The Miniature Spitz

We have already discussed here several times that size is not necessarily important for a guard dog. The breed that we now call the German Spitz has been around for a very long time - both large and small. An impressive Wolfspitz was used to guard large farms, while the small Spitz loved to ride pillion on the coach box due to their compactness. But they too - the little ones - always guarded the houses and yards confidently and tirelessly, reported every stranger incorruptibly and relentlessly fought mice, rats and other vermin in the stables and houses. They bravely drove away everything that entered their territory without permission - and in return they gained a reputation for being poisonous. Well, nothing is so hard as man's ingratitude. 🙄

Charles Kammerer, one of the founding fathers of the German Spitz Club, called the small Spitz the "toy dog par excellence". According to Kammerer, the small Spitz should be a miniature version of the large Spitz [1]  and have all the positive advantages of his large cousins. In order to prevent any incorrect ideas from the outset, Kammerer states, not without pride, that the German Spitz is a genuine German breeding product. The home of the small Spitz is southern Germany, where he has been bred for a long time. The best known is the "Mannheimer Spitz", the black small Spitz, which was notorious for being very sharp and very alert.

The small Spitz, which is characterized above all by his cuteness, his beautiful coat and his watchfulness, loyalty and affection, has always been both a watchdog and a cute companion for ladies. And there is no doubt that such qualities also guarantee a good reputation in the fashion world. This even went so far that Spitz and his mistress were fashionably brought into harmony: for example, we read in Mr. Flößel's book that the jet black, small Spitz is the most fashionable for the grieving widow. However, as his fur is a shinier black than is appropriate in times of mourning, this shine can be somewhat dampened by a crepe bow on the collar. But non-mourning ladies who preferred to wear black also liked to keep the black small Spitz.

The small Spitz dogs were known at the time under the general term "Zwergspitz" ("Dwarf" Spitz which means Toy Spitz), although they were not actually that "dwarfish" in the past. In 1922 the Toy Spitz was officially renamed "Kleinspitz" (Miniature Spitz), reason unknown. I have to explain the following: The German name for the Toy Spitz is "Zwergspitz", which has to be translated as something like "Dwarf Spitz". Maybe they simply didn't like the name anymore, because for some people, the term "dwarf" certainly connotes something degenerate or misshapen.

Of all animals, dogs are culturally closest to humans, because dogs are already at the stage of evolution in which cleverness rather than physical power wins the battle for survival. However, cleverness does not mean that the smartest dog is the one that can repeat and repeat the most trained tricks, i.e. the one with the greatest working intelligence. Being able to solve problems yourself is smart, as is having a high level of social intelligence - this is crucial for living together with dogs - and the will to bond with humans.

And this is where the German Spitz comes in. He is known for his incredible intelligence, but also for his attachment to his people. All Spitz dogs - no matter how big or small - have a big personality and are very self-confident, but still very loyal. They seek closeness to their people and bond closely with their families. For this reason, the German Spitz should never be kept outside 24/7 or on a chain, otherwise he will become wild and evil.

Like all of his cousins, the Miniature Spitz is quite talkative and eager to communicate. He understands human language extremely well, so you can speak to him in complete sentences. However, you will wait in vain for a spoken answer. The Kamchatka people from the vastness of Russia have the following to say about the dogs' current speechlessness:

"The dogs of Kamchatka once spoke. One day, when they noticed people in a boat, they asked them where they were going. However, they were not answered and - hurt by their behavior - the dogs were given a swearing never to speak to a person again. They kept their word, but they remained curious. This is why they bark when a stranger approaches, to find out about his intentions."

The Spitz, the clever dick, stretches the boundaries of this oath as expected. In the 19th century, a Mr. Barbou reported on a Spitz that used the different modulations of his voice to tell his master who was coming to visit.

Anyone who simply likes to communicate is quickly suspected of being a barker. This is also the case with the Spitz, which has been wrongly given this reputation. Barking in Spitz dogs of any size is primarily a question of training. This means that with appropriate training, Spitz's tendency to bark can be reduced to a minimum - but he will never be as quiet as a mouse. Miniature Spitz dogs simply like to bark - and not only when they want to tell their master or mistress something important, but also just for the sake of it, out of pure joy. This is Spitz's way of telling the world that he is feeling great.

