Are you looking for a dog for your desi household? The Indian Spitz is where your search ends. You might recognize them as Pomeranians, but they are descendants of German Spitz; they are medium-sized dogs to fill your household with large amounts of love, cuddles, barks, and limitless energy. The Indian Spitz is adaptable to small apartments and warm and cold weather, doesn’t cost expensive, and requires less daily exercise compared to other breeds- in short, they are a full package.
But before you get ready to bring this adorable breed home, we’ve compiled all the necessary details, from breed characteristics to taking care of an Indian spitz, so you can know more about the breed and make an informed decision.
Indian Spitz Breed at Glance
| Personality | |
|---|---|
| Group | Utility dog |
| Origin | India |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years |
| Height | Smaller Indian Spitz- 8-10 inches Greater Indian Spitz- 14-17.5 inches |
| Weight | Smaller Indian Spitz- 5-7 kg Greater Indian Spitz- 12-20 kg |
| Temperament | playful, intelligent, kind, athletic, vocal, active, high-spirited |
| Coat Colours | black, white, brown |
| Litter Size | 1 to 5 puppies |
| Puppy Price | Average – Rs. 3,600 to 15,000 (more details in our pricing article) |
| Yearly Maintenance Cost | INR 40,000 |
Who Is the Best Human for Indian Spitz?
- Indian Spitz needs a firm oven that can establish and take control from the early years, which helps prevent the dog from being dominating or stubborn.
- As firm leaders, owners must start early socialization and training with Indian Spitz to raise a well-behaved dog.
- Owners must never leave their Indian Spitz alone to avoid any tantrums or problems in their dog caused due to separation anxiety.
Indian Spitz Breed Characteristics
| Adaptability | 4 Out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Apartments & Small Homes Friendly | 5/5 |
| Good for first-time Pet Parents | 4/5 |
| Can leave alone | 1/5 |
| Suitable for Indian Weather | 4/5 |
| Friendliness | 4 Out of 5 |
| Good with Kids | 4/5 |
| Good with Cats | 4/5 |
| Good with Other Dogs | 4/5 |
| Good with Strangers | 4/5 |
| Grooming Needs | 3 Out of 5 |
| Easyness to Groom | 4/5 |
| Drooling Potential | 1/5 |
| Amount of Shedding | 4/5 |
| Health and Physical Needs | 4 Out of 5 |
| General Health | 4/5 |
| Potential to Weight Gain | 3/5 |
| Energy Level | 4/5 |
| Exercise Needs | 3/5 |
| Training Needs | 4 Out of 5 |
| Easy to Train | 4/5 |
| Intelligence | 4/5 |
| Prey Drive | 3/5 |
| Barking Tendencies | 5/5 |
| Biting Tendencies | 4/5 |
Types of Indian Spitz
- Greater Indian Spitz
The Greater Indian Spitz is bigger in size than the smaller Indian Spitz. They weigh between 12 and 20 kg and stand between 35 and 45 cm. They are easily available and come in black, white, and brown colors.
- Lesser/smaller Indian Spitz
They are much shorter and smaller in size than greater Indian Spitz. They weigh between 5 and 7 kg and stand between 20 and 25 cm. They are difficult to find and come in black, brown, and white.
Facts About Indian Spitz
- Myth- Indian Spitz is the same as the Pomeranian.
Indian Spitz is often confused with the Pomeranian, but they are a different breed. The Pomeranians are smaller in size, whereas Indian Spitz has a conical snout, and Pomeranians have a flatter face.
- Fact- Indian Spitz has European ancestry.
The Indian Spitz are descendants of either the German Spitz or the Volpino Italiano dogs. They were later introduced to India by the Britishers,
- Myth- Only white-colored Indian Spitz are purebred
Indian Spitz comes in three colors, black, white, and brown. White is the most common and popular color, but all three colors are found in purebreds.
- Fact- the Indian Spitz has also appeared in Bollywood movies.
A 6-year-old Indian Spitz, Redo played the role of Tuffy in ‘hum aapke Hain Kaun. He was the pet of the assistant director of the movie, Madhukar Sawle but was later adopted by Madhuri Dixit.
Indian Spitz History
Indian Spitz isn’t originated from India but was rather introduced to India by the British during the 19th century. Britishers brought German Spitz to India, which was later crossbred and developed to make the Indian Spitz we know today much more adaptable to warmer climates. They rose to popularity during the late 20th century when India imposed import restrictions, and foreign breeds weren’t accessible, which made people turn to Indian breeds.
