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

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.

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.

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.

Neck
Clean, moderately short and well set into 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Last Updated - September 1995

Glossary of Canine Terms

Health Information

The Kennel Club operates health screening schemes with other organisations.  Some are clinical veterinary screening schemes and some are DNA screening schemes, which may be relevant to this breed.

The current health screening requirements and recommendations for Kennel Club Accredited Breeders of this breed show what is required and recommended for the sire and dam of any litter of this breed bred by an Accredited Breeder.

Breed specific summary results from the Purebred Dog Health Survey in 2004 are available.  Individual summaries are only available where the breed response rate was greater than 15%.

Recommended Reading

All the below publications are available to order from the Online Shop.

Kennel Club Breed Standards Kennel Club Breed Standards are available for most breeds indicating the qualities which competition judges normally take into account and the standard or model which breeders endeavour to achieve. The Breed Standards can be purchased by group.

The Kennel Club Illustrated Breed Standards Containing full descriptive standards for 192 breeds, as well as representation for the six Kennel Club recognised breeds that are currently without standards, this beautifully illustrated volume is a must for all dog enthusiasts. This third edition has been completely revised and updated by a panel of experts and incorporates the very latest standards for breeds in each group.

Breed Clubs and Societies

• GERMAN SPITZ CLUB OF GB. Sec. Mrs V A Dyer. Tel No: 01452 720594 

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