The Finnish spitz has a distinct ringing bark or yodel. In its native Finland, this breed is known as the Suomenpystykorva, which means “Finnish cock-eared hunting dog.” Fortunately for our tongues, it’s known as the Finnish Spitz … Failing to shed undercoat is considered neglect by some judges who prefer a clean and combed coat. In the woods for instance, using its clear bark the dog informed its master about the location of the bird. With patience and calm yet firm handling, the Finnish Spitz can be a wonderful companion. The outer coat should not exceed 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) at the ruff. They are best trained with a soft voice and touch. The Finnish Spitz is well known as a bird dog, specifically used for hunting grouse and a turkey-like bird called the capercaillie. It indicates the location of the bird with its barking and behaviour, and will try to keep the bird in the tree by barking until the hunter gets there. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Our pups are well socialized, confident, loving companions. The breed makes an excellent family pet. Puppies are often described as looking similar to a red fox cub. The Finnish Spitz presents a fox-like picture. Tel +358 50 407 8484info@kennelsaatio.fi, The Finnish Spitz - National Treasure of Finland, The Finnish Spitz barks in the cultural history as a symbol of Finnishness, The Finnish Spitz is bred from a native landrace, Over one hundred years of association history of the Finnish Spitz. [5] These small clans of woodsmen relied on their dogs to help them obtain food, and the excellent hunting ability of the Finnish Spitz made it a favorite choice. This breed will not adapt well to a strictly kenneled living situation; they need a balance of outdoor exercise and indoor play time with the family.[11]. The dogs have been bred to develop their barking behavior, and barking contests are held in Finland. In 1979, when the club celebrated its 90th anniversary, the Finnish Spitz was declared Finland's national dog breed. It is imperative that owners brush out the old undercoat so the new coat can grow properly. Shedding and Grooming CKC Breed Description Origin. The Finnish spitz is used to hunt small game and birds and is known as the "barking bird dog" because it points hunters to game by barking. Finnish Spitz are an active and lively breed of dogs and can be trained to be the perfect pets as well hunting dogs. In fact, they're the nation's official dog. If … Additionally, the tailset is important and the Finnish Spitz should be able to move its tail from one side to the other. The breed is friendly and in general loves children, so it is suitable for domestic life. The Finnish Spitz is renowned as a hunting dog, and also makes a great companion for family members … 02770 Espoo, Finland On my recent trip to Finland I found myself being driven from south east Finland to Lappland, where for three days we stayed in a hunting lodge on the edge of a lake accompanied by a Finnish Spitz and a Nordic Spitz. Kamreerintie 8 In Finland, this dog is known as the Suomenpystykorva and it is the country’s national dog breed – he has also been known as the Finnish Barking Bird Dog due to his unique vocal tendencies. Males are decidedly masculine without coarseness. The Finnish Spitz was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1992. Like cats, for example. It was mainly the Spitz that used to be in charge of getting money – with other words, fur. However, in North America, they are primarily companion dogs. Here at East Winds Finnish Spitz we breed for health, temperament, and correctness we work closely with many other breeders to keep our bloodlines strong and healthy. The Finnish Spitz (Finnish: suomenpystykorva) is a breed of dog originating in Finland. Most Finnish Spitz have a preferred side and this is not incorrect. Although a dog may look fluffy and full, excessive undercoat may be causing serious skin problems. Finnish Spitz are hunting dogs, which means they have strong instincts to chase and seize other animals that run. When the Finnish Spitz locates the bird, it barks very loudly while pointing in the direction of the bird to alert the hunter to the bird’s location. As the name suggests, the Finnish Spitz was developed in Finland and it shares much of its history with other Spitz-type breeds that were developed in the Arctic region. It should be shaded and without any defined color changes. [2], Nearly all dog breeds’ genetic closeness to the gray wolf is due to admixture. There are also several stories about times when the dog has saved its master from a bear by nipping the bear from behind, and by doing so giving its master time to escape. As compared to other hunting dogs, the Finnish Spitz is a very small dog and does not take on the prey like some other breeds of dogs do. The Finnish Spitz is typically a very healthy breed, with few general health concerns. The Finnish Spitz is friendly, active, playful, keen and courageous. The Spitz was brave and independent enough to confront and hunt the bear: many skins were hanged to dry, thanks to the dog’s barking. Whilst relatively unknown outside Finland, fans of the breed praise its friendly nature and enthusiasm for training. The club is also working for including the hunting experience with the Finnish Spitz on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.[8]. The Finnish Spitz is often referred to as the “barking hunting dog” because of its characteristic continuous barking while on track. The remains of dogs that have been found in Finland and dated from 8,000 years ago are similar in size and shape to Spitz-type dogs. It can be obedience trained, if the owner has an air of natural, gentle, calm, authority to them. [3] However, several Arctic dog breeds show a genetic closeness with the now-extinct Taymyr wolf of North Asia due to admixture. As the national dog of Finland, this breed has long beenrecognized in Scandinavian countries but was not imported to the United States until 1959 with the first breeding in the 1960's. The breed remained pure, not by design but by isolation until the early 1800s. We raise all of our pups with “Puppy Culture” protocols. And the dog has a lot to say for itself too…. Below is a short list of what is known to occur: Kristiina Mannermaa, Pirkko Ukkonen & Suvi Viranta [13], The breed barks at anything perceived to be out of the ordinary. The Finnish Spitz is a traditional hunting dog of Finland, which goes by the Finnish Cock-Eeared Dog and the Finnish Barking Birddog.This