The Kleinspitz is of course very satisfied with a big house & garden, but he will definitely fit into a small apartment, too. As soon as he has recognized apartment this as his domain, he will make sure that no one enters the apartment who is not allowed to. He will bark at a stranger who has broken into the apartment until he can summon help. His relatively small body size means that he can fit under any couch or armchair and can bark happily from there. He can even hide under some cupboards, and a burglar has little chance of silencing him down there.

His ancient calling as a sharp guardian of the house and yard clashes unfairly with his suitability as a family dog. The fact that he always guards and protects his family makes him the perfect family and companion dog. Anyone who has ever called this dog their own will always have the desire to own a Kleinspitz.

The Miniature Spitz is a perfect dog for newbies, but he definitely needs consistent training. Don't underestimate him just because he's so small, cute and fluffy! He's not a doll, no, he needs social interaction, appropriate exercise and good training just as urgently as a large dog.

The German Spitz has been a guardian of his owners and their belongings since time immemorial. The fact that he is often distrustful is not to be held against it. Distrust can be found in German Spitz dogs in many different ranges: On the one hand, there are those Spitz dogs who are reserved at first but then quickly warm up - and then there is the other extreme, which will not look at the foreign person even after hours and will certainly not allow this person to pet him (never, under any circumstances). However, there are some adjustments that can be made in terms of training.

In general, all representatives of the breed have a strong guarding instinct. For sure, they are guard dogs after all! Coupled with a high level of self-confidence, this can lead to problems with other dogs, strangers or barking if not properly trained. Prevent bad behavior from puppyhood and train your Kleinspitz with consistency, patience and very, very clear rules.

The Miniature Spitz is suitable for active people who appreciate the little independent dog. However, for people who expect absolute obedience or who have problems asserting themselves or making themselves heard, the German Spitz - regardless of size - is not the right dog. It is not unusual for poorly controlled small Spitz to make entire families stand at attention.

Because of his size, the small Spitz looks like the perfect handbag dog. However, although your Kleinspitz will want to be taken everywhere, he is definitely not suitable for your handbag. He is not a lapdog, he is not a doll, not a child substitute, and not an accessory, but a real dog - a smaller version of his large cousins. Don't let his cuteness fool you. Even a small dog should be kept and trained like a large dog. He has got legs he wants to use, and he needs exercise, loves variety, and likes to accompany you. So if you take your Miniature Spitz seriously and a "real" dog, with all the needs that a real dog has, you will have a lot of fun with him.

The German Spitz does not poach, although it is often claimed that the German Spitz hunts like any other dog. This is nonsense told by those who want to gloss over poor breeding or poor training (or both). The Spitz definitely does not hunt and can therefore accompany you on a walk off-leash, as he will not run away. This is simply wonderful for both humans and Spitz.

On this YouTube channel, short videos are constantly being uploaded that show that the Spitz - here using the example of Giant Spitz - does not hunt:

📺 YouTube channel of @großspitz-der  🔴

I recently came across the phrase "Performance leads to type" on Facebook. This means nothing other than "form follows function". In the case of our Miniature Spitz, this means that his character shapes his appearance, so the working qualities of the incorruptible guard also shape a body that is appropriately suited to this task.

As small as he is, even the Klein Spitz should have a Spitz temperament, that is, always suspicious, incorruptible, bright and alert, or at least that is what we read in the club newsletter of the German Spitz Club. [2]

The small watchdog is characterized by his lush long coat with a mane-like ruff, well-feathered front legs and pronounced breeches on the hind legs. Only the front of the front and hind legs, the paws and the head including the ears are short and have "velvety" hair. The tail is set high and bushy, rolled up over the back and not hanging down, as is the fox-like head with small, quick, almond-shaped eyes.

👉🏻 Fox-like in terms of head shape means that the medium-sized head is wedge-shaped, with a snout-to-skull ratio of approximately 2:3. The snout should not be too wide or too narrow, nor too long or too short. The stop of the Spitz's head is moderately developed to pronounced, but never abrupt. So if your Miniature Spitz looks like a Pekingese or a Chihuahua, something went wrong in the breeding. Then there may also be something wrong with the character, something that does not correspond to the Spitz character, as see above: "From performance to type".

