Spitz vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Spitz vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed ComparisonBelgian Shepherd is originated from Belgium but Spitz is originated from Russia. Both Belgian Shepherd and Spitz are having almost same height. Belgian Shepherd may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than Spitz. Both Belgian Shepherd and Spitz has almost same life span. Belgian Shepherd may have less litter size than Spitz. Both Belgian Shepherd and Spitz requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Miscellaneous dogs
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Belgium
Russia
Height Male:
60 - 66 cm
23 - 26 inches
21 - 70 cm
8 - 28 inches
Height Female:
52 - 62 cm
20 - 25 inches
20 - 65 cm
7 - 26 inches
Weight Male:
25 - 30 kg
55 - 67 pounds
2 - 40 kg
4 - 89 pounds
Weight Female:
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
2 - 37 kg
4 - 82 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 14 Years
7 - 16 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 10
4 - 19
Size:
Large
Medium
Other Names:
Belgian Sheepdog Chien de Berger Belge
numeroud breeds
Colors Available:
depends on variety - black with white, brown
all
Coat:
short- and long-haired varieties
double coated undercoat is coarser
Shedding:
Constant, Seasonal
Moderate, Constant
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Cheerful, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

belgian shepherdThere are different varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog – but these all differ only in color, length and texture of coat. The interesting aspect of the names of the different Belgian Shepherds, is that the names of the different varieties are taken from the individual towns in Belguim from which each variety comes from.

This breed dates back to the middle ages, but it was only in 1891 that Professor A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School established standards for the types and actually separated- and distinguishing them. In the UK they are shown as one breed.

spitzA spitz is not a breed of dog, but rather a “group or family” of dogs that has its roots in Germany. Within this family there are a variety of breeds that were bred for very specific purposes by people in many different parts of the world. The spitz family can be toy dog size up to vey large. Examples run from the Pomeranian to the Canadian Eskimo Dog.

The Spitz family dogs share the look of thick, long fur and pointed muzzles, ears and curly tail. Despite their German name, they are thought to originally be of East Asia or Artic descent. Most of today’s spitz are from Siberia’s Artic region, first described in 1788 and in English in 1792. Spitz have been bred for three types of jobs depending upon where they were developed. These jobs included pulling, herding and hunting.

There are very powerful and large Spitz breeds that pull or hunt large game. Examples of these breeds are the Swedish Elkhound, the Akita Inu, the Norwegian Elkhound and the Karelian Bear Dog. The smaller sized breeds like the Samoyed hunted small mammals and birds, while the Finnish Lapphund, Lapponian Herder, and Swedish Lapphund herded, hunted and pulled small sleds.

The three largest spitz also pulled sleds throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. In most places the Canadian Eskimo Dog, the Alakan Malamute and the Greenland dog were used in sled racing and fur trapping while in Canada and Alaska the Siberian Husky was used for the same things.

Recently there have been genetic tests that show a large number of dogs that are considered Spitz type so share many strong ancestral ties and DNA similarities with wild wolves. It is now believed that a lot of these breeds were intentionally mated with wolves and some were accidental. Both domestic and wild dogs are included in this history.

Most spitz are made for cold weather, even today’s lapdogs, like the Pomeranian, do not do well in hot climates.

Description

Different Varieties

belgian shepherd puppy - descriptionThe Belgian Shepherd is a well proportioned, muscular medium-to-large dog breed. There are the different varieties but they generally stands at 56 – 66cm in height and weighs anything from 25 to 30kg. You get the short haired Malinois and then you also get the Belgian Tervuren and the Groenendal which are fairly long-haired varieties. Their colour shades vary so you can find black with white markings on the chest and feet, you can find light to dark brown and some are even inclined to be brown.

Not Aggressive but a Great Guardian

All the varieties have long tails, pointed, fully erect ears and black noses. While the Belgian Shepherd isn’t an aggressive dog, he makes an excellent guard dog, being alert, highly energetic and intelligent and easy to train. As with most other dogs, you’ll want to see to it that he is trained and socialized because then he makes a super pet suited to life with a family where there are children and other pets. He has an independent nature and is loyal and protective with his human family.

spitz puppy - descriptionMost of the spitz breeds share a “look” that includes erect ears, stocky heavy, usually double coats, a pointed muzzle, thick, fluffy ruffs and a heavy curled tail carried high over the body. Build for northern climates they are insulated by a undercoat that is waterproof and dense and a less dense topcoat. Their ears are small to prevent frostbite and their paws have thick fur to protect them in the frigid, icy terrain.

