Finnish Spitz

This beautiful dog looks like a fox, and he's as clever as one. For hundreds of years the Finnish Spitz has helped the people of Finland hunt game birds. In fact, he is the national dog of Finland.

The Finnish Spitz belongs to the ancient Spitz dog family that can be traced back thousands of years. Huskies are the most familiar descendant. Like Huskies, Finnish Spitz dogs have pointed ears, narrow noses, dense double coats, and curled tails. Snow is their friend.

Finnish Spitz dogs are devoted to their families and love frisky play with kids. They are active and "barkative," with sounds ranging from soft "singing" and yodeling to high-pitched barking. They are intelligent, independent thinkers. While Finn's are affectionate with their families, they may be shy around strangers and other dogs.

The Finn's glorious red-gold double coat consists of a downy soft undercoat with harsher, longer hair for the outer coat. The colors range from pale honey to deep auburn. The undercoat is slightly lighter, which creates an over-all glowing appearance. He needs brushing at least twice a week; daily when shedding. Eyes are dark and almond-shaped. The nose is black.

Excerpts from the Standard

General Appearance: A fox-like dog with pointed muzzle and erect ears; lively, quick moving, cloaked in a magnificent red coat.

Size, Proportion, and Substance: Height--males, 171/2 to 20 inches; females,



151/2 to 18 inches.

Fun Facts

The Finnish Spitz tracks birds by sight, sound, and scent. Once he finds a bird, he rushes up to it and scares it into a tree. Then he begins a soft yodel-like barking, and swings his tail slowly back and forth. While the bird remains hypnotized by the tail action, the dog barks louder and louder to attract the attention of the hunter. He points out the bird to the hunter by looking straight at it.

Excerpted from The Complete Dog Book For Kids © 1996, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.