German Spitz (Mittel)
The mid-sized member of the German Spitz family, historically a farmyard watchdog that stayed close to home. Bright and sturdy, but vocal, and the profuse double coat sheds hard twice a year.
- Weight
- 7–11 kg
- Lifespan
- 13–15 years
Weight and lifespan are reference ranges from the breed guide. They vary by sex, lineage and individual dog and do not predict your dog’s ideal weight or lifespan. Read the care descriptions alongside the individual dog’s history.
Background and characteristics
The German Spitz family is one of the older dog groups in central Europe, developed as farm and household watchdogs rather than hunters. The sizes run Wolfsspitz (Keeshond), Giant, Mittel, Klein and Zwerg, the last of which is the Pomeranian. The Mittel sits in the middle at around 34cm at the shoulder and roughly seven to eleven kilos.
Because these dogs were bred to guard the yard rather than range after game, they show little wanderlust and orient strongly to home and handler — useful then, and still convenient now.
Exercise and play
Exercise is moderate: forty to sixty minutes a day plus short training sessions. They are quick-minded and enjoy scent games and trick work, and if that outlet is missing, the energy goes into barking at whatever passes the window. Formal training goes well; what needs managing is the self-appointed alarm job, which is far easier to prevent than to unpick later.
Coat and everyday care
The coat is thick and stands off the body, with a pronounced ruff at the neck. Brush twice a week normally and daily for two or three weeks during each seasonal moult, when the volume of undercoat coming out will surprise anyone used to a single-coated dog. No trimming is needed, and clipping for summer should be avoided — shaved spitz coats sometimes regrow patchy or with a coarser texture, and the coat itself provides insulation against heat.
Before bringing this dog home
Two things catch new owners out. The first is noise. This breed was selected to announce arrivals, so unmanaged alert-barking at doorbells and footsteps becomes a fixed habit.
Habituate early and reward silence, with everyone in the household using the same rule. The second is that the grooming cost is measured in time rather than money: you rarely pay a groomer, but you do spend a fixed slot each week with a brush. On health, ask about patellar luxation, dental care, and coat-loss conditions such as alopecia X, and keep vaccinations and teeth on schedule for a breed that often reaches its mid-teens.
Home environment and care planning
In a terraced house or flat the size is easy enough. Sound is the deciding factor with shared walls, and in a hot summer the double coat traps heat, so walk early or late and dry the coat right through after every bath.