In general, larger dogs live a much shorter life compared to smaller dogs. For example, the average lifespan of a Great Dane is 7 years, while a Chihuahua is 17 years. To get a more accurate result of how long your dog is expected to live, you have to determine it's breed first. Be sure to get a dog DNA test kit read our reviews to help you with that.
Lighter mixed breed dogs tend to live longer, while heaver and bigger sized mixed breed dogs tend to have shorter lifespans. Do take note that this life expectancy calculator is just an estimate. Ultimately there are much more factors that come into play when determining how old your dog will live. In the United States, he comes in two sizes: klein small and mittel medium , but other countries may consider his relatives the Pomeranian a toy Spitz , the Keeshond wolfspitz and the Giant Spitz a larger variety as members of the same breed.
For the most part, though, he has a moderate energy level so his exercise needs are met with a short, brisk walk or playtime every day. Athletic and agile with excellent jumping skills, the German Spitz can typically do well in dog sports such as agility , flyball , nose work , obedience and rally.
He generally gets along well with children, dogs and cats , but his high prey drive can make him a danger to pocket pets or birds. Look for another breed if your idea of the perfect dog is one who is completely obedient all the time — the German Spitz is probably not for you. The ancestors of the German Spitz came from an area known as Pomerania, which is now part of modern-day Germany and Poland.
The plucky and alert farm dogs became popular with traders and fishermen for their watchdog abilities. By the 18 th century, they had gained the notice of royal families. When George I inherited the English throne in , he and his German wife and German visitors to the English court no doubt brought their German Spitz dogs with them. Some are imported to the U. The United Kennel Club began registering the German Spitz in and recognized the two varieties klein and mittel in The American Kennel Club includes the breed in its Foundation Stock Service registry and allows the German Spitz to compete in companion events such as obedience and rally.
These traits can make him a challenge to live with unless you are able to laugh at his antics and at yourself when he outwits you. Make training fun or he may refuse to participate. He is not typically noisy, but he can become a nuisance barker if bored. With proper socialization and training, the German Spitz can be a people-lover, although he may be reserved at first toward strangers.
This breed generally gets along well with other dogs. This can give you good insight into how your puppy is likely to mature. Talk to the breeder about the temperaments of dogs in her lines. Start training your German Spitz puppy the day you bring him home. He is capable of soaking up everything you can teach him. Early and extensive socialization is also important.
If possible, get him into puppy kindergarten class by the time he is 10 to 12 weeks old, and socialize, socialize, socialize. Be aware, however, that most puppy-training classes require certain vaccines such as kennel cough to be up to date, and many veterinarians recommend limited exposure to other dogs and public places until puppy vaccines including rabies, distemper and parvovirus have been completed.
In lieu of formal training, you can begin training your puppy at home and socializing him among family and friends until puppy vaccines are completed. Breeders see their puppies daily and can make uncannily accurate recommendations once they know something about your lifestyle and personality.
Look for a puppy whose parents have nice personalities and who has been well socialized from an early age. The German Spitz is generally healthy with an expected life span of 14 to 16 years and sometimes longer. All dogs have the potential to develop genetic health problems, just as all people have the potential to inherit particular diseases. A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they occur in her lines. Health problems that may occasionally be seen in the breed include seizures idiopathic epilepsy , luxating patellas and various eye problems such as retinal dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy PRA.
A good start would be up-to-date eye clearances from a veterinary ophthalmologist and Orthopedic Foundation for Animals OFA evaluations of knees. Ask the breeder what problems she has experienced in her lines.
Problems such as epilepsy and PRA may not appear until a dog is well into adulthood, so even if a breeder is choosy about her breeding stock, health issues may still occur because they were unknown until later in life.
Advances in veterinary medicine mean that in most cases the dogs can still live good lives. Keeping a German Spitz at an appropriate weight is one of the easier ways to help extend his life. The German Spitz has a double coat: a soft, woolly undercoat and a long, harsh, straight topcoat. Groom the coat with a pin brush several times a week to remove any debris and loose hairs. That helps to reduce the amount of fur on furniture and clothing. Whenever you pet your dog, check for tangles, especially where the legs meet the body.
The German Spitz coat typically sheds dirt, which makes for ease of grooming. German Spitzes blow coat twice a year. Be prepared to brush more often during those times. The rest is basic care. Trim the nails every few weeks or as needed. Brush the teeth often — with a vet-approved pet toothpaste — for good overall health and fresh breath. Finding a good breeder is a great way to find the right puppy. A good breeder will match you with the right puppy and will, without question, have done all the health certifications necessary to screen out health problems as much as possible.
She is more interested in placing pups in the right homes than in making big bucks. A German spitz is energetic, intelligent, adaptive, friendly, loyal, and independent—all part of what makes her a terrific part of the family. These energetic, happy dogs love to use their big brains to learn new things, and they take to training quickly. As with all dogs, it's best to socialize your German spitz puppy and begin training her early on so she adapts to new environments, people, and situations.
A well-trained, well-socialized spitz will confidently take on the world and be able to share her home with cats and other dogs, too.
They are excellent family dogs because they become very attached to their owners. Whether in an urban apartment , in a house in the suburbs, or on sprawling acreage out in the countryside, as long as she's with you, your German spitz will be happy.
Wherever she is, her adaptability will make her feel right at home. And while a German spitz needs exercise like every other dog, that doesn't mean she'll need to jog beside you for miles on end that is, unless you'd like her to. She'll be happy expending her energy indoors, whether playing games like hide and seek , chasing her favorite toy, or learning new tricks.
She'll also be a star student in agility class! Because of her energetic attitude and super smarts, a German spitz can easily become bored if she doesn't have enough to do.
And that boredom can turn into undesirable behaviors, sometimes taken out on your couch cushions or through incessant barking. So if you ever leave her alone for a few hours at a time, make sure she has plenty of puzzles and dog toys to keep her busy.
These playful pups will also make great playmates for kiddos , but, as with all dogs, children should be supervised around animals and taught how to properly interact with pets. The German spitz's coat does require a bit of care, but if you keep up with grooming, upkeep can be simple. Her double coat sheds twice a year —about two to three weeks each time—and you will want to brush her daily to remove the old coat and prevent her hair from landing all over your clothes and furniture.
In the time between shedding seasons, a quick brush every other day should keep knots and mats at bay as will a deeper grooming weekly. The upside to all this brushing: fewer baths , which will no longer be necessary.
And while it can be tempting to shave off your spitz's thick coat in the summer these pups don't exactly thrive in the heat , think again before you grab those clippers. As a double-coated dog, that fur provides natural insulating qualities in the heat and cold. So giving your spitz a haircut could actually make her more uncomfortable. As with all dogs, take the time at home to ensure your German spitz's ears are free of infection with regular cleaning. You should also trim her nails and brush her teeth often.
With their high level of intelligence and loyalty to their owners, German spitzes pick up training basics quickly.
0コメント