Many still have wolf-like looks and tendencies. Some are very difficult to train to be companions – the Akita, Chow and especially the Karelian Bear Dog – fall into this category. Many mixed breed dogs are also considered members of the Spitz family. These dogs are easy to recognize as spitz because of these physical characteristics

Characteristics

belgian shepherd dog - characteristicsEnergy is a big factor with this beautiful dog, so before you consider one as a pet, be sure that you can take care of his exercise needs. He belongs to the working group of dogs so he won’t enjoy just lazing around day after day. He is wired to be herding livestock and that natural instinct doesn’t disappear once he becomes a pet in your home. With so much energy, he wants a nice sized garden and wouldn’t do well cooped up indoors at all.

He is a strong, loving dog, and in exchange for your care of him, he will be a loyal, loving, protective friend who will love you to the end.

Characteristics

spitz dog - characteristics1.Children friendliness excellent with almost all the breeds. Be careful of size. Smaller breeds may not be as friendly and larger may knock down small children.

2.Special talents stamina

3.Adaptability excellent

4.Learning ability excellent

Health Problems

belgian shepherd puppies - health problemsThe Belgian Shepherd is a hardy dog so if you do your part to provide him with good quality nutrition from the food he eats and you exercise him, he’ll reach the 10-14 years allotted to him. Just like with any dog, there will be some minor concerns that you need to watch out for -

epilepsy, eye problems, cancer, skin allergies and hip dysplasia.

remember to check his teeth and for ticks and parasites as both, if just left, can jeopardise his health seriously.

see that he get his first puppy vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

spitz puppies - health problemsIt is a little harder to characterize the health issues of a family of dogs than it is a .will overheat in hot climates due to their double coats. Here are some propensities of dogs in the Spitz family.

  • Haemolytic anemia – heritary anemia can be mild to life threatening.

• Thrombopathia bleeding disorder with the risk of a hemorrhage, platets don’t clot.

  • Epilepsy – medication can manage this well.
  • Cancers for different types.

• Larger breeds are affected by Elbow and Hip dysplasia that can cause arthritis and lameness.

Caring The Pet

Exercise

belgian shepherd dogs - caringYour Belgian Shepherd is an energetic dog breed who is social and who wants to be included in your family activities. You can’t just keep him cooped up in your back yard and expect him to do well. He’ll need daily exercise – walks, swims if there is water close by, chasing the ball as well as your companionship.

Grooming and shedding

These dogs are shedders so you’ll certainly be needing to watch your clothes for hairs. You will need to give them a good brush at least twice a week to get rid of all that loose hair and to keep his coat shiny and in tip top condition. Also, he likes the closeness the brushing provides between him and his human caretaker.

Feeding your Belgian Shepherd

The Belgian Shepherd is a robust, healthy breed of dog, but many ill dogs are brought to veterinary clinics because they are suffering with itchy skin problems, they have digestive problems and they’re generally run down. This is because they aren’t provided with a varied and balanced diet plan. Apart from eating a quality dry- or wet dog food as recommended by your vet, he’ll most certainly need some raw meat in his diet too.

spitz dogs - caring1Feeding the puppy The Spitz family has high energy needs but in a slow-release so they need protein more than grain. Puppies should be fed 3-4x a day in small meals. Don’t overfeed them.

2.Feeding the adult – The Spitz type dog stores their energy to use in extended periods when working or playing. They will become obese if overfed or if they don’t get enough exercise. Feed 2-3X a day in small or medium sized meals, even the larger breeds because of their storage of calories.

3.Points for Good Health endurance and stamina

4. Games and Exercises – Having been bred for endurance and stamina most Spritz breed need plenty of exercise, lots of space and lots of play. They love to run, jog, or play games. They are outdoors types who love to hike, and run or walk for long times over long distances. They are great in cold, wet weather but not so good in the heat. How much exercise they need depends on the size and history of the specific breeds. Most love to play with other dogs, so dog parks and dog day care can both be good choices for most of them. Agility, barnhunt, field trials, pulling games are all good choices.

Comparison with other breeds

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  6. Spitz vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Spitz vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Spitz vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Spitz vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Spitz vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Spitz vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Spitz vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Spitz vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
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  18. Spitz vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Spitz vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
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  26. Belgian Shepherd vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Belgian Shepherd vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Belgian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Belgian Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Belgian Shepherd vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Belgian Shepherd vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Belgian Shepherd vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Belgian Shepherd vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Belgian Shepherd vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Belgian Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Belgian Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Belgian Shepherd vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Belgian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Belgian Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Belgian Shepherd vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Belgian Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Belgian Shepherd vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Belgian Shepherd vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Belgian Shepherd vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Belgian Shepherd vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Belgian Shepherd vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Belgian Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Belgian Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Belgian Shepherd vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Belgian Shepherd vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison