COUNTRY OF ORGIN

COUNTRY OF ORGIN/HOMECOUNTRY: Japan

BACKGROUND / USE: The Japanese spitz orgin is seemed to be from the large white German White Spitz which was brought to Japan in the 1920's through Siberia and the northeast of China.
The breed was shown for the first time in Tokyo 1921.

In 1925 four white spitzes were imported from Canada and up until 1956 there were dogs being imported from Canada, USA, Australia, and China. Finally their offsprings were mated to bring out a better breed. In 1948 The Japanese Kennel Club set the standard, which is still in use today.

Standard

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The whole body is covered with a pure white coat. The
muzzle is pointed, ears are triangular in shape and erect. The tail, which is carried well
over the back, is a full rich plume. The body is firm and well balanced and should give the
impression of beautiful harmony, energy, dignity and elegance, which is the definition of the breed.

IMPORTANT MEASURES: Height to length ratio 10:11.

BEHAVIOUR AND CHARACTER: It is an intelligent, happy and lively dog.

HEAD: The head is to be moderatly wide and round and in harmony with the rest of the
body.
SKULL: The skull is widest in the back.
STOP: Stop is to be defined.
FACE: Moderate forehead.
Nose: Small, black and round.
Muzzle: pointed.
Lips: Black and tight.
Cheek/dentition: Scissor-bite with white, strong teeth.
Eyes: Of medium size, almond shaped and dark with black rims.
Ears: Highly set, not too wide apart, small triangular and erect. Carried facing forward.

NECK: Medium length with well developed muscle.

BODY: Top of shoulder: High.
Back: Short and level.
Loin: Broad.
Chest: Deep and broad with well sprung ribs.
Underline: Good tuck-up.
Tail: Of moderate length, set on high, carried well over the back.

FRONT: Shoulders should be well laid back. Elbows tight to the chest.
Front legs: Straight with small paws, catfeet.
Pads: Thick and black. Nails preferably black

REAR: Well muscled hindlegs. Knees and hocks moderately angulated.
Paws: as frontpaws

MOVEMENTS: Lively and energetic, parallel when viewed from front and back.

COAT: Structure: Outercoat is straight, profuse, and stands off from the body.
Undercoat is soft, short and thick. Face, ears, frontside of the frontlegs and below
the hocks have short coat. The rest of the body is covered in a beautiful, rich coat.
The tail should make a plume. Color of coat is supposed to be pure white, but yellowish
shadings are accepted, though distinct markings are not.

SIZE/WEIGHT: Height 30-38 cm. Bitches can be a little smaller.

FAULTS: Overbite/underbite - Too much curl of tail - Shyness - Noisiness

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS: Ears not erect - Tail not carried over the back

TESTICLES: Both well developed and descended into scrotum

Enactment 26, January. 2003
Revised 25, January. 2004
Revised 17.June 2007
Revised 23.September 2008

The Japanese Spitz, as a companion dog, is identified and ideally described through the following distinctive characteristics :

General
Forebody kept high, neck of moderate length firmly supporting a relatively small head held in high position.
Long, pure white coat, in harmony with the body, which adds beauty and elegance, and　gives a look of neatness.
Movement with quick and light gait lending the long-haired dog distinctive beauty. This　particular kind of movement and the beautiful coat depict together a particularly graceful　figure.
Temperament mild but wary, also clever, bright and faithful.

Coat
Long outer hair of main coat, frill, apron and breeches straight and slightly stiff, and supported　by soft, dense and short undercoat. Outer hair in harmony with feathering and body as to　create a beautiful body figure.
Shorter and smooth coat on front of fore- and hindlegs and below hocks. Abounding feathering on back of forearms between carpal pad and elbow.

Hair pure white, and lustrous hair much desirable, coloured, coiled or
wavy coat not desirable. Just fine waving on tail permissible.

Head
Skull slightly rounded and in harmony with the size of the body. Excessively round skull not desirable. Muzzle wedge shaped like that of a fox, length and thickness of the muzzle in proportion with the size of the head.
Lips black, firm and tightly closed, not hanging down. Stop gently defined, forehead above stop short haired. Hair on face short and smooth.
Teeth white, strong, placed in correct position. Jaws closing in a regular scissor bite.

Ears
In proportion to the size of the head, standing mighty erect on the head. Too wide apart, too close together, or hanging forward ears are not desirable.

Eves
Gingko-nut shaped or almond-nut shaped. Eye-rims black, iris dark coloured.
Round shaped eyes spoil dog's elegance. Prominent eyes are not acceptable for the spitz.

Nose
Round shaped, glossy black. Too large or squarish nose not desirable.
Nose line straight. Bent nose line not acceptable.

Back
Straight and short, slightly sloping from withers towards the tail.

Loins
Firm, well developed, and powerful.
Not higher than forebody

Chest
Properly broad and deep, ribs well sprung.

Belly (abdomen)
Well drawn up and tapered from the brisket.
Sexual organ normal and sound.

Forelegs
Straight, relatively slender, but strong. Elbows well tight, pasterns slightly sloping.
Both forelegs parallel to each other viewed from front. Feet well cushioned and cat like.
Pads firm and thick, preferably black in colour.
Forelegs neither too wide nor narrow viewed from front.

Hindlegs
Thighs muscular, stifles and hocks bent. Metatarsi vertical viewed from side, both hindlegs parallel to each other viewed from rear. Feet and pads same as seen for forelegs.
Hindlegs neither too wide nor narrow viewed from rear.

Tail
Of moderate length, set high on the ridge of the back, curled over and aligned with the center line of the back. Profusely feathered with beautiful hair plume.
Tail tightly curled on back not desirable.

Height (at withers)
Preferably 33-38 cm for dogs and 30-35 cm for bitches.

Length (between point of shoulder and point of hip-bone/ischial bone)
Nearly "square-outline", viewed from side, recommended.
Ideal ratio of height to length are 10 : 10.5 for dogs and 10 : 11 for bitches

Weight
Fine condition corresponds to weight figures (in Kg) obtained from height (in cm) × 0.20-0.23 for both dogs and bitches.

Reference
Any faults refer to the Judge standard of NSC