Indian Spitz Training and Care
Exercise
Indian Spitz is small dogs, but that doesn’t mean they can do it without exercise. They are energetic and active; they need daily exercises, such as workouts or daily walks. They aren’t well suited for intense or long workouts due to their small size. They need daily exercise not only for physical needs but also to stimulate mental stimulation, which also helps avoid tantrums or boredom.
Grooming
The Indian Spitz has fluffy, straight hair that requires frequent brushing and grooming. Shedding can be an issue for owners during seasons, but it can be lessened by daily brushing for 15-20 minutes. You can take them for professional grooming sessions or do it at home with the right tools and equipment. Besides a coat, you will also need to check for fleas and ticks, trim your nails and brush your teeth for dental hygiene.
Training
Training an Indian spitz is essential to raise an obedient, well-behaved, and socialized puppy who can perform a few tricks. Indian Spitz is an intelligent breed that is easy to train due to its high intelligence and history of being used as circus clowns. They are friendly and highly sociable but need socialization to learn how to differentiate between family and threats. We recommend using positive reinforcement for training by using treats and other rewards.
Indian Spitz Common Health Problems
Indian Spitz is generally healthy dogs, but that doesn’t mean they are immune to diseases or health problems. We’ve listed the most common health problems faced by the breed below:
- Hip dysplasia
- Lower Urinary Tract Diseases
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Seizures
- Hypothyroidism
- Patellar luxation
Taking your pup for routine health checkups, vaccinations, and medical procedures suggested by the vet to avoid or prevent such problems is essential. You can also administer preventive medications at home after discussing them with the vet.
Indian Spitz Diet and Nutrition
Indian Spitz is a relatively small dog compared to other breeds; they need a well-balanced diet with an adequate amount of food as they are prone to obesity. They can easily thrive on homemade or commercial food as long as it’s healthy and nutritious. We’ve also added a diet chart for your Indian Spitz. However, we do not recommend relying on it without consulting with the vet first.
| Age | Weight | Quantity in grams | Meals |
| 2 months | 1-2 kgs | 50-75 | 4 |
| 3 months | 2-3 kgs | 75-100 | 3 |
| 6 months | 3-5 kgs | 125-150 | 2 |
| 6 months and older | 7-9 kgs | 250-300 | 2 |
Indian Spitz Where to Get?
If you have made it this far in the article, we can happily assume you are all in bringing this beautiful breed home. We’ve listed all the options for buying an Indian spitz below.
Adoption
Adoption is one of the best things you can do by providing a dog with your lovely home. However, adoption requires patience as you have to wait for Indian Spitz to be available at shelter homes. It can take months to find a healthy Indian Spitz if someone doesn’t adopt the pup before you. We suggest ensuring the health of the puppy and researching the organization before adopting one.
Puppy Mills
We don’t recommend buying from puppy mills or commercial dog breeding centers run by profit-seeking owners without experience raising a healthy dog. Buying from these mills risks buying an undernourished puppy with many possible problems and diseases. That’s why it’s important to thoroughly research the breeder before buying from them. We recommend being cautious of the scams put by the owners, like fake pictures, low prices, and false documents.
Pet Shops
Pet shops are a good option and cost a little more than puppy mills, but they are not the safest ones, as many pet shops are dealing with puppy mill owners to make more profits by buying at low prices. We recommend researching the source of these pet shops, getting in touch with the breeder, and ensuring the health of the puppy and its mother by asking for proper documents before signing off the deal.
Pet Brokers
Researching a good breeder or pet shop can be tedious and time-consuming; you can hire pet brokers to get you in touch with legitimate breeders and make the process shorter and much easier. However, it doesn’t mean all brokers are legitimate; you must be completely sure about the legitimacy of the breeder and the health of your pup before buying. These brokers charge a 10% to 20% commission for their services which adds up to the cost of your pup.
Reputable Breeders
Buying from reputable licensed breeders is a little expensive. However, it not only guarantees your pup’s health but also provides all the required documents, arranges a meeting before the sale, answers all your queries, and even gives the option of returning if you face a problem after buying. They want a loving home for their pup and don’t chase profits. That’s why many owners stay in contact after the sale to check up on their pups and can even take the pup back if they believe you are not taking proper care of them.