The current breed standard specifies a height of 24–30 cm for the German Spitz, with the weight depending on the size of the dog. Like all German Spitz, the Klein Spitz is squarely built, with a ratio of height at the withers to the length of the dog of 1:1. He should have very straight legs that look like small pillars and that are of strong substance. Legs that look like stilts are not appropriate for a guard dog, not even a small one.

Last but not least, the Spitz can be recognized by his small, triangular ears, which are always carried upright and detect even the slightest noise and follow it like radar. His characteristic appearance makes the Klein Spitz a very striking companion.

Miniature Spitz are approved by the FCI in the following colours:

• black,
• brown,
• white,
• orange,
• wolf gray and
• different-coloured colours: cream, cream-sable, orange-sable, black-and-tan and piebald. 

Black, brown, gray or orange piebalds must have a pattern that should be spread over the entire body.

The thick, double coat of the Kleinspitz protects against cold, heat and injuries. It is never shaved down to a few millimetres; that is a sin against the Spitz's most beautiful feature, his magnificent coat. Not only does a shearing cause immense damage to the coat structure, but often the hair does not grow back normally afterward. A dog like this then looks like a plucked chicken for the rest of his life. In the worst case, the coat also loses its insulating ability and no longer provides adequate protection against heat and cold. The old Spitz is an exception: if his coat is too much of a problem in the summer it can certainly be shortened, but not shaved down to the skin.

👉🏻 A well-bred Miniature Spitz is extremely easy to care for and doesn't shed any more than a short-haired dog, although the short hairs that literally dig into the fabrics and are much harder to remove than the long Spitz hair that tend to hide in clumps under sofas and cupboards. However, if you have a cleanliness or hygiene obsession, you shouldn't get a dog. Where animals live, there is dirt - a lot of dirt depending on the weather - and where dogs live, you will also find dog hair. If you see this as a threat to your well-being and that of your family, it's better not to get a dog. 👆🏻

At the beginning of the 20th century, all colors were allowed for the small Spitz, although the black small Spitz was the one that was best bred at the time. In addition to the black Miniature Spitz (then called "Toy Spitz"), there were brown specimens - from the lightest light brown to the richest chocolate brown - as well as wolf-gray, fox-red and steel-blue Spitzes; and also orange and spotted Spitzes. 

Not to be forgotten is the white Miniature Spitz, which the German Spitz Club considered to be "the most beautiful and noble", or at least that is what it says in a Spitz brochure from 1905. Crossbreeding between all colors was allowed at that time, and the dogs bred in this way all received papers and could be sold without any problems.

Nevertheless, breeders in Germany remained committed to colour pure breeding. For example, the Dutch breeder Mr. Poublon (kennel "van de Rakkerhoeve" in Arnhem) reported in the 1950s that there was no separation of colours in Holland, as there were hardly any white, black or brown Miniature Spitz there. The colour orange was the most common in the Netherlands at that time. However, there were hardly any orange Miniature Spitz in Germany.

The orange German Miniature Spitz bred by Dutch breeders stood out not only because of his colour, but also because of his smaller size and finer bone structure. This was mainly because foreign Miniature Spitzes were mostly bred according to English ideas of the way a German Spitz should look like. It was only the decision made at an FCI meeting on April 1, 1955 that from now on the German Spitz would be judged according to the German breed standard in all FCI member countries that was supposed to remedy this negative development. 

In 1957, at the general meeting of the German Spitz Club it was decided to remove the colour designation "other coloured" - for both the Klein and Giant Spitz - from the standard. From January 1958, Klein Spitzes were only allowed to be bred in the colours black, white, gray and orange. 

Miniature Spitz dogs have always been diligently bred and have always been one of the most popular Spitz varieties of Germany. However, the separation of Germany after the war into the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR meant that the stud books were also separated, and the number of Klein Spitz dogs in the Federal Republic of Germany decreased significantly as a result. Fashion trends regarding popular dog breeds also meant that the number of litters gradually decreased. While there were 555 litters (East and West) in 1950, the number in the Federal Republic of Germany fell to 200 in 1960, before falling again, so that in 1970 there were only 72 litters. The introduction of the Toy Spitz in addition to the Klein Spitz in 1974 shrunk the population even further, so that in 1990 there were only 53 litters of Kleinspitz dogs in the Federal Republic of Germany. Only the fall of the Berlin Wall and the resulting reunification of Germany ensured that the German Kleinspitz populations were merged again, and consequently the number of litters subsequently increased again.

