PetzloverFinnish Spitz is originated from Finland but Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is originated from Switzerland. Both Finnish Spitz and Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher are having almost same height. Both Finnish Spitz and Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher are of same weight. Finnish Spitz may live 3 years less than Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher. Both Finnish Spitz and Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher has almost same litter size. Finnish Spitz requires Moderate Maintenance. But Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher requires Low Maintenance
The “barking Bird Dog” or Finnish Spitz was Developed in Finland. The breed is fearless and small with a different style than many other hunting dogs. He style of tracking is unusual and he indicated his quarry by barking. He was bred to hunt all sizes of prey from as large as bears to as small as squirrels. He was called the “Barking Bird Dig” because he pointed at the prey by barking and giving the hunter knowledge of the prey and an easy approach to it. In Finland, the Spitz is still a hunting dog. In 1979 The Finnish Spitz became the national dog of Finland.
Spitz-like dogs have been present in Finland for over 8000 years. It is believed that dogs living in higher latitudes had more in common with the Taymyr Wolf od North Asia than with the gray wolf. Tests indicate that the chance of the Spitz being related to the Taymyr is between 1.4&a and 27.3%. The Taymyr is extinct today. This shows that the present day dog descends from more than one type of wolf and more than one area. The Spitz was a favorite of the Finno-Ugrian tribes as he helped them find food. These tribes were pretty isolated until 1880. Then the Spitz were mated with other dogs and were almost extinct as a breed separate from all the other local dogs.
However, like many other breeds the Finnish Spitz found a savior. A Finnish huntsman, named Hugo Roos, noticed the native Finnish Spitz while he was hunting up North. He decided to breed dogs that were genuine Finnish Spitz without the blood of other breeds mixed in. After thirty years the current day Finnish Spitz was born.The latest breed standard was confirmed by the Love Finnish Kennel Club in 1996.
The Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is an ancient dog breed and dates back to 1780. It is believed that this dog breed is extinct, but that the German Pinscher of today is family of this dog breed. The dog used to be good on the farm as an all-purpose working dog.
When you look at the history of dogs, there are so many that have come and gone, never to be seen or heard of again. Other animals become extinct because of environmental factors, but with dogs it’s a bit different and most, like the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher, died out simply because it became unfashionable.
Maybe the jobs that this dog was designed to do no longer existed and he died out because he was no longer needed.
The Finnish Spitz is balanced and symmetrical in body and females are longer than males. They have a very distinguishable prick, foxy ears and face. They have a smiling expression and a curved tail. They are a golden-red color with a double coat. The under coat is dense and soft While the top coat is stiff. Puppies often look like little red fox cubs. When born they are black, grey or brown with a lot of black. As an adult the pups grow up to be a mix of fawn and dark black. Lips, nose and rims of the eyes should be black.
Described as a medium sized dog, the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is an extinct variety of the German Pinscher. Like that dog, the Swiss Shorthaired had a muscular, strong square build.
Possibly he also had his ears and tail docked at that time. It is thought that he stood between 40 – 48cm in height and weighed in the region of 11 to 15kg.
He had the typical looks of the Doberman Pinscher with short smooth hair in black and tan, short erect ears and a tail that was traditionally cropped. He was lean and muscular with brown eyes. They were working dogs in their day and were not considered the best dogs to have for the first time dog owner.
These dogs have always been hardworking, brave and fearless. They make good family pets too and get on well with children. They would have been adaptable too to life in the city or the countryside, so long as he got his exercise.
A well bred Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher was alert and a good guard dog, and one wonders why this dog with its good qualities died out.
Very child friendly – loves to play with children as long as the children pay attention to them. If not, the Spitz will go elsewhere.
They are independent thinkers and close to family but not strangers. They often “yodel” instead of howl.
Needs to be with people, bonds deeply with his humans. Most get along well with other dogs but because of their hunting instinct they are not good with small pets or birds.
They are smart and learn easily. They are great athletes and learn games and competition well.
The Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is no longer around but he would no doubt have made a good family pet. He would have wanted to protect his human family.
He was a stubborn, bold dog, and maybe socialization and training didn’t exist then, but he would have benefited from it.
He’s the kind of dog that would have adapted well to life in the city or the countryside, but you could never neglect his exercise needs. In the right environment, this Pinscher would have made a loving, loyal pet.
Typically, a somewhat healthy breed, the Finnish Spitz does struggle with a few genetic concerns. They have been known to suffer from:
It is not too sure about the health status of this extinct dog but we can assume that he would have been prone to some of the typical dog illnesses there are.
Hypothyroidismd, bloat, cancer, cataracts, infections and obesity were just some of the diseases this dog would have had to contend with.
The thyroid glands in the neck produce hormones. These hormones affect the functioning of the body. Hypothyroidism in dogs is usually caused by shrinkage of the thyroid gland or inflammation.The disease occurs more often in Pinscher dogs.
You may notice a dulling or thinning of your dog’s hair, weight gain and reduced activity. Hypothyroid dogs also tend to battle more with ear- and skin infections. Veterinary treatment will become necessary.
It causes a whiteness,cloudiness or opacity on the lens of the eye. It's not painful for a dog but it can cause loss of vision. Surgery can improve vision for the dog.
Don’t overfeed the little guy. The Spitz had a good appetite for a dog its size and can gain weight quickly . Feed twice a day about 1/8th of a cup.
The same advice hold for the adult dog. Feed 1/4th of a cub of high quality dry food twice a day.
When the Spitz is a puppy you should limit strenuous exercise and jumping. Don’t spay neuter at too young an age. Wait until they are mature at 3-5 years of age.
Again do not exercise vigorously at too young an age. When older the Finnish Spitz will need a yard to run in and exercise to satisfy his hunting instincts. A long walk every day is a must.
In those days of the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher, maybe commercially manufactured dog foods weren’t available. If the dog were still around today, you would feed him dry kibble for medium sized dogs.
Probably the owners of these dogs fed them from the food they ate. It can be a good idea to feed any dog you have with some homemade food.
This can include things such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This is the kind of simple food that dogs love.
Being a farm dog in his day, he was probably tossed raw meat occasionally and this would have done him the world of good.
Although the short, smooth hair of the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is looked upon as low maintenance, the dog would have needed a good brush twice a week just to keep it shiny and healthy.
After a hard day of work on the farm, the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher would have required a nice warm, dry spot to sleep.