Llancarfan German Spitz

About the Breed

    FIRSTLY, I NEED TO SAY THIS BREED IS NOT A BIG POMERANIAN, but the reverse is true, the Pomeranian is a toy German spitz.

 Now, a short history of the breed…. The German spitz. They are one of the most ancient of dog breeds, various depictions them occur many artefacts from Central and Eastern Europe. In 1450 Count Ederhard Zu Sayne made the first document reference to the term “spitz” as a valiant defender of the home and fields. The province of Pomerania was the home of many of the early members of this breed, hence the early name of Pomeranian. Some of these dogs were frequently taken on boats used for fishing and trade as people took the spitz along as protection for their goods for they were very good alert watchdogs. On the farms, these dogs, as they have very acute hearing were used for “early warning” of any intruder … the little dogs sat up on anything high… little hillocks, old pieces of wood, tree trunks etc. and at the first sign of anything strange would immediately get going with their high-pitched “alarm bark” which alerted the bigger dogs (shepherds etc). In Germany they are known sometimes as “Mistbellen” or dung-hill barkers.

It is quite remarkable how a dog that had essentially been a peasants dog became so popular with royalty and the upper class in England. During the 18th century, the breed started to gain popularity, for George 1 came to the throne ..his wife was German, and gave rise to many German visitors to the court, who brought their dogs with them..By the late 1700’s Queen Charlotte (a German princess) and wife of George 3rd of England had many white German spitz weighing around 20 to 30 pounds. Queen Victoria was another totally devoted to the breed but favoured the smaller dogs. The name Victorian Poms became fashionable around this time. However, the onset of the First World War saw a rapid decline in the popularity and numbers of the breed and it wasn’t until 1975 that several “kleine keeshonds” were imported from Holland and bred to some of the larger Pomeranians in England and the breed was under way again as Victorian Pomeranian. There was a lot of opposition from the “toy” Pomeranian breeders but eventually the German spitz club was formed in 1982 and in 1985 as a result of a final meeting between the Club and the Kennel Club, the breed was reborn under its proper name of German spitz in the two sizes, Klein and Mittel, to fit neatly between the toy Pomeranian and the Keeshond as the Wolfspitz is known in England. It was only in 1995 that Challenge certificate status was awarded the breed in England.

The first German mittel spitz arrived in Australia at the end of July 1987, a black male, followed by two more 6 months later. These 3 dogs were the basis of ALL German spitz in Australia and indeed there have only been about 6 or so further imports so we have to work within a very small gene pool. In judging this breed, there are several points which are of importance.

                          • Type and breed character
                          • Balance and conformation

To elaborate a little, the correct type and breed character is of the utmost importance. There can only be one correct type within a breed and that is to say, that which conforms most closely to the standard. Type is not just balance, flashy style or sound movement. A dog lacking type is a common dog even though he is well balanced, sound and beautifully presented. Without TYPE it just isn’t a German spitz. Of course, there are variations with the breed, but these do not make the dog of a different type. The fact that the dog is small, or large, heavily boned, or light, extremely muscular or overly refined does not make a different type. Differences in individual features and conformation are exactly that. These features and the dogs general conformation must be evaluated point by point. A dog to be TYPE-Y or of correct type must be strong in those points considered by the Standard to be characteristic. In all breeds, type is never a matter of personal preference, but an adherence to the breed characteristics. Recognition and appreciation of the correct type are prime requisites in judging. BALANCE - means proportions… a well balanced dog possesses neither glaring faults nor outstanding features. He pleases the eye with his various features in correct relation one to the other, height to length, neck to back, head to neck and body. All fitting attractively together as required by Standard. A balanced dog attracts instantly by its look of rightness. The different parts of him must belong together and be in proportion one with another. There are 5 sizes of the German Spitz… the toy, aka Pomeranian, the klein, the mittel, the wolfspitz or Keeshond as it is known in Australia and the grosse. We are going to talk now about the klein and the mittel.

The klein (the smaller of the two breeds) is exactly the same as the mittel in physical appearance, with the exception of size.

