Create Your Japanese Spitz's Shop
Japanese Spitz Breed Summary
Playful, Happy, Adoring, Intelligent and Sensitive
These dogs are becoming very popular both here in the UK and in other parts of the world as well! They are still firm favourites in their native country of Japan and have been so since the early 20th century. In terms of their size, they are very small but have lovely, high-spirited personalities.
They also get on very well with children, which is unusual for smaller sized dogs! Additionally, they really thrive within the family environment and love to be involved in everything that goes on at home.
Fun Fact: They have Samoyed in their ancestry!
| Kennel Club Group | Utility |
| Lifespan | 12 - 15 years |
| Height (at the withers) | Males 34cm - 37cm, Females 30cm - 34cm |
| Weight | Males 6kg - 7kg, Females 5kg - 6kg |
| Coat | They have a Double Coat. The Outercoat is Straight, Standing off of the Body. The Undercoat is Denser, Shorter and Softer to the Touch. |
| Colour | White, White with Black Points |
| Eye colour | Dark |
| Common health issues | Patellar luxation, Runny eyes, Allergies |
| Other Names | JS |
These dogs are known for their playful personalities and absolute love of 'hoomans'. They are also extremely adaptable dogs and because of their size, they make excellent pooches for apartment living. They rarely show any form of aggression towards people or dogs, although they can become hypersensitive around strangers. For this reason, they need plenty of guidance and training from experienced owners. But for the right family, they make lovely pets!
Many believe that the Japanese Spitzes are descendants of the great Samoyed. They were first introduced into Japan during the 20th century and were bred to become smaller and smaller. It's also thought that these doggies came about by crossing other spitz-type dogs. In the 1920's and 30's, they were further developed in Japan to look like the dogs they do today, but were introduced into Australia and the States a lot earlier in 1918. They are not a particularly well-known breed across the rest of the world, but remain highly-prized in Japan, even though there are less than 200 left!