Description

The Finish Spitz is a medium sized dog that resembles a fox especially during its puppyhood. This is a well-bred breed with well-defined features and conspicuous, thick, medium-length honey reddish colored fur. The fur sometimes has white markings.

Finish Spitz are confident dogs. Their builds make them natural hunters of small animals and birds. They are easy to train, loyal and ready to delight their handlers and family.

The face of the Finish Spitz appears to be smiling. It has black lips and teeth that meet in a scissors type bite. It has a pointed muzzle and a black nose. Its vision is excellent and it has a robust bark.

The body of the Finish Spitz is balanced and the dog is able to move quickly. Male dogs have unrefined features and female dogs appear strong. Both male and female dogs have deep chests, plumed tails and rounded feet.

Coat Description

This fox like breed has medium length fur that is usually red, gold or a combination of the two with white markings. It has soft, white fur underneath its outer coat. They are ideal dogs for cold weather locations since they originated in the Arctic climate. Accordingly, they are heavy seasonal shedders.

History

This attractive and strong dog traces its ancestry back over 2 millennium to Finland. It is thought to have come to Finland from Russia. It is now Finland’s national dog and is popular throughout Scandinavia. In 1987 it became a recognized breed of the American Kennel Club.

The Finish Spitz closely resembles the fox. It is quick, smart and a natural hunter. They have been bred to be assertive and forceful and need to be trained to bring out their tamer side. With proper training they make wonderful additions to the family and are loyal pets eager to please their owners.

Temperament

The Finish Spitz is an active breed that tends to work and play with enthusiasm. They are often compared to fox in their appearances and their actions. Some Finish Spitz can be overbearing; however, proper training can easily control that behavior. They can also be stubborn and they require patience from their handlers. Once this breed bonds with its owners and receives consistent training they are typically well behaved with people and other pets.

Finish Spitz have historically been bred to have an unusual bird like bark that needs to be controlled. The easiest way to prevent the bark from becoming a nuisance is to provide plenty of companionship and exercise for the dog. Finish Spitz have lots of energy and endurance and enjoy lots of activities.

This is a smart and inquisitive breed that makes a great family pet. They are natural protectors and bond well with their human families.

Health Problems

Finish Spitz is one of the healthiest dog breeds. There are just a few medical conditions that are important to note. Those include: deafness; eye problems which can progress to blindness and; hip dysplasia which can cause varying degrees of lameness.

Grooming

The most important way to maintain the coat of a Finish Spitz is to brush it a few times a week. It has thick fur and is a heavy shedder at certain times of the year. This breed looks its best after a good cleaning and a washing at home or at the dog groomer will bring out its natural beauty. Its nails and whiskers will need to be cut from time to time.

Given the dogs thick coat, it is important to look for ticks regularly. Some vets also recommend giving this breed raw vegetables to properly maintain their teeth.

Exercise

The Finish Spitz is an intelligent, playful and active breed with a need to be outside every day. They make wonderful exercise companions and will enjoy running with their handlers. They also enjoy new activities, learning new tricks, going to new places and swimming. This breed was bred to hunt and will use those skills in their outdoor exercise. They should be on a lead when in a wide open area with other domestic animals or wildlife. They can get distracted by a scent and follow it to its conclusion. As Arctic dogs, they are happiest outside in moderate to cold temperatures.

Training

The Finnish Spitz is a very smart, astute, confident, and intelligent breed. It learns new skills very quickly and it is easy to train with the appropriate amount of attention and care. These dogs are not difficult to train but they can become stubborn if they are overly anxious or fearful. It is important to work with them in a relaxed manner whenever possible. These dogs are willful and bold, and will perform at a high level once they are comfortable and have respect for their owners.

Finish Spitz are naturally intelligent and assertive. They quickly catch on to new requests and skills. It is important to give them lots of attention and train them in a determined, dependable, kind and playful manner. The ideal place to train them is outdoors. They make wonderful show dogs and are great competitors. They also have natural abilities for hunting, rescuing and exploring. Good training programs should capitalize on their natural abilities.

Finish Spitz are often described as having a bird chirping like bark and do have a tendency to bark incessantly. They should be trained to control their barking. This is a breed that is more bark than bite and is not prone to biting humans or other pets. It enjoys children and is loyal to its owners.

Effective training should take place in several short daily sessions so as to keep the dog’s attention. Dog training classes may be useful for this breed. A positive approach and kind tone are necessary.