"General Appearance Compact, short-coupled and well knit with an almost square outline. Firm condition, the profuse coat not disguising any lack of substance."

This is a compact breed, ALMOST square (almost is the operative word a ratio of 1:1 approximately) in outline and carries a profuse coat and should have adequate substance and firm condition. Small triangular pricked ears carried high on the head. Well ribbed up and rounded and small rounded cat-like feet with arched toes. Well feathered tail carried curled up over the back. It should be happy and confident, showing no sign of nervousness or aggression.

"Characteristics: The German Spitz is intelligent, active and alert. Its buoyancy, independence and devotion to the family are the breed characteristics.
Temperament : Happy, equable disposition, showing confidence, with no sign of nervousness or aggression."

CHARACTERISTICS AND TEMPERAMENT. The German spitz should be a bright confident and lively little dog and is very intelligent. It is a wonderful family dog and totally devoted to its family. However it is highly suspicious of strangers and this makes it a “pain” to show….They may withdraw as the judge approaches, but should allow themselves to be handled with no sign of aggression…. The tail may be dropped… They should never be handled or touched on the ground as it is seen as intimidation by the dog. Even those well socialised will sometimes take aversion to the shows, an odd person or strange noise and refuse to behave. Whilst waiting in a lineup they quickly become bored and will let you know and more than likely embarrass the handler into the bargain.

"Head and Skull Medium large, broad and nearly flat skull when viewed from above and narrowing in a wedge shape to the nose. Stop moderately defined; muzzle approximately half length of head. Cheeks clean. Flews tight, no trace of lippiness. Nose Black in black, white, black/white parti-colours, black/tan bi-colours. Self colour as compatible with coat colour in other colour varieties. Never parti-colour or pink. Eyes Medium size, oval-shaped and obliquely set. Not too wide apart. Always dark with black rims in blacks, whites black/white parti-colours, black/tan bi-colours. As dark as compatible with coat colour in other colour varieties. Ears Small, triangular and set rather high. Perfectly erect."

HEAD EARS EYES and NOSE The breed standard requires the head of the German to be medium large and the skull should be broad and nearly flat. This breadth across the skull narrows to the nose forming a wedge shape and the muzzle is about half the length of the head with a moderate stop. The muzzle should not be so short as to look somewhat similar to the Pomeranians…..A great deal of inbreeding has occurred and some forms of degeneration are evident…. The apple heads in the smaller specimens, something out of keeping with the fox-like head requirement of the breed. Ears are small triangular and pricked, sitting high on the head covered in short soft fur. A “slightly” rounded tip not to be penalised, but any low set ears should be penalised. Eyes are of medium size, oval (not round) and obliquely set. Not too wide apart. Colour of the eye should be compatible with the coat colour, but a dark eye (not black) is required in the blacks, whites, black&white particolors and black & tans. Pigmentation is a problem in this breed, and pink eye rims and noses or butterly noses are not permissible no matter what the colour of the coat. But this does not preclude the sepia colour which may be found in the dilute-coat colours. Slate/dark grey pigmentation will be found in the blues, and brown pigmentation will be found on the brown or chocolate coated dogs. Depth and hue of pigment colour will vary according to coat colour. And don’t forget to add in allowances for a snow-nose….which is a hormone related reaction to sunlight which causes noses to temporarily lose some of the darkerpigment from the nose usually in a centre strip. It occurs in mostly lighter coloured dogs – dogs with liver genes. Black pigment naturally must accompany blacks, pure whites and blk/white partis also the black and tans. Don’t confuse the whites with the creams, or partial creams

"Mouth A perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Black lips in black, white, black/white in parti-colours, black/tan bi-colours. Colour as compatible with coat colour in other colour varieties."

 MOUTH – Scissor bite although in Europe the pincer bite is permissible with the Germans, and sometimes it does creep into the dogs in England and Australia. As it is not a working breed using its mouth, the pincer bite can be overlooked in an othwerwise nice specimen, but never an undershot jaw. The exception is a puppy – up until it gets its adult teeth, the jaw varies greatly going from under to overshot until it finally settles down into the correct bite.

