What does a Japanese Spitz look like?
The Japanese Spitz is a small intelligent dog that grows to between 30cm and 37cm (12-14.5 inches) tall at the shoulder (withers) with male Japanese Spitz being at the taller end while female Japanese Spitz usually being smaller. The average weight of adult female Japanese Spitz is about 7 – 7.5kg (15.4 – 16.5lb) with the males being slightly heavier at 8 – 8.5kg (17.6 – 18.7lb). Males also tend to have a heavier and more luxuriant coat that the females but this can vary between individual dogs. There is still some variation and debate about the ideal size for the Japanese Spitz between breed clubs in different countries but for pet owners the differences between what different Japanese Spitz clubs in different countries prefer will make no difference to how a Japanese Spitz will fit in with their family. The Japanese Spitz is always pure white in colour with black eyes and a black nose.
The Japanese Spitz Coat
The Japanese Spitz has a “Teflon-like” heavy coat that has a soft inner coat and a harder outer coat that gives the Japanese Spitz its luxurious white fluffy coat and its most famous characteristic of dirt falling off them once the dirt dries off. The coat is also fairly waterproof to the point that if a Japanese Spitz is in light rain, the outer part of the coat will get wet but the inner part of the coat and skin will remain dry. The coat of a Japanese Spitz is quite short on the muzzle and around the eyes and this gives the Japanese Spitz a clean face. The fur on the ears as well as the fronts of the forelegs and the hind legs is also fairly short while the fur on the backs of all of the legs of the Japanese Spitz is longer, giving a fluffier look to them. Japanese Spitz have a ruff or mane of longer fur around their necks that goes all the way around their head to give them a proud lion-like look when viewed from the front that frames their gorgeous faces. Japanese Spitz have a high set long tail that is heavily plumed with long fur and is carried curled over on the dog’s back.
What should a Japanese Spitz face look like?
The Japanese Spitz has a pointed clean muzzle with tight lips with black rims that do not hang down. Japanese Spitz have small triangular shaped upright ears that that stand up at the top of their heads. Japanese Spitz always have a jet black nose that should be moist but not excessively wet and should not be dry to the point of cracking. Japanese Spitz have very dark, moderate sized eyes that are oval shaped. The outer corners of the eyes of Japanese Spitz are set higher than the inner corners giving them a rather oblique appearance and are set not too wide apart with black eye rims. Often Japanese Spitz puppies will have a small amount of red tear staining around their eyes, but this is common in puppies and will usually gradually reduce as the Japanese Spitz puppy gets older. Some Japanese Spitz can have constant tear staining due to their tear ducts being too small, or allergies but this is rarely caused by any serious eye defect and there is more about this in the Japanese Spitz Health and the Japanese Spitz Care sections of this website. The dark features of the nose, lip rims, expressive eyes and soft black pads of the feet of the Japanese Spitz contrast sharply with their stunning white coat to give them a striking look all of their own.
Japanese Spitz body type
Japanese Spitz have a fairly light build but still have a broad and deep chest that is exacerbated by their long white coat that stands out even further. Japanese Spitz have a fairly square compact body with the length of their body being only about 10 percent longer than their height at the shoulder. Japanese Spitz have a short straight back that allows full movement and flexibility and a belly that is tucked up, giving them a natural body shape without any extremes of other breeds such as an almost flat face or tiny legs etc.
Common breeds Japanese Spitz are mistaken for
These features of the Japanese Spitz and their relative rarity are the most common reasons why they are confused with other breeds such as the Pomeranian, American Eskimo Dog or Samoyed. Japanese Spitz are often mistaken as Samoyed puppies or mini Samoyeds due to their similar but smaller appearance. There is no such breed as a mini Samoyed but this still remains one of the most common nicknames or wrong identifications of the Japanese Spitz breed.