Spitz
Dogs
Spitz
German Spitz
Spitz-type
breeds of
dog (the correct
German plural is Spitze, though Spitzen is commonly used in the
US) are characterised by long, thick, and often
white fur, and pointed
ears and
muzzles. The tail
is usually curled over the dog's back.
Origins
The exact origins of spitz-type dogs is not known, though most of the spitz-types
seen today originate from the
Arctic regions.
There is no
archaeological evidence showing transition stages between the
wolf and the
often-similar spitz-type dogs.
Skeletal
remains up to 5,000
years old suggest it is far more likely that the
ancestors
of spitz types
mated with wolves.
Though it is not completely certain that there has been wolf blood in the
spitz-type dogs for that long, it is certain the
humans have
intentionally mated spitz types with wolves in more recent times to achieve the
wolf-like appearance of breeds such as the
Alaskan Malamute.
Migrations
About three thousand years ago, dogs began to
migrate from
the Arctic into
temperate
Europe,
North
America, Asia,
and to a lesser extent,
Africa.
Skeletal remains around 2,000 years old unearthed in
Switzerland indicate that spitz-type dogs have inhabited
Central Europe for
millennia.
These dogs are almost certainly the ancestors of the European spitz-types, such
as the Keeshond
and
Schipperke.
Many spitz-types also migrated into
Korea and
China. Over the
centuries, many of these dogs were transported by humans to
Japan, most
likely from Korea. These Asian spitz types are the ancestors of today's breeds
such as the
Chow Chow and the
Akita Inu.
Working Dogs
Through
selective breeding, spitz types have
evolved
to fit three purposes helping humans:
hunting,
herding,
and pulling
sleds.
The larger and more powerful breeds such as the
Karelian Bear Dog and the
Norwegian Elkhound were used for
big game hunting,
helping humans kill
moose and elk.
Smaller breeds such as the
Finnish Spitz and the
Lundehund
were used in
Scandinavia to hunt
birds and smaller
mammals.
The largest of all the spitz types, notably the
Canadian Eskimo Dog and the
Greenland Dog, were used to pull sleds up until the
19th
century. During that century, when
fur
trapping became a lucrative business, people began to realise that
size did not
necessarily relate with
endurance,
and the smaller
Siberian Husky came to be used more frequently in
Canada and
Alaska. The
Finnish Lapphund was used by the
Sami
people.
Adaptation to the Arctic
Spitz types are well suited to living in harsh northern
climates.
They often have an
insulating,
waterproof
undercoat that is denser than the topcoat to trap warmth.
Small ears help reduce the risk of
frostbite
and thick fur grows on the
paws to protect the
dogs from sharp ice.
However, many spitz-type breeds retain wolflike characteristics such as
excessive independance, suspiciousness, and aggression towards unfamiliar humans
or other animals, and can therefore require much
training
before they become manageable. Some, such as the
Karelian Bear Dog, are almost impossible to train as
companion dogs.
Companions and toys
The charming look of the spitz-type, with its thick fur, fluffy ruff, curled
tail and small muzzle and ears, have caused several people to create non-working
types designed to be
companions or
lap dogs. This trend is most evident in the tiny
Pomeranian, which was originally a much larger dog closer to the size of a
Keeshond
before being bred down to make an acceptable court animal.
Other spitz types which have been bred away from working uses are the
American Eskimo Dog, the
Alaskan Klee Kai, the
German
Spitz and possibly even the
Papillon.
List of Spitz-type dog breeds
This list might not be complete and is, at best, an educated guess from
experts and dog fanciers based on the physical characteristics of the breeds.
Some, such as the
Papillon, exhibit the tail, coat, and head of a Spitz dog, but its ears more
closely resemble
spaniels although being upright like the Spitz. In the future, genetic
studies might better clarify the relationship among various breeds. Note that
dogs listed here might also be classified as
toy dogs,
herding
dogs, sled
dogs, and in other types.
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