does vary in colors. The Giant Spitz may only be white, black or brown, while the others may be of various color combinations. The Kleinspitz and the Pomeranian do look alike, however they are not the same breed. German Spitz require early training and are not considered ideal pets for home with young children. They are happy, curious and very busy dogs. Male Spitz may not get along well with other dogs.