How to take care of the Japanese Spitz

This articles contains the basic things on How to take care of the Japanese Spitz.

---

Japanese spitz is a small sized and very active breed dog, the playful companion for the human. Being small and restless, it does not require a great deal of energy and time compare to other breeds of dogs. The japanese spitz is one of the favorite canine choice among the dog lovers. Here are some of the essential things to be careful for the healthy growth and development of the Japanese spitz.

How to take care of the Japanese Spitz

Development

The development of Japanese spitz spans from 12-14 months from birth to the adulthood. It grows quickly in both the height and length in first six months, and then the growth is slow and very less, gaining the nearly full size by 10 to 12 months.  Japanese spitz reaches adolescence at about the age of 3-4 months. It matures sexually at 7-8 months, and develops almost maturity at 12-14 months of age.

Environment

The homely environment must be ensured before bringing the Japanese spitz. Since, your puppy must have recently been taken away from its mother and siblings, it must be provided with the comfortable place to live with security. It must be ensure that its sleeping area is clean, has a food bowl, is provided with fresh and clean water regularly, toilet area is set up (which depends on the potty training). The first week will be major for the adaptation of the puppy in the house. Try as much possible to give proper time to it, spending time playing and feeding it. Make sure that it does not leave the house or is left alone where it might be poisoned by chemicals left or be hurt in any way. 

Japanese spitz requires a warm peaceful spot to rest. A doggie bed or a comfortable box can be brought for it. Put a clean pillow in the bed to ensure its comfort ability while sleeping. Japanese spitz spending a lot of time outdoors needs access to covering and plenty of cool water in the summer and a warm, dry, covered area during the winter.

Feeding Plan

The diet for the puppies is very important. It must be ensure that it is getting all kind of nutrients including vitamins, minerals and supplements for the healthy growth. The puppy of less than 4 months requires 3 meals a day. Then it shall be given 2 meals a day until the age of 8 months and then can be given only one meal a day once it reaches the age of 1 year. Being a small breed, it is not the active feeder.

The packed food with nutrients and vitamins are preferable. However, the favorite food differs with the adaptability of the puppy in the family and their owners. Some owners prefer high quality dry food that is formulated for the small breed dogs. Other owners simply feed their pet with fresh meat or vegetables along with the kibbles.

For the breakfast, lunch and the dinner, the puppy can be given the dry biscuits with fresh chicken mince. They love chicken. It can be accompanied with some boiled rice and the vegetables. Mixing the biscuits and the chicken mince encourages them to eat dry food. Once they have settled in it, the chicken mince/ vegetables, and the dry food can be separately given. Raw bones (not cooked ) can be given to ensure the healthy teeth. Chicken wings, chicken necks, soup bones or brisket bones are good for the spitzs.

Other chew items such as raw hide chews, dental bones etc. should be given for gnawing. Obesity is not a very big issue among Japanese spitz but over eating must be avoided. The common cause of obesity in dogs is free-feeding, where the food is left in the dog’s bowl all day and it can eat anytime it wants. It’s highly recommended that you put its food bowl down only at mealtimes, and pick it immediately up 15-20 minutes after the dog begins eating.

Japanese Spitz Feeding Chart
Dog Age	Dog Weight	Food Type	Amount	Frequency
2 Months	3 lbs	Dry	0.1 cups	3x/day
3 Months	5 lbs	Dry	0.2 cups	3x/day
6 Months	10 lbs	Dry	0.4 cups	2x/day
8 Months	13 lbs	Dry	0.5 cups	2x/day
12 Months+	17 lbs	Dry	0.5 cups	2x/day

Exercise for the Japanese spitzs

Japanese spitz is a very active breed. Therefore, it does not require a lot of exercises since it keeps itself restless running or being busy in anything, trying to get your lot of attention. It loves running and playing, both indoors and outdoors. Hence, it fulfills a lot of its daily exercise from that. However, you should make sure that you give it at least 45 minutes of physical activity each day. You can begin the exercise for the Japanese spitz puppy from the age of 3 months that might include a very short leashed walks for about 10 minutes, and you can later increase the time and distance once it keeps growing.

However, while exercising the Japanese spitz puppy, it must be considered that the puppies younger than the six months should not be involved in the exercise activities that include a lot of jumping and running, as they can easily injure their bones which are very tender.  It loves spending time outdoors but it must be leashed so that it cannot run anywhere as it may quickly run off or meet with some accident.

If your spitz is more of an indoor dog then it must be provided with one or more balls and chew toys and even other toys. They are fond of the balls and sometimes they keep trying to poke you to get involved in their ball games. When they find nothing to do, they love spending time chewing their chew toys. Even though the Japanese spitzes are full of energy, it is very important to provide it with the proper exercise to ensure its fitness and health. 

Here are some ideas:

Walking: Two at least 15- to 20-minute walks each day

Fetch: Can be indoors or outdoor

Dog Park: Spitzes love the company of other dogs

Hide and Seek: Great indoor activities such as giving your Spitz a treat when the dog finds you

Doggy Sports: Spitzes compete well in agility, ball passing, flyball

Vaccinations

The Japanese spitz should have already received their first vaccination at 6 weeks of age. Japanese spitz must be vaccinated with combination shots of vaccines at two, three or 4 months old, and again once every year, that protects it from the diseases such as parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis, and distemper. If your Japanese spitz has not been vaccinated and is already older than 4 months, it will need two immunizations promptly. After that, it must be immunized yearly.

The way of immunizing is different around different countries. The best way is to contact your local vet and get the information of the immunization including that of the rabies. Since, your Japanese spitz might socialize with other pets and dogs, it is very important to ensure that your spitz is timely immunized and protected from all these diseases.

You should check your new puppy’s vaccination card; the breeder must have given you. Get a vet that is close to you and who will continue to go to throughout the life of your dog which will let know the history of your dog. The vet will give your puppy a full check and advise you when the next vaccination is due.

Maintenance of Japanese Spitz

The maintenance of the Japanese spitz, especially in shedding and drooling, is low to moderate. Its shedding is minimal for the most of the year but it is very high during the shedding seasons. Japanese spitz shed profusely. Drooling is not a big issue though for it. Japanese spitz has a thick double coat. The undercoat hair lose a little hair constantly. The most of the dead hair lies beneath the outer thick coat.  They shed a lot when the temperature changes in the spring and fall and season changes into the winter. They must be brushed regularly to collect their dead hairs. Shedding is not very big issue during the puppy life. 

The shedding can be reduced and hence the spitz be kept clean by the regular brushing, and of course checking of the ticks and fleas. Ticks and fleas are more found during summer or warm weather. Japanese spitzes need not be bathed for very long time. Sometimes, it is even okay to bathe it few times in a year. Use the shampoo or the soap specialized for the Japanese spitz and rinse all the soap or shampoo from the coat. Use mild warm water to bathe it.

Remember to give it a good brush before washing them when it gets dirty.  Since it has thick coat, it is important to wash it properly and dried with the clean towel or dry cloth. The under coat will take longer to dry.

The proper grooming and bath to Japanese spitz ensures more cleanliness and healthiness. Grooming is supposed to be fun, so it is necessary to give enough time and given with some treats or toys to distract it while grooming. It applies for bathing too.

House Training

When you are owning a puppy, you must teach it how to be clean in the house, especially provide with the potty trainings.  This is very easy if done properly but if there is careless from the sided of owner, the things might go wrong side. The Japanese spitz puppies, as other puppies, are naturally clean. It tries to relieve itself in a place away from their sleeping, playing and eating areas. You have to give a little effort to give it with a good habit of keeping house clean, and avoid the pee and potty inside the house.

Puppies have tiny bladders, so it cannot hold it very long. It must be taken outside many times a day, around about in the span of 2 hours.  Each time it wakes up from its sleep, it need to empty its bladder, and also after eating and playing. You should make a regular schedule for it and it will follow the schedule easily. The puppy will not learn itself. It must be given with the effort and taught where to relieve itself. If it must urinate or defecate where it eats and sleeps, it will choose to hold it as long as it can.

But since it has small bladder, it cannot hold long. So consistent checking and taking outside is important for the puppies including during the night. Once it grows older, it learns gradually and can hold for the long time too. Once it is older, you need not take it outside during the night too. Usually, spitz learns immediately and the potty training must be given within 6 months. It has full brain once it reaches the age of 7 months.  During the potty training, when you take it outside and when it relieves, appreciate it and give some treats.

When it does dirty in the house, show that it was its fault by saying ‘bad manner’ or shouting ‘don’t’. Stop rewarding the unwanted behavior and reward a more pleasing behavior. But do not hit it because it will be more terrified and confused. Take it always to the same spot. And when it learns, then itself it follows the same place to urinate or defecate.

Final Thoughts

Japanese spitzes crave a lot for the human interaction and expect to spend time with them. Whether it is a hectic day or lazy one, it will keep coming near you to seek attention by pulling your clothes or dragging the items in your room. So it can be the mood changer companion for you who keeps looking for you and who keeps adoring you. Too much alone time may lead to separation anxiety. So give it much time and enjoy its companionship. 

Japanese Spitz is an extremely rare breed and once you own one in your home you will easily feel its affection, playfulness, friendliness and easiness. They are actually very easy to care for. Just ensure that you have time to care for them and fulfill their attention. It surely does bring a great joy in the house with a lot of its playfulness.