FCI-Standard N° 97 / 05.03.1998 /
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GERMAN SPITZ, INCLUDING KEESHOND AND
POMERANIAN
(Deutscher Spitz, inklusive Keeshond und Pomeranian)
ORIGIN : Germany.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD: 05.03.1998.
UTILIZATION : Watch and Companion Dog.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :
Group 5 Spitz and primitive types.
Section 4 European Spitz.
Without working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : German Spitz are descendants of the
stone age « Peat Dogs » (Torfhund) « Canis familiaris palustris Ruthimeyer »
and the later Lake Dweller’s (Pfahlbau) Spitz; they are the oldest breed
of dog in Central Europe. Numerous other breeds have been produced from
them. In non-German speaking countries Wolfsspitz are known as Keeshonds
and Toy Spitz as Pomeranians.
GENERAL APPEARANCE : Spitz breeds are captivating on account of
their beautiful coats, made to stand off by plentiful undercoat.
Particularly impressive is the strong, mane-like collar round the neck (ruff)
and the bushy tail carried boldly over the back. The foxy head with alert
eyes and the small pointed, closely set ears give the Spitz his unique
characteristic, cheeky appearance.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS : The ratio of height at withers to body
length is 1 : 1.
BEHAVIOUR AND CHARACTER : The German Spitz is always attentive,
lively and exceptionally devoted to his owner. He is very teachable and
easy to train. His distrust to strangers and lack of hunting instinct make
him the ideal watchdog for home and farm.
He is neither timid nor aggressive. Indifference to weather, robustness
and longevity are his most outstanding attributes.
HEAD
CRANIAL REGION : The Spitz’s medium size head, seen from above,
appears broadest at the back and tapers in wedgeshape to the tip of the
nose.
Stop : Moderate to marked, never abrupt.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : The nose is round, small and pure black, dark brown in brown
Spitz.
Muzzle : The muzzle is not overlong and stands in pleasing
proportion to the skull. (In Wolfspitz/Keeshond, Giant Spitz and
Medium-size Spitz the ratio length of the muzzle to length of the skull is
approximately 2:3, in Miniature Spitz and Toy Spitz approximately 2:4.).
Lips : The lips are not exaggerated, close fitting to the jaws and
do not form any folds to the corner of the mouth. They are completely
black in all colours, brown in brown Spitz.
Jaws/Teeth : The jaws are normally developed and show a complete
scissor bite with 42 teeth, corresponding to the teeth formula of the dog,
i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to
the jaws. In Miniature-and Toy (Pomeranian) Spitz the lack of a few
premolars is tolerated. Pincer-bite is permissible in all varieties of
Spitz.
Cheeks : The cheeks are gently rounded, not protruding.
Eyes : The eyes are of medium size, longish shape, slightly
slanting and dark. The eyelids are black in all shades of colour, dark
brown in brown Spitz.
Ears : The small ears are set high and relatively close to each
other, triangular and pointed; they are always carried upright, stiff at
the tips.
NECK : The medium length neck is set broadly into the shoulders,
slightly arched without throatiness and covered by a thick, profuse coat
forming a large ruff.
BODY :
Topline : The topline starts at the tips of the erectly carried
prick-ears and merges in a gentle curve with the short, straight back. The
bushy, sweeping tail, which partially covers the back, rounds off the
silhouette.
Withers/Back: : The high withers drop imperceptibly into the
shortest possible, straight, firm back.
Loin : Short-coupled, broad and strong.
Croup : The croup is broad and short, not falling away.
Chest : The deep chest is well sprung, the forechest well developed.
Lower line : The brisket reaches as far back as possible; the belly
has only a slight tuck up.
TAIL : The tail is set on high and of medium length. It reaches
upwards and rolls forward over the back, straight from the root. It lies
firmly over the back and is covered with very bushy hair. A double curl at
tip of tail is tolerated.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS :
General : Straight, rather broad front.
Shoulders : The shoulder-blade is long and well laid back. The
upper arm, which is approximately the same length, forms an angle of 90
degrees to the shoulder-blade. The shoulder is well muscled and firmly
connected to the brisket.
Elbow : The elbow joint is strong, close fitting to the brisket and
turns neither in nor out.
