Finnish Spitz Dog Breed Profile

by Dr. Chris

AKC Group: Non-Sporting Group

The Finnish Spitz may look like a red fox, but is was breed to be a great hunting dog. With erect ears and a bushy tail this dog is the National Dog of Finland. These dogs are natural barkers and can be quite loud.

History

The Finnish Spitz is Finland's national dog and was generally known as the Suomenpystrykorva and also the Finnish Barking Birddog. The seeker of small birds and game, the Finnish Spitz guides his seeker to treed game which has an exceptional yodel or ringing bark and points on the victim with muzzle and head.

Though breeders crossing them on other breeds almost resulted in their extinction in the late 19th century, 2 Helsinki sportsmen identified their ancient dog's outstanding traits and saved the breed. The dog is much more well-known in Scandinavian nations and less well-known in America, probably because of their excessive barking.

Physical Features

Height at the withers in adult males is about 17 to 20 inches, with females slightly shorter at 15 to 18 inches. With a square build this dog look like a fox with a fluffy coat.

The double coat features a soft, short thick undercoat that has a harsh, straight, and long external coat. Coat colors contain various colors of honey-colored, golden red, yellowish red and red brown, without or with small white patches. Puppies are light in color and darken to a reddish color as they mature.

Personality

The Finnish Spitz is active, courageous, friendly, keen and playful. These dogs can make great family dogs, but they can bark a lot. You can and should train them to bark less. It's not unusual for these dogs to bark over 150 times in a minute!

Common Health Problems

Generally a very healthy breed, but they have been known to have epilepsy, patellar luxation, and elbow and hip dysplasia.

Return to: Complete AKC Dog Breed List

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