In the process of selective breeding, they were using the ancient Spitz-type dogs they brought with them while migrating from the river Volga region in central Russia. In 1979, when the club celebrated its 90th anniversary, the Finnish Spitz was declared Finland's national dog breed. [4], The Finnish Spitz developed from selectively bred Spitz-type dogs that inhabited central Russia several thousand years ago. The Finnish Spitz blows coat or loses its undercoat twice a year. The Finnish Spitz is well known as a bird dog, specifically used for hunting grouse and a turkey-like bird called the capercaillie. However, in North America, they are primarily companion dogs. The origin of the Finnish Spitz lies in Finland where they were used for hunting animals. These dogs probably originated as camp followers and watchdogs, later developing into hunting dogs. Traditionally it has been used for herding reindeer.Although it is one of the most popular dog breeds in its native country, Finland, it is not very numerous outside of the Nordic countries The Finnish Spitz has a typical double coat, which consists of a soft, dense undercoat and long, harsh guard hairs that can measure 2.5 to 5 cm (one to two inches) long. The Finnish Spitz was once inexpensive to support. The Finnish Spitz is typically a very healthy breed, with few general health concerns. In Scandinavia, a competition is held to find the "King of the Barkers." If back claws appear, they should be removed. [7], The nose, lips, and rims of eyes should always be black.[7]. Its original game hunting purpose was to point to game that fled into trees, such as grouse, and capercaillies, but it also serves well for hunting elk. This introgression could have provided early dogs living in high latitudes with phenotypic variation beneficial for adaption to a new and challenging environment. The pointed muzzle, erect ears, dense coat and curled tail denotes its northern heritage. The Finnish Spitz has the distinction of being the national dog of Finland, where this ancient hunting breed is still used to hunt a wide variety of game. [14] In Finland, their barking ability in the field must be proven before a conformation championship can be earned.[15]. About Us. Since it barks and attracts the hunters to indicate the position of the game, it is also known as “Bark Pointers.” Isolated Finno-Ugrian tribes in the far northern regions bred dogs according to their specific needs. Males are decidedly masculine without coarseness. Who else would find fur game and reveal its location to the master if not “pikinokka”, the Finnish Spitz with its pitch black nose. The club is also working for including the hunting experience with the Finnish Spitz on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.[8]. Here at East Winds Finnish Spitz we breed for health, temperament, and correctness we work closely with many other breeders to keep our bloodlines strong and healthy. Our pups are well socialized, confident, loving companions. The hair under the feet as well as the toe nails should be nicely trimmed for show. In its native Finland, this breed is known as the Suomenpystykorva, which means “Finnish cock-eared hunting dog.” Fortunately for our tongues, it’s known as the Finnish Spitz … It is imperative that owners brush out the old undercoat so the new coat can grow properly. They need one or two long walks each day and will be fairly inactive indoors. The breed was originally bred to hunt all types of game from squirrels and other rodents to bears. [5] These small clans of woodsmen relied on their dogs to help them obtain food, and the excellent hunting ability of the Finnish Spitz made it a favorite choice. They are bred as a hunting dog and thus are unreliable around small animals and pet birds, but on an individual basis may live well with cats, especially if they are raised with them. [16] This breed will not respond well to harsh training methods. If … The Finnish Spitz is the national dog of Finland which is very popular for its unique hunting skills. With patience and calm yet firm handling, the Finnish Spitz can be a wonderful companion. [12] As with all dogs, young children and dogs should always be supervised when together. The coat should be stiffer, denser, and longer on the neck, back, back of thighs, and plume of the tail, shorter on the head and legs. The undercoat must always be lighter in color than the topcoat, but is never allowed to be white. While the Finnish Spitz is intensively focusing on its job to bark a wolf can easily find and surprise it. He's also been called the Finnish Barking Bird Dog because of h… Most Finnish Spitz have a preferred side and this is not incorrect. He has a special love for children and will spend countless hours romping and playing. As the national dog of Finland, this breed has long beenrecognized in Scandinavian countries but was not imported to the United States until 1959 with the first breeding in the 1960's. They are best trained with a soft voice and touch. In its native country, the breed is still mostly used as a hunting dog. It was mainly the Spitz that used to be in charge of getting money – with other words, fur. The Finnish Spitz is renowned as a hunting dog, and also makes a great companion for family members … Because the breed is built for long hunts, Finkies need plenty of exercise