Dog Breed Guide

Japanese Spitz

Profile

Size

Small

Country of origin

Japan

Origin

20th century

Bred for

Companion, Watchdog

Height

30 - 38cm (12 - 15in)

Weight

5 - 10kg (11 - 22lb)

Life span

12 - 15 years

A snow-white, fluffy coat, erect triangular ears, black eyes and nose, and a tail curled over the back are its hallmarks. The thick ruff from the neck to the chest gives it a showy look.

Bright, cheerful and smart, the Japanese Spitz shows deep affection for its family. It is alert and has the makings of a watchdog that barks at strangers and noises, while also being friendly enough to play happily with children.

The white coat tends to shed dirt easily, so it is less work than it looks, but it sheds heavily in shedding season and needs frequent brushing. It needs moderate exercise and is content with daily walks and play.

Good to know

The breed was developed in Japan. Its ancestors are thought to be large white German Spitz brought to Japan around 1920 by way of Siberia and northeastern China. It was first exhibited in Tokyo around 1921 and was refined into its present form by crossing with various spitz dogs imported from abroad. A unified breed standard was drawn up in 1948.

In postwar Japan its pure white, charming looks made it hugely popular, and in the late 1950s and early 1960s a "Spitz boom" saw it kept in a great many homes. However, it also gained an image as a noisy dog that barked a lot as a watchdog, and its popularity later settled down.

Today's Japanese Spitz, improved by devoted breeders, is said to be calmer and more settled than in the past. After dogs were exported to Sweden in the 1970s, the breed came to be loved abroad as well, in Europe, Australia and elsewhere.