Choosing a dog breed is challenging, and there will be many things for you to consider. This includes the size of the breed and how it will suit your needs. Finding a dog to suit your living space is important, and the cost of feeding your dog will also be important.
This article will explore the size and weight of the Japanese Spitz breed and give you all the information you need to decide whether this is the companion dog for you.
If you were concerned about getting a big dog, the Japanese Spitz might be the breed for you. These little dogs are not only striking in appearance, but they are also high-spirited, affectionate, and friendly.
This companion breed is recognised by the Japanese Kennel Club and American Kennel Club as being a small to medium breed that gets on well with other pets.
Japanese Spitzes achieve full maturity quicker than other dog breeds due to their small stature. This breed will reach its ideal and full size at around eight months.
The little dog’s body will typically measure between 43 cm and 53 cm in length, and they have an average life expectancy of between 10 to 16 years.
A fully grown Japanese Spitz usually weighs between 5 kg and 9 kg. Males are slightly larger, measuring between 30 cm and 38 cm, while female Japanese Spitzes measure between 30 cm and 36 cm to the withers.
The breed is known for its white coat, pointed ears, and black nose. Japanese Spitzes are more manageable to groom than many other dogs as long as they are brushed regularly with a pin brush.
Feeding your Japanese Spitz a healthy, balanced diet should help to maintain its weight.
Also, ensuring your dog gets enough exercise and limiting treats will also make a big difference. A daily walk of between 45 minutes and an hour would usually be enough for Japanese Spitz dogs.
As with other breeds, the diet you feed is essential to its development. Ensuring Japanese Spitz puppies get the diet they need will help with muscle and bone growth.
While they won’t need as much food as large dog breeds, making sure they are able to enjoy a healthy balance of protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in their diet will help to give them a healthy start.
While all dogs can be overweight, it is easier for some breeds to suffer from obesity than others. Japanese Spitz’s will overeat if left to their own devices, so maintaining a healthy diet and limiting snacks and treats are advised.
Obesity in dogs can cause issues with the heart as it will have an unnecessary strain. The dog’s joints might also suffer if it has to carry excess weight around.
Obesity can impact other conditions like hip dysplasia, causing additional suffering. A poor diet can cause skin and coat issues. Keeping the skin and coat healthy is another benefit of feeding your dog the right food.
Some people like to carry their dogs in bags, and as long as your dog is still getting enough exercise, there is nothing wrong with carrying your Japanese Spitz. As a small to medium dog, this is possible, but it can be a bit tiring after a while. Smaller teacup breeds might be better suited to this.
This breed is ideal for apartment living because of its size. It’s worth mentioning that although they are friendly dogs, they can be a bit vociferous around strangers, so this could cause issues with nearby neighbours.
They are also prone to bouts of separation anxiety if left alone for long periods. Sometimes, having other animals can help with this, but it does mean they can be noisy.
The Japanese Spitz is a relatively new breed, but you will still be able to get information from kennel clubs or a local breed club if needed. The beautiful white dogs make great pets, and their manageable size, great personality, and simple grooming needs make them a perfect family pet.
Spitz breeds are great with kids, and because they are small to medium in size, it means that even though they are playful, they won’t get too rough.
Welcome to Pets Online, a team of pet parents, animal lovers and veterinarians devoted to providing you with everything you need to know about pets.