Forearm : The forearm is of medium length in relation to the body,
sturdy and completely straight. The back of the forearm is well feathered.
Metacarpus (Pastern) : The strong, medium length front pastern
stands at an angle of 20 degrees from the vertical.
Front feet : The front feet are as small as possible, round and
closed, so called cat feet, with well arched toes. Toe-nails and pads are
black in all shades of colour, but dark brown in brown dogs.
HINDQUARTERS :
General : The hindquarters are very muscular and abundantly
feathered to the hocks. The hind legs stand straight and parallel.
Upper and lower thigh : Upper and lower thigh are of about equal length.
Stifle : The stifle joint is strong with only moderate angulation
and is turned neither in nor out in movement.
Metatarsal (Hock) : The hock is of medium length, very strong and
vertical to the ground.
Hind feet : The hind feet are as small as possible, tightly closed
with well arched toes, so called cat feet. The pads are coarse. The colour
of nails and pads is as dark as possible.
GAIT/MOVEMENT : The German Spitz moves straight ahead with good
drive, fluid and springy.
SKIN : The skin covers the body tightly without any wrinkles.
COAT
HAIR : The German Spitz has a double coat : Long, straight, stand
off top coat and short, thick, cotton-wool-like undercoat. Head, ears,
front side of front and hind legs and the feet are covered by short, thick
(velvety) hair. The rest of the body has a long rich coat. Not wavy, curly
or corded, not parted on the back. Neck and shoulders are covered by a
thick mane. The backside of the front legs is well feathered, the hind
legs have ample feathering from croup to hocks. The tail is bushy.
COLOUR :
a) Wolfsspitz/Keeshound : Grey shaded.
b) Giant-Spitz : Black, brown, white.
c) Medium size Spitz : Black, brown, white, orange, grey-shaded, other
colours.
d) Miniature Spitz : Black, brown, white, orange, grey-shaded, other
colours.
e) Toy Spitz/Pomeranian : Black, brown,
white, orange, grey-shaded, other colours.
Black Spitz : In the black Spitz, the undercoat and skin must also be
black and the colour on top must be a shining black without any white or
other markings.
Brown Spitz : The brown Spitz should be uniformly dark brown.
White Spitz : The coat should be pure white without any trace of yellow in
particular, which often occurs, specially on the ears.
Orange Spitz : The orange Spitz should be evenly coloured in the medium
colour range.
Grey-shaded Spitz Keeshond / Keeshond : Grey-shaded is a silver grey with
black hair-tips. Muzzle and ears dark in colour; round the eyes well
defined « spectacles » shown as a delicately pencilled black line slanting
from outer corner of eye to lower corner of ear, coupled with distinct
markings and shading forming expressive short eyebrow; mane and ring on
shoulder lighter; fore- and hindlegs without any black marking under the
elbows or stifles, except slight pencilling on the toes; black tip of tail;
underside of tail and trousers pale silver grey.
Other coloured Spitz : The term « other colours » covers all shades of
colour, such as : cream, cream-sable, orange-sable, black and tan and
particolour (with white always as main colour). The black, brown, grey or
orange patches must be distributed over the whole body.
SIZE AND WEIGHT :
Height at the withers :
a) Wolfspitz/Keeshond 49 cm +/- 6 cm
b) Giant Spitz 46 cm +/- 4 cm
c) Medium size Spitz 34 cm +/- 4 cm
d) Miniature Spitz 26 cm +/- 3 cm
e) Toy Spitz/Pomeranian 20 cm +/- 2 cm
Dogs under 18 cm undesirable.
Weight : Each variety of German Spitz should have a weight corresponding
to its size.
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.
SERIOUS FAULTS :
· Faults in construction.
· Head too flat; distinct apple head.
· Flesh-coloured nose, eyelids and lips.
· In Wolfspitz/Keeshond, Giant Spitz and Medium size Spitz missing teeth.
· Faults in movement.
· In grey-shaded Spitz missing of distinct markings of the face.
ELIMINATING FAULTS :
· Aggresive or overly shy
· Gap in fontanel.
· Over-or undershot bite.
· Ectropion or entropion.
· Semi-pricked ears.
· Definite white patches in all not white Spitz.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be
disqualified.
N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum.
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