" Neck Clean, moderately short and well set into the shoulders."

 NECK Moderately short and well set into the shoulders, but never too short a neck so that the head sits on the shoulders..

"Forequarters Moderately sloping shoulder; upper arm of sufficient length to ensure elbow is vertically below point of withers. Moderate forechest. Elbows equidistant between ground and withers, turning neither in nor out. Well-boned, straight legs. Pasterns strong and flexible."

FOREQUARTERS The front legs should move forward in a parallel plane like a piston rod of a locomotive. The strong bone should go right down into the feet. No appreciable ankle is wanted and the pastern viewed from the side should only be very slightly sloping. Elbows that stick out are not only ugly, but are a fault. An animal cannot move correctly without good shoulders and remember these dogs although not working dogs were required to run alongside the wagons and horses, and keep up. Can’t do that with no reach. A straight shoulder does not give the direct forward movement and the feet strike the ground rather more frequently and is tiring to the dog. The dog with correct angulation can move over the ground effortlessly for a long time. The steep shouldered dog has a short stride, choppy gait and a high stepping prancing action which is often considered “cute”. A judge who only looks at the dog going away and coming back misses the most important detail of gait as well as a structural feature.

"Body Length from point of shoulder to point of buttock equal to height at withers; short, well-developed loin.. Moderate tuck-up. Well ribbed up and rounded. Distance from brisket to ground not less than half the height from ground to withers. Top-line level."

BODY A short body, a short loin with a level topline is required, but not too short that the dog will overreach from behind if well angulated. The ribs are rounded and with only a moderate tuckup.

"Hindquarters Moderate angulation with hocks moderately well let down. Neither cow-hocked nor wide behind."

HINDQUARTERS Calls for moderate angulation with moderately short hocks Again ample bone and be strong and flexible. With short angulation we will get a short choppy stride and often a bouncy topline. The hocks should be vertical when viewed from behind neither turning in or out. There should be little deviation from this when the dog is on the move. Long hocks are compensated by a shortening of the lower thigh, and frequently the dog is very narrow behind as well. Barrel hocks and cow hocks are objectionable.

"Feet Small, rounded, cat-like, with well arched toes."

FEET Self explanatory… but add with thick and firm pads, and nails short. You can always tell a good foot in that the nails grow downward and not out. Weak pasterns and splayed feet are all faulty.

"Tail High set, curled right up from root, lying curled over back."

TAIL An important characteristic of all spitz breeds in that the tail is carried over the back. The German’s tail should be high set and curled right up from the root, lying curled over the back and putting a lovely finishing touch to this attractive breed. It should be covered with long spreading hair that is profuse.

"Gait/Movement Moving without exageration from any angle. Straight coming and going. Viewed from side, effortless, brisk action, retaining top-line."

 GAIT/MOVEMENT The German moves with a brisk and effortless action, retaining its topline. If the front and rear assembly is correct and striding out this dog can move quite fast for a long time. Remember this is not a pretty little lap dog.

"Coat Double coat consisting of a soft woolly undercoat and a long harsh-textured perfectly straight top coat covering the whole of the body. Very abundant around neck and forequarters with a frill of profuse off-standing straight hair extending over the shoulders. Forelimbs well feathered tapering from elbows to pasterns. Hindlimbs feathered to hocks. Ears covered with soft short hair. Hair on the face smooth and short. Tail profusely covered with long spreading hair. This is not a trimmed breed and evidence of trimming and shaping, other than tidying of the feet, anal area and legs below the hocks, unacceptable."

