A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function.Absolute soundness is essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations may be considered to have potential to affect some breeds adversely, and judges and breeders are requested to refer to the Kennel Club website for details of any such current issues. If a feature or quality is desirable it should only be present in the right measure. However if a dog possesses a feature, characteristic or colour described as undesriable or highly undesriable it is strongly recommended that it should not be rewarded in the show ring.
General Appearance:
Compact, short coupled and well knit with an almost square outline. Firm condition, the profuse off-standing coat not disguising any lack of substance.
Characteristics:
The German Spitz is intelligent, active and alert. Its buoyancy, independence and devotion to the family are the breed characteristics.
Temperament:
Happy, equable disposition, showing confidence, with no sign of nervousness or aggression.
Head and Skull:
Medium large, broad and nearly flat skull when viewed from above, and narrowing in a wedge shape to the nose. Stop moderately defined; muzzle approximately half the length of head. Cheeks clean. Flews tight, no trace of lippiness.
Nose:
Black in Black, White and Black/white parti-colours. Self colour as compatible with coat colour in other colour varieties. Never parti-colour or pink.
Eyes: Medium size, oval shaped and obliquely set. Not too wide apart. Always dark with black rims in blacks, white, black/white parti-colours, black/tan bi-colours. As dark as compatible with coat colour in other colour varieties.
Ears:
Small triangular and set rather high. Perfectly erect.
Mouth:
A perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Black lips in black, white, black/white parti-colours, black/tan bi-colours. Colour as compatible in other colour varieties.
Neck:
Clean, moderately short and well set into the shoulders.
Forequarters:
Moderately sloping shoulder, upper arm of sufficient length to ensure elbow is vertically below point of withers, turning neither in nor out. Well-boned, straight legs. Pasterns strong and flexible.
Body:
Length from point of shoulder to point of buttock equal to height at withers; short, well developed loin. Moderate tuck up. Well ribbed and rounded. Distance from brisket to ground not less than half the height from ground to withers. Topline level. Hindquarters: Moderate angulation with hocks moderately well let down. Neither cow hocked nor wide behind.
Feet:
Small, rounded cat-like with well-arched toes.
Tail:
Set high, curled right up from root, lying curled over back.
Gait/Movement:
Moving without exaggeration from any angle. Straight coming and going. Viewed from side, effortless, brisk action, retaining topline.
Coat:
Double coat consisting of soft woolly undercoat and long harsh textured perfectly straight top coat covering the whole of the body. Very abundant around neck and forequarters with a frill of profuse off-standing straight hair extending over the shoulders. Forelimbs well feathered tapering from elbows to pasterns. Hindlimbs feathered to hocks. Ears covered with soft short hair. Hair on face smooth and short. Tail profusely covered with long spreading hair. This is not a trimmed breed and evidence of trimming and shaping, other than tidying of the feet, anal area and legs below the hocks unacceptable.
Colour:
All colour varieties and markings acceptable. Butterfly pigment not permitted with any colour.
Size:
Kleins 23-29.2 cms (9 - 11.5 inches) Mittels 30-38 cms (12 - 15 inches) Dogs masculine, bitches feminine.
Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault shall be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Note:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Copyright: The Kennel Club
All crates/cages at shows should now have ring number or owner's details clearly shown
