Do you want to meet the most sociable and energetic dog of all the Nordic dog breeds? We are talking about the Finnish spitz, a seasoned hunter and excellent companion animal that stands out for its intelligence and ease of learning, as well as for its balanced and friendly character. These dogs are a very old breed that, over the years, has become popular, spreading throughout the world in the 60s of the last century. On our site we present the elegant and bold Finnish spitz, a dog with many curiosities to discover.
Keep reading to find out all about the Finnish spitz or suomenpystykorva, called in its original language.
Origin of the Finnish Spitz
With many centuries of history behind them, Finnish Spitz have traditionally been used as hunting dogs in various Nordic countries such as Finland or Sweden. These dogs were, and still are, highly valued by hunters, as they have incredible skills for marking the position of prey, often birds, such as capercaillies and elk, with their barks. In this way, the hunters knew where the prey was and went after it. The ancestors of these dogs are unknown, although researchers say they share a large genetic makeup with wild wolves.
The breed began to have an official registry in the year 1890, shortly after, in 1892, the first official standard of the finnish spitzIn that same decade, the first competitions were already held, a breed exhibition and a bird hunting competition, both held in 1897. The breed has always been very relevant in Finland, in fact, it is so popular and appreciated in the country, that since 1979 the Finnish spitz has been considered the national dog of Finland.
Currently, the breed standard includes those that were previously distinguished as two independent breeds: the Karelian-Finnish Laika and the Finnish Spitz. Both breeds were unified in the Finnish spitz in 2006.
Characteristics of the Finnish Spitz
Finnish spitz are medium-sized dogs, weighing between 14 and 16 kilograms in males and 11 -13 in females, being respectively their height at the withers of 43-51 centimeters in them and 39 to 45 in them. A Finnish spitz has an average life expectancy of about 12 years.
The body of these dogs is Square in shape, robust and athletic and muscular as well as slender. Its extremities are straight and parallel, emphasizing its solidity and strength, and its tail curls over its back. As a curious fact, when they extend their tail, it reaches the hock and is covered by a large layer of hair.
Continuing with the characteristics of the Finnish spitz, the head is oval in shape, with a widening that coincides with the cheeks, reaching the ears, where the skull reaches its maximum width. It has a slight stop, its snout is narrow and narrow, with a straight profile and a marked and powerful jaw. The eyes are almond-shaped and lively and the ears, set high, are upright, small in size and triangular in shape.
The hair of the Finnish spitz has a double-layered structure , with a highly insulating, woolly undercoat that is soft and dense, and a longer, rougher topcoat. The hair is quite long, especially on the shoulders, much shorter on the legs and head. The color of the coat must be bright reddish or golden red, more intense on the back and preferably lighter tones on the cheeks, ears, throat, chest, face inside of legs and tail. Only small white spots on the feet are allowed within the standard.
Finnish spitz character
The Finnish spitz is a really sociable dog, which is very happy when in contact with others and is very affectionate. Even with strangers he is pleasant, because although he can be somewhat more withdrawn with them, he will never be aggressive or sullen. He is ideal for living with children, as he is patient and very attentive, as well as playful.
The temperament of the Finnish Spitz is Very balanced, with high doses of courage and determination, it is usually independent but affectionate. He doesn't like being alone, but he does like that I leave him his space to have his valued independence.
This is an extremely active dog, like so many other breeds bred for hunting, so we have to make sure that it is He exercises enough and that he doesn't get bored when we're not around, as this can lead to undesirable behaviors such as excessive barking, which he tends to do when he's very bored.
Finnish spitz care
One of the aspects to which we must pay the most attention if we have a Finnish spitz will be the care of its coat and, above all, all of your skin. Regarding the coat, it should be noted that brushing is necessary every 2-3 days to remove traces of dirt and, in addition, check that there are no parasites such as fleas or ticks attached to the skin. The skin of these dogs is quite sensitive, so we have to take care of it, watching for redness or peeling, because sometimes they need veterinary care to avoid getting worse.
It is also essential not to forget physical exercise if we want to guarantee all the care of the Finnish spitz. Thus, we must provide our dog with adequate daily physical activity, which is sufficient and of high intensity, so that he can release his excess energy. With these dogs, a short walk is not enough for them to get some fresh air and relieve themselves, they require intense exercise sessions, which is why it is recommended that they have a space, such as a garden or a special area for dogs in the park., where they can run freely, apart from leash walks. In this sense, it is advisable to practice canine sports with these dogs or activities such as running with them, Agility, etc.
Finnish Spitz puppy
The care of a Finnish Spitz puppy goes beyond those mentioned, since these little ones require certain things that adult dogs already have. Thus, it will be essential to acquire a adequate and comfortable bed so you can sleep, toys both for have fun to chew on, food and water bowls, nail clippers if we plan to cut our dog's nails at home, and underpads so that he can relieve himself while he learns to relieve himself on the street.
With special emphasis on the importance of teething toys, puppies change their teeth, so during this process they feel discomfort that can only be relieved by biting. If we don't offer the right utensils for it, they will bite the furniture, shoes or whatever they find.
Finnish spitz education
When we have to train a Finnish spitz we can find great obstacles, such as the fact that they have a strong character before orders, showing reluctance to obey. That is why for training sessions it is recommended to approach them as if the different exercises and commands were games. In this way, we will ensure that by seeing the session as a game and entertainment, they will not be so reluctant to do what is asked of them.
It is also advisable that the training sessions are not very long, one or two daily sessions of about 15 minutes should be enough. Of course, we must always be patient and persevering if we want to see the changes. It is advisable to go little by little, first teach them the basic commands and gradually make the sessions more difficult
On the other hand, socializing the Finnish spitz puppy, or the adult if we have adopted him at an older age, is essential to achieve learn to relate appropriately with other people, animals and environments.
Finnish spitz he alth
The Finnish Spitz is a breed whose breeding is highly controlled and supervised, which is why it has been possible to prevent the development of serious congenital diseases in specimens of this breed. However, they seem to have a high skin sensitivity, their skin being quite fragile. This leads to skin disorders such as dermatitis or fungal infections. To avoid the proliferation of fungi and microorganisms, care must be taken to ensure that the skin remains dry, since humidity will cause more pathogenic infections to be generated.
In addition, regular veterinary check-ups must be carried out to assess the general state of he alth, carrying out the corresponding vaccinations and deworming. In this way, we will avoid diseases as serious as rabies or canine distemper.