to stay happy and healthy. The coat is usually at its darkest shade on the back of the dog, gradually getting lighter around the chest and belly. Th… Both sexes should appear slightly longer in the leg than the back. 02770 Espoo, Finland Its most important feature is its loyalty towards its master, both at home and in the woods. The Finnish Spitz developed almost a passionate relationship with hunting squirrel and pine marten. It has always been considered as a dog that is capable of hunting any kind of game, and is therefore very easily trained to do so. Some exhibitors choose to show dogs with excessive undercoat to make the dog's coat appear more lush. Tel +358 50 407 8484info@kennelsaatio.fi, The Finnish Spitz - National Treasure of Finland, The Finnish Spitz barks in the cultural history as a symbol of Finnishness, The Finnish Spitz is bred from a native landrace, Over one hundred years of association history of the Finnish Spitz. [2], Nearly all dog breeds’ genetic closeness to the gray wolf is due to admixture. Today the Finnish Spitz has learned to understand and apply its instinct to hunt. Proper care of the coat is most important. Ordinary hunting with finnish spitz. In 1892, the Finnish Kennel Club recognized the breed, and the dogs later found their way to America in 1959. In Finland, these dogs are prized for their barking abilities, which can range from short, sharp barks to many barks per minute that sound like a yodel. Some individuals have even been known to go after a bear. In their native Finland, Finnish Spitz are still used for hunting, mostly for a large game bird called a capercaille and for black grouse. Its original game hunting purpose was to point to game that fled into trees, such as grouse, and capercaillies, but it also serves well for hunting elk. Today the Finnish Spitz is used mostly for hunting grouse birds, although it can be used when hunting elk and small game, such as pine marten and raccoon dogs, as well. In Finland, he's known as the Suomenpystykorva (pronounced SWOH-men-pi-stih-KOR-vuh), which means Finnish Pricked Ear Dog, and he can't compete there for a show title until he has proved himself in hunting trials. When the Finnish Spitz locates the bird, it barks very loudly while pointing in the direction of the bird to alert the hunter to the bird’s location. Puppies. The lively finnish spitz, the flame-colored, foxy-faced breed from the “Land of 60,000 Lakes,” is a small but fearless hunting dog whose unique style of tracking … The Finnish Spitz originated from ancestral northern spitz dogs that accompanied early Finno-Ugrian … May 4, 2020 By Sarah Holloway Leave a Comment. The breed is friendly and in general loves children, so it is suitable for domestic life. [7] The Finnish Spitz in particular was bred from Spitz-type breeds found in Russia thousands of years ago, used by Finno-Urgian tribes for hunting small game. The coat should never be a solid color. However, the most crucial aspect of training this breed is the technique followed and the method of training to be adopted. In the woods for instance, using its clear bark the dog informed its master about the location of the bird. Dew claws can appear on front and/or back feet. Suomenpystykorvalla metsästys, Hunting with finnish spitz. Its primary use was as a hunting dog, a heritage it honors to this day. The Finnish Spitz is a hunting dog of the Spitz family originating from Finland. Whilst relatively unknown outside Finland, fans of the breed praise its friendly nature and enthusiasm for training. The currency unit at the time was called “kiihtelys” which included 40 squirrel skins. However, any excessive undercoat should be removed. The Finnish Spitz presents a fox-like picture. When used as a hunting companion, the barking is a way to signal the hunter that the dog has located prey in the forest. The Finnish Spitz is a traditional hunting dog of Finland, which goes by the Finnish Cock-Eeared Dog and the Finnish Barking Birddog.This breed nearly went extinct by the late 19 th century, which led to reconstruction efforts via the remaining population of native stock.. Life has thought the Finnish Spitz that the greatest threat in the woods is a wolf. The woods and the waters were almost exclusively the only places that provided food. Some Finnish Spitz are … The real Finnish Spitz man in Finland is only really contented alone with his dog in the forest. This fearless breed loves to hunt and makes a devoted and friendly companion to its chosen person. [15] They can be trained to reduce the amount of barking,[7] although the barking does make them superb watchdogs. It is a "bark pointer", indicating the position of game by barking, and drawing the game animal's attention to itself, allowing an easier approach for the hunter. The Finnish spitz is an integral part of the Finnish hunting tradition. Most Finnish Spitzes get along well with other dogs in the house. It has the conformation and temperament to hunt actively and tirelessly under the coldest of conditions. The Finnish Spitz whole being shows liveliness, which is especially evident in the eyes, ears and tail. It is square-proportioned, and without exaggeration, quick and light on its feet. DOG BREED INFORMATION – FINNISH SPITZ Origin: Finland Alternate names: Barking Bird Dog, Finnish Hunting Dog, Finnish Spets, Finsk