FAQ

Below I have listed the questions and the answers to the most common queries I receive about Japanese Spitz. 

1.   Is their coat hard to take care of?

2.   What sort of brush should I groom them with?

3.   How often do they shed hair?

4.   How often do they need to be washed?

5.   What sort of diet suits best?

6.   Are there any common health problems with the breed?

7.   What is the average lifespan of the breed?

8.   Do they need a lot of exercise?

9.   Are they noisy?

10. Are they easy to train?

11. Are they good with children?

No, it is a common misconception that their beautiful coat takes a lot of hard work. A weekly brush (daily during shedding) will keep their coat looking fantastic and avoid it getting knots.  If a knot should happen it needs to be cut out, an attempt to brush it out should not be made.

Question 2: What sort of brush should I groom them with?

I recommend two brushes for grooming, a slicker brush and a rake comb.  The slicker brush is fantastic for the outer coat and the rake comb gets down into the undercoat and removes all of the dead hair.

Question 3: How often do they shed hair?

The male Spitz sheds once a year and the female twice.

Question 4: How often do they need to be washed?

They only need to be washed about 3-4 times a year.  Any more than that can dry out their skin.  Human shampoo must never be used on them!  They will stay pristine white at all times, you will be amazed to see them come in from the garden all mucky and half an hour later they are sparkling white again.  Nothing sticks to their hair for very long so your Spitz will stay white in between its baths.

Question 5: What sort of diet suits best?

A high quality diet is a must for the Spitz.  Brands available in the supermarket are not suitable at all.  They are full of useless ingredients, sugar and fillers.  Long term feeding of such diets will lead to health/teeth problems.  Also these foods do not have enough oil to keep the Spitz coat looking its best and will cause their coats to dry out and shed non-stop.

Question 6: Are there any common health problems in the breed?

Thankfully the Spitz is a fairly healthy breed but they are known to suffer from trouble with their knee joints. It is recommended that your spitz should not be allowed to run up and down stairs too regularly to help avoid this problem in later life.  Jumping should be restricted and gaining weight should also be avoided to decrease pressure on the joints.

Question 7: What is the average lifespan of the breed?

Fortunately for us Spitz lovers, the breed usually lives to around 14 years of age and can even live to 16 years of age.

Question 8: Do they need a lot of exercise?

The Spitz do not need an excessive amount of exercise but without daily walks they do have a lot of energy to burn up in the home!  Your spitz should never be allowed to run free in open spaces unless you are 100% sure of instant recall when you want them to come back to you.  They love to run and run and for this reason should only be allowed off lead in enclosed spaces!

Question 9: Are they noisy?

They can be a bit noisy but are wonderful gaurd dogs who will alert you to anyone coming near your property.

Question 10: Are they easy to train?

Yes!  The Spitz is a wonderfully intelligent dog.  They learn fast and are a joy to train.  Your Spitz will amaze you at times with its almost human qualities!

If you feel that the above does not answer your question then please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.