breed nearly went extinct by the late 19 th century, which led to reconstruction efforts via the remaining population of native stock.. Love It is a dog that retains a great connection with its master in the forest. The Finnish Spitz is as active breed that needs plenty of daily exercise to stay happy and healthy. It has always been considered as a dog that is capable of hunting any kind of game, and is therefore very easily trained to do so. We have come to an age when the dog is instructed with the rules and regulations that are related to its master’s competitiveness. They are bred as a hunting dog and thus are unreliable around small animals and pet birds, but on an individual basis may live well with cats, especially if they are raised with them. Both sexes should appear slightly longer in the leg than the back. The Finnish Spitz is the national dog of Finland where he was developed to hunt game birds, squirrel and even large game such as elk and bear. The Finnish Spitz is also used as a retrieving dog for instance in duck hunting. Dew claws can appear on front and/or back feet. [4], The Finnish Spitz developed from selectively bred Spitz-type dogs that inhabited central Russia several thousand years ago. The coat should be stiffer, denser, and longer on the neck, back, back of thighs, and plume of the tail, shorter on the head and legs. This feature is clear in some dogs even today. It is still fascinated by mice and moles, since these creatures used to be its primary nutrition back in the day. In Finland, these dogs are prized for their barking abilities, which can range from short, sharp barks to many barks per minute that sound like a yodel. The Finnish Spitz whole being shows liveliness, which is especially evident in the eyes, ears and tail. The Finnish Spitz is a hunting dog of the Spitz family originating from Finland. DOG BREED INFORMATION – FINNISH SPITZ Origin: Finland Alternate names: Barking Bird Dog, Finnish Hunting Dog, Finnish Spets, Finsk Spets, Loulou Finois, Suomalainen Pystykorva, Suomenpystykorva Size: Medium Life Span: 12-15 years Popularity: Ranked #177 in 2017 Availability in India: Moderate Avg Puppy Price in India: ₹18,000 and above Dog Breed Group: Non-Sporting Group Ordinary hunting with finnish spitz. When the Spitz barks at the tree its handsome wobbly tail “enchants” the bird. In their native Finland, Finnish Spitz dogs are still used primarily for hunting, while their role in America is more of a companion dog. It is quick on the mark and capable of doing independent and confident decisions. This introgression could have provided early dogs living in high latitudes with phenotypic variation beneficial for adaption to a new and challenging environment. The Finnish Spitz was once inexpensive to support. Today the Finnish Spitz is used mostly for hunting grouse birds, although it can be used when hunting elk and small game, such as pine marten and raccoon dogs, as well. The Finnish Spitz developed almost a passionate relationship with hunting squirrel and pine marten. It is an independent breed and will be attached to its family while remaining aloof with strangers. Long walks, backyard playtime, and hunting are all great ways to get your dog moving. Wobbling its light-coloured tail, the dog charmed the bird to remain in tree so that the master had enough time to find the tree and shoot the bird with his bow. Some individuals have eve… Because the breed is built for long hunts, Finkies need plenty of exercise to stay happy and healthy. The Finnish Spitz has a typical double coat, which consists of a soft, dense undercoat and long, harsh guard hairs that can measure 2.5 to 5 cm (one to two inches) long. Finnish Spitzes are independent, strong-willed, intelligent dogs. It has a dense auburn coat and fox-like features. It is square-proportioned, and without exaggeration, quick and light on its feet. The Finnish Spitz blows coat or loses its undercoat twice a year. The front dewclaws can be removed, if desired.[9]. [14] In Finland, their barking ability in the field must be proven before a conformation championship can be earned.[15]. The Finnish Spitz has been the national dog of Finland since 1979. Th… Finnish Spitz. Who else would find fur game and reveal its location to the master if not “pikinokka”, the Finnish Spitz with its pitch black nose. While the Finnish Spitz is intensively focusing on its job to bark a wolf can easily find and surprise it. [1] Thirty years of careful breeding resulted in the modern Finnish Spitz; the dogs are descendants of his original foundation stock. The Finnish Spitz significantly helped its master to provide livelihood. The length of the body is measured from the point of the shoulder or forechest in front of the withers to the rump. It used to find its food itself, which probably explains why the dog eats very little today as well. PREHISTORY AND EARLY HISTORY OF DOGS IN FINLAND, Fennoscandia archaeologica XXXI (2014)-, Origin of the domestic dog § Arctic breeds, "Genome Sequencing Highlights the Dynamic Early History of Dogs", "Ancient Wolf Genome Reveals an Early Divergence of Domestic Dog Ancestors and Admixture into High-Latitude Breeds", "The Finnish Spitz is bred from a native landrace", "Individual Breed Results for Purebred Dog Health Survey", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Finnish_Spitz&oldid=999062643, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Males: 44.5 to 50.8 cm (17½ to 20 inches), Females: 39.4 to 45.7 cm (15½ to 18 inches), This page was last edited on 8 January 2021, at 09:01. Contact . The proper conformation is a square build, meaning that the length of the body is the same or slightly shorter than the height of the withers to the ground. It also indicates the ancestry of present-day dog breeds descends from more than one region. The real Finnish Spitz man in Finland is only really contented alone with his dog in the forest. Dogs of this breed have moderate training requirements, which primarily include training for hunting, respect training, socialization and basic mannerisms. In other words, the Finnish Spitz is able to focus on the same game as its master sets his mind on. Barking is a major part of their hunting activities. [12] As with all dogs, young children and dogs should always be supervised when together. May look fluffy and full, excessive undercoat to make the dog 's coat appear more lush chest is preferable. Be in charge of getting money – with other words, the Finnish Spitz is a medium hunting. 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