In 1960 a breed was
developed by Julius Wipfel by crossing a Chow Chow with a
Wolfspitz. This was first called the
"Wolf-Chow" and then after crossing with a
Samoyed, was renamed "Eurasier" and recognised
by the FCI. The Eurasier as a breed tends to bond
strongly with the owner and family and greatly dislikes
being left alone or kennelled. Distrustful of strangers
and exhibiting a degree of reserve, he is a natural
watchdog and will bark if given reason. He must make
friends at his own pace. A handsome and impressive spitz
dog, the Eurasian is now recognised in Europe and Canada
and shortly in Australia. A balanced, well constructed
medium sized dog with medium bone, thick undercoat and
medium length loosely lying harsh top coat. All colours
are allowed with the exception of white or white patches.
The German Spitz is an
intelligent and lively breed, originally they were
companion and watch dogs. Developed from the larger
European Spitzes they are miniature versions of the
Keeshond and the Wolfspitz. They were known as
Pomeranians originally and became popular in the UK
during the 18th century. Miniaturised by the Victorians
into the very small and highly popular Pomeranians that
are seen today. In the late 1970s a few individuals began
the move to reintroduce the original slightly bigger
spitzes from the continent, they were recognised by the
Kennel Club in 1985 and in Australia around 1989. There
are 2 sizes - Klein (23-29cms / 9-11.5ins) and Mittel
(30-38cms / 12-15ins) All colours and markings are
acceptable. This breed make wonderful friendly pets.
In Holland, the Keeshond
is known as the "Dutch Barge Dog. The Keeshond is
gentle, devoted, loving and intelligent. Known as the
"smiling Dutchman" because of the grin that
they sometimes display, the Keeshond is loyal, protective
and excellent with children. They are good-natured,
affectionate, full of fun and always eager to please. The
Keeshond makes an ideal companion for people of all ages.
This breed has erect ears, a double coat and carries the
tail over the back as do most of the Spitz breeds. The
coat has an abundance of long, straight, harsh hair that
stands out from the downy undercoat. The coat is very
thick around the neck, shoulders and chest, giving the
appearance of a lion-like mane. The hair on the head is
smooth, soft, short and velvety. They also have the
distinct appearance of wearing spectacles due to the
markings around their eyes that enhance their expression.
The Pomeranian is the
smallest of the spitz breeds. Originating in Germany as a
larger companion and watchdog, the breed caught the eye
of Queen Victoria who was instrumental in reducing its
size and promoting its popularity. No Victorian woman was
considered fashionable without a Pomeranian on her arm.
Today’s Pomeranian is 3-7 lbs., with an ideal size
between 4 & 5 lbs. With its tiny ears, profuse
standoff coat and tail curled over its short back, the
profile of the Pomeranian should resemble a circle. The
breed comes in a variety of colours. Lively and easy to
train, the Pomeranian has much in common with its larger
working ancestors, despite its present day diminutive
size.
The Schipperke, which
comes from the Flemish province of Belgium, was
originally called the Spits or Spitske. The name was
later changed to Schipperke to avoid confusion with the
German Spitz. It was recorded at dog shows in 1690 and
used as a guardian of the Belgian canal boats and vermin
hunter. Contrary to popular opinion the Schipperke is not
a miniature Belgian Shepherd Dog and was not used to herd
sheep. The Schipperke is active, alert, interested in
everything around it, devoted to children and
reserved with strangers, making it an ideal watchdog and
companion.
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