Since it is thematically appropriate at this point, we turn our attention eastwards to the GDR 👀

In the autumn of 1948, the first meeting of a few breeders of the German Spitz took place in Erfurt. The "Breeding Association for German Spitz" was founded in the GDR (based in Leipzig) in 1950. One year later, the first stud book was published. At that time, Wolf, Giant and Klein Spitz were bred.

In the GDR, there were Klein Spitz dogs in black, white, brown and other coloured, and they made up about a third of all registered Spitz puppies. The most common were black Miniature Spitz dogs; white, wolf gray and orange were quite rare.

The dogs bred in the GDR were of high quality and there were hardly any problems with breeding. The only problem was dental defects in the gray and orange population; this was because their populations were so tiny. The upper size limit for these colour varieties was also a problem; the animals were sometimes too big. In order to preserve the colour varieties, concessions were made, and mating was often permitted with special permits. 

From the 1960s onwards, the white Miniature Spitz became increasingly rare. The breeding base eventually shrank so much that it only consisted of one white male and his son, so the white Miniature Spitz was in danger of becoming extinct in the GDR.

In order to avert this fate, in 1970, in collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Humboldt University in Berlin, the mating of two white sisters with a black male was approved. These animals were registered in the stud book up to the F3 generation under separate stud book numbers as so-called "experimental breeding". The additional use of a white male, who descended from black ancestors, subsequently secured the population of the white Miniature Spitz to some extent.

At that time, importing Spitz into the GDR was almost impossible, but the desire for Toy Spitz was also very clear in the GDR. Since the breeding of black Miniature Spitz resulted in animals that did not reach the necessary size being dropped from the breeding program, an application was submitted to the central board of the VKSK (GDR dog club) in 1988 to allow the breeding of Toy Spitz. This application was approved. For a transitional period, a cross-breeding between Miniature and Toy Spitz was permitted. After the second generation, it should no longer be possible to return animals that were too large to the Miniature Spitz group. 

Breeding in the GDR was of very high quality, so the top breeders were subjected to a breeding value assessment based on a points system. As many dogs as possible were subjected to a breeding assessment by the responsible studward at the age of 7 to 9 months. This made it possible to identify certain tendencies early on. In the case of matings with special permission, the dogs of the resulting litter had to be presented as completely as possible, especially if the breeder wanted to repeat the same mating.

The breeders in the GDR stuck to the standard for German Spitz throughout the entire period of isolation from the western part of Germany, even though official contact with the German Spitz Club was not permitted and the GDR dog breeding clubs had no opportunity to become members of the FCI. Therefore, in 1991, when the GDR Spitz breeders joined the German Spitz Club, genetic material was introduced into the breeding stock that proved to be an enrichment for the German Spitz dogs. But now back to the Federal Republic of Germany:

In 1974, the "old", new size variety of Toy Spitz was introduced, after the name had been abolished in 1922. This means nothing other than that the Toy Spitz and the Miniature Spitz, which had previously always been a single variety that only changed names here and there, were separated from each other for the first time in the entire centuries-old history of the German Spitz.

The reason for expanding the breed standard to include the Pomeranian was that the many Pomeranians coming from abroad needed to be sorted somewhere. Furthermore, the German Spitz Club was not inclined to watch as the foreign Pomeranians were snatched away from them by their competitor - the "Association of Small Dog Breeders":

"We are the sole representatives of the "German Spitz" and have the duty to protect this name from all falsifications. We are subsequently encouraged by the founders of our club, who declared as early as 1925: There is no English Spitz." [5]

However, since people were not really enthusiastic about what was coming from abroad into German Toy Spitz breeding, an application was made in 1987 to recognize the Pomeranian as an independent Spitz breed, in order to effectively exclude it from the German Toy Spitz lines. In practice, this meant that the club wanted the Pomeranian to be considered a separate, foreign breed, similar to the Japanese Spitz. The commission set up specifically for this purpose, however, did not reach a conclusion.

