Finnish Spitz

The balanced, squarely symmetrical Finnish Spitz will stand not more than 20 inches at the shoulder and are easily recognized by their foxy face and prick ears projecting a lively expression, and a curving plumed tail. Their dense coat of glorious golden-red which is never monochromatic gives them the Finnish Spitz “Glow.” Finkies or Finns, as they are nicknamed, move with a bold and brisk gait. Finkies make excellent alertdogs, wary but not shy with strangers. This is a vocal breed – in Finland, owners hold contests to crown a “King Barker” – and true Finn lovers are more delighted than annoyed by their breed’s yodeling and range of vocalization. Finkies are eager canine athletes and eye-catching show dogs known to be smart, sensitive, and captivating companions.

In his native land, Finland’s most popular dog breed is called the Suomenpystykorva. Mercifully, in English-speaking countries it is known simply as the Finnish Spitz. It is assumed that when migrants from central Russia arrived in what is now Finland some 3,000 years ago, they brought their spitz-type dogs with them. For centuries these forerunners of modern Finns were employed as all-purpose hunters. In time, they began to specialize on gamebirds. Finkies or Finns have a unique bird-dogging style. Their acute nose leads them to treed birds. They then mesmerize the bird with their slow tail-wagging and distinctive “yodeling,” or rapid-fire barking (they can achieve 160 barks a minute). The swishing tail also serves another purpose — to allow the hunter to see the dog through the dense forest. This freezes the game in place until a rifle-toting human arrives to finish the job. Finkies also flush and trail birds to the trees. By the late 1800s, these hardy Norsemen faced extinction. Thanks to a promotional blitz mounted by two ardent Finnish admirers of the breed, Hugo Roos and Hugo Sandberg, the Finkie was brought back from near oblivion. By century’s end, the Finnish Spitz was recognized by the Finnish Kennel Club. England received its first exports in the 1920s. An early British devotee, Lady Kitty Ritson, coined the nickname “Finkie,” as some English-speaking fanciers still refer to the breed. They arrived in America around 1960 and began competing in the AKC Non-Sporting Group in 1988.

The Finnish Spitz presents a fox-like picture. The breed has long been used to hunt small game and birds. The pointed muzzle, erect ears, dense coat and curled tail denotes its northern heritage. The Finnish Spitzs whole being shows liveliness, which is especially evident in the eyes, ears and tail. Males are decidedly masculine without coarseness. Bitches are decidedly feminine without over-refinement.

“The Finnish Spitz’s metabolism is extremely efficient for a primitive breed,” notes one breed expert. This means that overfeeding the breed will result in obesity fairly quickly. High-quality dry dog food works well to maintain good condition and weight. Treats can be useful in training but should be given sparingly. Give table scraps sparingly as well, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods with high fat content. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not.

The Finnish Spitz is a “natural” breed that some owners refer to as “wash and wear.” The breed standard is very specific: “No trimming of the coat except for feet is allowed. Whiskers shall not be trimmed. Any alteration of the coat by coloring, dying, trimming, scissoring or other means must be severely faulted.” Lightly spraying the coat with water and brushing the coat using a pin brush every two to three days is adequate. Hot blow-drying will dry the outer coat. During their twice-yearly shedding season, daily brushing or a bath followed by a cool-temperature blow-dry and brushing will speed up this process, and a good quality comb and a slicker brush are very useful in getting out the undercoat. The shedding is more severe in an intact female. The coat of a spayed female can become softer and denser and can take more grooming.

Finnish Spitz were bred to hunt all day in dense woods, giving them the stamina to range far, making a solidly fenced yard a must. A Finnish Spitz must never be kept away from his people, as he becomes deeply bonded with his family. They require a moderately high degree of exercise. A daily walk, long or short, on a leash is always a reward in and of itself.

This is a very intelligent breed, and as such they can present a challenge to train. Keep sessions short and fun, being generous with praise and reward. Food seems to be the universal motivator. They’ll let you know when they’ve had enough. Early socialization and puppy training classes are recommended for the new puppy.

Fortunately, thanks to thoughtful breeding, Finnish Spitz in the U.S. and Canada are a generally healthy breed and don’t present many health issues. Responsible breeders screen potential breeding stock for patella, elbows, hips, and eyes, with the numbers of affected dogs very low. New owners are urged to have a conversation with their breeders about care for growing puppies, including the need to limit vigorous exercise, and avoiding early spay and neuter until maturity (3–5 years) is reached.