Finnish Spitz

Finsk Spets, Finkie, Loulou Finnois

The Finnish Spitz was designated as the "Finnish National Dog" in 1979 and is still very popular in his native Finland. He is also appreciated and widespread in Sweden and in the vicinity of his native region. This magnificent specimen, which can perform multiple functions, is a dog that must be discovered. He is beautiful, pleasant, and can perform a variety of tasks, and even if he is noisy, he remains a very endearing dog.

Height 39 to 55 cm
Weight 7 to 13 kg
Life expectancy 12 to 14 years
Home country Finland

Quick Overview of the Finnish Spitz

Temperament

  • Hyperactive and joyful
  • Fun and lively
  • Friendly and sensitive
  • Fairly independent character

Appearance

  • Slender dog
  • Strong build
  • Very nice presence

Health

  • No particular pathology
  • Generally in excellent health
  • Rarely ill
  • No fear of cold or heat

Temperament of the Finnish Spitz

Hyperactive, cheerful, playful, lively, friendly and sensitive, the Finnish Spitz is an excellent dog, very devoted despite his rather independent character.

In spite of a certain independence, he's constantly reminding us of his presence and is rather noisy, being originally created for this purpose.

Intelligent, he learns quickly, making his socialization and education rather easy to carry out.

Very intelligent and intuitive, his education is relatively easy, as is his socialization. His natural instinct makes him an excellent guard, rather reserved towards strangers, but never aggressive. His thunderous voice is more than adequate for the task.

An excellent hunting, alarm and guard dog, the Finnish Spitz also makes an outstanding companion dog. His playful character delights children, regularly sharing all their games, without ever getting bored.

He is even a little flamboyant, entertaining everybody at the slightest opportunity. Lively and hyperactive, he never stops.

spitz finlandais personnalité

Breed Appearance

Finnish spitz

The Finnish Spitz is slightly larger than most dogs. He is a slender dog with a solid constitution, yet very graceful.

His silhouette, as well as his general appearance, reveals his great liveliness. His entire gait is reminiscent of the Spitz-type dogs of his category.

Height

Between 44 and 55 cm (17.32 to 21.65 inches) for the male
Between 39 and 45 cm (15.35 to 17.72 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 12 and 13 kg (26.46 to 28.66 pounds) for the male
Between 7 and 10 kg (15.43 to 22.05 pounds) for the female

Color

The pretty coat of the Finnish Spitz varies between the brilliant colors of reddish and golden brown. His bright coat is lighter in tone on the abdomen and chest, on the muzzle, cheeks and inside of the ears, as well as on the back of the thighs, on the inside of the legs and under the tail.

Hair

His long, brightly colored coat can be semi-erect or upright on the body, while straight on the back and neck. It is harder and much longer on the shoulders. His coat has an undercoat, especially present in males.

Morphology

His head has an ovoid skull and a slightly pronounced stop. His almond-shaped eyes are medium size and generally dark in color.

His small mobile ears are triangular and very pointed. They are also always erect. His small very dark nose is jet black. His tail is carried along the back, while firmly curved forward.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 5, section 2 and is #49

Tips About this breed

This pretty canine specimen doesn't stay in place for more than a second, he's a born hyperactive.

Originally created for his good looks and to continuously bark, he regularly uses this natural attribute.

He's always on the move and barks a lot. Therefore, although he adapts very well to all situations, he may not be suitable for those who want a quiet dog that doesn't make too much noise.

Finnish Spitz-type dogs are excellent hunting dogs that can follow game by smell, hold it against a tree and bark continuously until the master hunter arrives to kill the prey.

He may also run in front of the hunter, lift the game and bring it back as soon as it is shot. This makes him an excellent hound and a fabulous retriever dog.

He is a much appreciated hunting companion in his country.

In addition to hunting, he is also used for guarding, because with his energetic and continuous voice he makes an excellent alarm dog, alerting the master to the slightest intrusion, and may very well dissuade anyone with malicious intentions.

His continuous barking is often enough to make the most recalcitrant ones back down.

He can live very well anywhere and adapts to all climates, but his need to bark almost continuously must be taken into consideration if the neighbours live very close by, as his nature won't change.

He is like that; he barks very loudly and very often.

Health of the Finnish Spitz

The breed is not affected by any particular pathology, nor by any hereditary or congenital disease.

The specimens are generally in excellent health and rarely ill. Adaptable to all climates, he is not afraid of cold or heat. The longevity of the breed is appreciable.

GROOMING

His pretty fur, which is still quite dense, requires daily brushing. Regular maintenance is necessary to keep his beautiful fleece clean and healthy.

However, no further special maintenance is required.

History of this breed

The Finnish Spitz is of uncertain origin, but he has been known for centuries in Finland, where he is widely used for hunting. He most probably entered Finland with nomadic tribes from the borders of Asia at the beginning of the Christian era.

He was apparently used at that time to hunt polar bears. His first true written description is said to date back to 1675. This initial description was found at the time in the travel notes of a French explorer.

The basic idea behind the creation of this breed by the Finns was that the Finnish Spitz would lead to a hunting dog with a good appearance, which could bark continuously in the presence of game birds. At that time he was therefore used for hunting, but also for guarding.

Later he was crossed with dogs brought by travellers to Finland, which had the effect of harming the breed, until some enthusiasts decided to bring the Finnish Spitz back to his purer origins and significantly replenish his numbers.

Remaining purebred specimens were then selected, and the breed was reconstituted from these selected dogs.

When the breed was registered in the stud book in the 1890s, the majority of the breed was found in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country. The first official standard was published in 1892. In 1897, he took part in his first competition as a hunting dog.

Mainly used for hunting game birds in the forest, he is also very effective for small pests, as well as elk and waterfowl.

The Finnish Spitz has retained his original nature, with his beautiful appearance and partnership with hunters.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

best fresh dog food 5 brands

We Tried 5 Fresh Dog Food Brands

Is all the marketing hype worth it? Did our dogs enjoy them? Here’s our dogs’ totally honest review.

special sale

nom nom fresh food

50% off