Spets, Loulou Finois, Suomalainen Pystykorva, Suomenpystykorva Size: Medium Life Span: 12-15 years Popularity: Ranked #177 in 2017 Availability in India: Moderate Avg Puppy Price in India: ₹18,000 and above Dog Breed Group: Non-Sporting Group Love Photo: Hannu Huttu The hunting tradition and the hunting method of using Finnish spitzes are kept alive by individual dog owners, organisations, associations and scholars dedicated to the breed. The Finnish Spitz (or “Finkies” as their fans call them) probably got their start as watchdogs and camp followers of the indigenous peoples of what is now Finland. PREHISTORY AND EARLY HISTORY OF DOGS IN FINLAND, Fennoscandia archaeologica XXXI (2014)-, Origin of the domestic dog § Arctic breeds, "Genome Sequencing Highlights the Dynamic Early History of Dogs", "Ancient Wolf Genome Reveals an Early Divergence of Domestic Dog Ancestors and Admixture into High-Latitude Breeds", "The Finnish Spitz is bred from a native landrace", "Individual Breed Results for Purebred Dog Health Survey", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Finnish_Spitz&oldid=999062643, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Males: 44.5 to 50.8 cm (17½ to 20 inches), Females: 39.4 to 45.7 cm (15½ to 18 inches), This page was last edited on 8 January 2021, at 09:01. Male dogs should sport a slightly longer and coarser coat than female ones, who have a slightly more refined coat. Wobbling its light-coloured tail, the dog charmed the bird to remain in tree so that the master had enough time to find the tree and shoot the bird with his bow. The Finnish Spitz was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1992. [5] At about that time, a Finnish sportsman from Helsinki named Hugo Roos observed the pure native Finnish Spitz while hunting in the northern forests. Although a dog may look fluffy and full, excessive undercoat may be causing serious skin problems. Long walks, backyard playtime, and hunting are all great ways to get your dog moving. In Finland, this dog is known as the Suomenpystykorva and it is the country’s national dog breed – he has also been known as the Finnish Barking Bird Dog due to his unique vocal tendencies. As the name suggests, the Finnish Spitz was developed in Finland and it shares much of its history with other Spitz-type breeds that were developed in the Arctic region. [1] It is a "bark pointer", indicating the position of game by barking, and drawing the game animal's attention to itself, allowing an easier approach for the hunter. [13], The breed barks at anything perceived to be out of the ordinary. Some individuals have eve… The outer coat should not exceed 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) at the ruff. However, breeders should be consulted to understand the prevalence of a specific disorder in this breed. This feature is clear in some dogs even today. The Finnish Spitz originated from ancestral northern spitz dogs that accompanied early Finno-Ugrian tribes as they journeyed across Eurasia to Finland. Finnish Spitzes are independent, strong-willed, intelligent dogs. The color of the adult dog can be assessed by an experienced breeder at birth, but even then, the color may change slightly as the puppy grows. Puppies are often described as looking similar to a red fox cub. The Finnish spitz is used to hunt small game and birds and is known as the "barking bird dog" because it points hunters to game by barking. The breed makes an excellent family pet. Finnish Spitzes are considered to interact well with people and they are especially good with children. [1] Thirty years of careful breeding resulted in the modern Finnish Spitz; the dogs are descendants of his original foundation stock. Females are usually a little longer in the back than males. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. The Finnish Spitz is friendly, active, playful, keen and courageous. Feathered long tail hairs without sustenance can give the dog an unkempt look. Barking is a major part of their hunting activities. Ever increasing in popularity, the Finnish Spitz originated as a hunting dog in Finland. The Finnish Spitz (Finnish: suomenpystykorva) is a breed of dog originating in Finland. The Finnish Spitz has a foxlike appearance, incorporating the typical traits of a Northern breed: small erect ears, dense double coat and curled tail. The Finnish Spitz is a wonderful family dog, as well as a hunting dog. That is, they hunt by barking; they don't hunt tree bark. Height at withers (American Kennel Club breed standard[10]): This breed is active, alert and lively. Though Finnish Spitz … When the Spitz barks at the tree its handsome wobbly tail “enchants” the bird. It is still fascinated by mice and moles, since these creatures used to be its primary nutrition back in the day. The breed remained pure, not by design but by isolation until the early 1800s. [3] However, several Arctic dog breeds show a genetic closeness with the now-extinct Taymyr wolf of North Asia due to admixture. The Finnish Spitz is often referred to as the “barking hunting dog” because of its characteristic continuous barking while on track. Perinteistä metsästystä suomenpystykorvien kanssa harrastavien metsästäjien ryhmä. It is a dog that retains a great connection with its master in the forest. 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