 COAT The highlight of these dogs. Thick or profuse with some length. It has a double coat, short and woolly underneath with long harsh perfectly straight offstanding outer coat. Never curly or wavy. This should be an all-weather coat…..dogs are out in all weather and if its cold or wet or snowing, the dogs must have insulation….basically give themselves a good shake and the water should fall off… The hair tends to be more abundant around the neck giving a ruff of offstanding hair. The legs are well covered in hair tapering from the elbows to the pasterns. Hindlimbs are similarly feathered. Ears are covered in shorter softer hair. This is definitely not a trimmed or sculpted breed and any evidence of such is frowned upon. Clipping a coat causes it to lose its insulating properties, so a clipped coat may have the opposite effect to that which is required. Tidying of the feet and pads and around the anal area is the exception. Further, as the Germans have a double coat, they do shed! The girls particularly. The average bitch will cast her coat with each heat cycle, twice a year, and her best attempt during this time may be her tail feathers and britches or skirt and far less of her ruff and body coat. The bitch may also shed with the advent of warm weather and it is rare to find a bitch in full heavy coat such as the males exhibit. The boys are of course, luckier in this department in that they MAY shed once a year, others can hold coat for two or three years and then drop it all, and then others may be casting coat and growing it all at the same time so they do not appear to lose much coat at all. Bear this in mind when judging the females and give them “marks” for their correct anatomy and the indications of what would perhaps be a good coat.

"Colour All colour varieties and markings acceptable. Butterfly pigment not permitted with any colour."

COLOUR Well this is controversial. The English standard suggests ALL colours and various markings acceptable. We range thru from proper black (black skin, pigmentation and a dark black coat), a silver black, that is a black which has silver coloured hair coming thru in the tail and ruff, but with black pigmentation still, but not necessarily a black skin. The browns (light and Cadbury chocolate brown, with brown pigmentation, whites and creams, the dilute chocolates which often start out as a cream with fawn or sepia pigmentation, the orange and the particolours. Pure White should be more plentiful on the particolour dog than the colour be it black, or brown or anything else. There is also a wolf-colour, almost the same as the colour of the keeshond. And sables..that is black ticking on any colour… And any variation of all of these. FCI judges do not approve of some of these colours as was evidenced at 2004 Adelaide Royal show when a Finnish judge refused to judge an Aust. Ch. Black & white particolour and dismissed it from the ring.

"Size Size Height: Klein: 23-29 cms (9-11 5ins)Mittel: 30-38 cms (12-15 ins). Dogs masculine, bitches feminine."

SIZE. This is the deciding factor between the two breeds. The klein should be 23-29cms, and the mittels 30-38cm. Just by looking at them you should know whether you are looking at a dog or a bitch… It should be understood that the two sizes have only been treated as different-sized varieties since fairly recently, and as such sizes have not yet stabilised. It is by no means unknown for a klein to develop to the size of a mittel and for a mittel to end up the size of a klein. Preference for most breeders is for the Germans to be at the higher end of the scale rather than the lower, but bitches may be smaller than the males. In Europe they were until just recently registered by size. If a big one, it was registered a mittel, if its brother was small it was registered as a klein. And then there is the 3 inch size variance in the standard which again makes it hard, but judges should never penalise a really good specimen because it is a tad oversize for a mittel or a klein…. However, the reverse is not ok, for a too small klein is in the region of a pomeranian, and a too small mittel is effectively a klein.

PROBLEMS. This breed is generally unaffected by a lot of dog problems, but one which is of concern is the luxating patella. Judges are able to see a problem if the dog is hopping on 3 legs, particularly at turning a corner… There are several differences between the FCI and UK/Aust standards including the head muzzle proportions. The UK standard calls for a 1:1 in both breeds, the FCI calls for a 2:3 in Mittels and a 2:4 in kliens. The neck moderately short in the UK, medium length in FCI, moderate forechest UK, well developed FCI. Shoulder moderately sloping UK, well laid back FCI. Moderate tuckup UK, slight tuckup FCI. There are a great number of “moderates” in the UK standard which leaves a lot to individual interpretation.

Contact & Inquiry Info

Fran Hussey-Allen
Email: lareine@westnet.com.au

Brags

Congratulations to Hero (CH Llancarfan Arctik Hero) and Siska (CH Llancarfan Before Dawn)- #1 and #3 Mittels for 2007!

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Congrats to Milo (CH Llancarfan Milo)- #1 Mittel Puppy for 2007!

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