As an alternative, the main board of the German Spitz Club proposed melting the Toy Spitz and the Miniature Spitz into a single variety in order to expand their breeding base. However, this "back-to-the-roots" proposal was rejected by the majority of members at the general meeting held in 1990. 

If we look at the colours of the Miniature Spitz we see that breeders used to be more attached to color pure breeding of the Miniature Spitz, although all colours were allowed until 1957. In the 1950s, black, brown and white Miniature Spitz were still in the absolute majority; in the years that followed, however, enthusiasm for the colour orange grew steadily, so that in 1970 the orange Miniature Spitz overtook the brown and white Spitz for the first time; only black was more popular at that time. Miniature Spitz bred with pure colours in white, black and brown are now something of a rarity.

In 1990, the standard for the German Spitz was revised again and the colour palette for the Klein Spitz was expanded to include the old term "other-coloured." This term included all colours, such as blue-cream, beaver, cream-sable, orange-sable, black-and-tan and piebald. 

However, the more colourful the Spitz, the more important it is that his phenotype matches the Spitz's original phenotype determined by the breed standard exactly, so that the Spitz doesn't look like a mongrel. Unfortunately, many Spitz breeders currently focus only on the colour - according to the motto "the more colourful, the better" - and less on the character and type. 

Neither the Miniature Spitz nor the Toy Spitz are separate breeds but rather just two different size varieties of the German Spitz dog breed. Nevertheless, there are sometimes striking differences between these two varieties.

Even in earlier times, when there was only one "small Spitz", there were quite different types within the population: some Spitzes were more of a bear type like today's Pomeranians, others were like a shrunken version of the large Spitz.

The really massive divergence between the different types of small Spitz dogs only really took off with the introduction of the new old size category "Toy Spitz/Pomeranian" in 1974. The Pomeranians imported from abroad were very different from the Toy Spitzes bred in Germany. Even then, the high tail carriage of the Poms and the frequent apple heads were criticized, as were shortened snouts and jaws that were too short. It was also discovered that the Pomeranians in their homeland were not only not bred for colour, but that they also had a different nature to the small Spitz dogs from Germany. 

Now it is an old German fault to always look enviously at foreign countries, which is why the Pomeranians that came from abroad were so much more exciting and better than the dull, dusty German Spitzes. So Pomeranians were imported again and again and subsequently crossed into the German Toy Spitz population.

What exactly does this have to do with the Miniature Spitz? After the Pomeranian was integrated into the Miniature Spitz, their oversized descendants were simply reclassified as Miniature or even Medium spitz. This is how the Pomeranian (unfortunately) found his way into the Miniature Spitz population, which led to the Miniature Spitz type becoming extremely diluted over time, especially in the orange Miniature Spitzes. 

After both populations grew further and further apart the differences can be more moderate or more drastic. The main difference between the Klein Spitz and the Pomeranian is currently the size, the nature, the coat and the general focus of breeding: While the Klein Spitz is not only larger, but usually still looks very much like a Spitz. The Klein is also much easier to care for with his harsh hair. For the Pomeranian it's much more important to get a striking, doll-like appearance. The breeding goal is usually a very small, very stocky dog with a fairly lush coat that is not set off, but simply long and therefore often needs to be trimmed into shape.

There are also differences in character: the Miniature Spitz is usually still "typical spitz" in terms of behaviour, while the Pomeranian is more pleasant and friendly, he is usually much more of a lapdog with a baby schema than a small guard dog. 

The Miniature Spitz is not just a cute dog, but a piece of German culture and history. He has captured the hearts of many people over the centuries and is now a valued friend and companion in households all over the world.

He is a wonderful family member, he is extroverted, lively and extremely intelligent. The Kleinspitz has not forgotten his Spitz heritage either: he is a loyal, fearless watchdog, even though he is small. But it seems that he knows nothing about his small size - or he simply doesn't care - because he has a bombastic self-confidence and particularly enjoys being the centre of attention.

Kleins are also known for their funny, playful nature. They enjoy human company and are happy to be part of everything. They are excellent family dogs and get on well with children and other pets.

In summary, the Klein is a truly unique little dog. Whether as a clownish companion or as an alert guard dog, the Kleinspitz is sure to bring a lot of joy to any household that can boast of having a Kleinspitz guarding it. 

Or as old Confucius probably once said: "Better a small Spitz than a no Spitz!" 😎