German Spitz World Articles
Kennel Club Standard for the German Spitz
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. Abundant around neck and forequarters with a frill of profuse,
but not excessive, 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.
Compact, short coupled and well knit with an almost square outline. Firm condition, the profuse off-standing 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 the length of head. Cheeks clean. Flews tight, no trace of lippiness.
Nose:
Black in Black, White and Black/white parti-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, white, 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 the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Black lips in black, white, black/white parti-colours, black/tan bi-colours. Colour as compatible 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, 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 and rounded. Distance from brisket to ground not less than half the height from ground to withers. Topline 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:
Set high, curled right up from root, lying curled over back.
Gait/Movement:
Moving without exaggeration from any angle. Straight coming and going. Viewed from side, effortless, brisk action, retaining topline.
Coat:
Double coat consisting of soft woolly undercoat and 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 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:
Kleins 23-29 cms (9 - 11 ½ inches) Mittels 30-38 cms (12 - 15 inches) Dogs masculine, bitches feminine.
Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault shall be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Note:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Copyright: The Kennel Club