Smooth Haired Weimaraner vs Japanese Spitz - Breed Comparison

The Smooth Haired Weimaraner is a beautiful silvery-grey dog that was once bred for hunting way back in the 19th century.

He has always been described as an all-purpose gun dog bred from crossing different German and French hunting dogs with the Bloodhound.

History of this dog dates back to 1897. This is when a club was formed in Germany for the breed.

Spitz dogs include quite a few dog breeds and these dogs all have similar characteristics – pointed, erect ears, slanted type eyes with thick fur.

The Japanese Spitz was developed by Japanese breeders at the time of the 1920s, and bringing in quite a number of dog breeds to do so. The breeders started with the white German Spitz dogs but later other white Spitz breeds were imported and crossed into this developing breed.

The final standard for the breed after World War 11 was accepted by the Japan Kennel Club. The dog became recognized by other kennel clubs of the world.

The lean, well muscled Smooth Haired Weimaraner is athletic to look at, brimming with energy and vitality. The coat is smooth and short and is a magnificent steel grey to silver coat which even tends to be a blue-grey color.

The short coat makes the dog low maintenance. He is also a low shedding dog. He is a medium to large sized dog standing at between 57 and 70cm in height and weighing in the region of 25 to 40kg.

The tail has always been docked, giving him that distinctive, dignified appearance. The tail then measures about 6 inches in length.

These dogs are also excellent water dogs with their webbed paws. The ears of the dog are medium length and floppy and the eyes are light amber or a blue-grey color.

Temperament:

You just have to look at the Smooth Haired Weimaraner and you can see how he just loves being with his human owner all the time, so much so that he is known for separation anxiety. Sometimes he can become so distraught separated from his owner that he can even injure himself trying to reach his owner. Being separated for too long can cause him anxiety issues.

Certainly this dog is going to need the right kind of training and socialization to calm him. They’re also full of energy too and are going to require a good amount of exercise.

The Japanese Spitz is a small to medium sized dog, being somewhat larger than the Pomeranian. The dog stands at 25 – 38cm, both male and female and weighs anything between 5 to 10kg.

The double coat of the dog is thick and white and the puppies look like large snowball.s He has a pointed muzzle with erect ears and a tail that curls up over the back.

Temperament:

The pure-bred Japanese Spitz, just like other Spitz dogs are smart, inquisitive dogs who show loyalty to their owners, getting on well with children in the home and making a good family pet.

They can be quite stubborn, so training and socialization becomes important if you want him to be obedient. Training is easy as he is an intelligent, bright little dog.

They’re able to adapt to life in the city or in the country, but if you live in the city, you will need to meet his exercise needs.

He can tolerate cold weather quite well but as a companion dog, he prefers being indoors with his human family.

Even though they are small dogs, they are protective and make good watchdogs. They were bred to be companion dogs and they take this role seriously, being loyal, entertaining, fun, friendly and loving with their human family.

It is why they are becoming such a popular breed as they have an amicable nature, getting on well with other pets as well as children.

Your distinctive silvery-grey Weimaraner with his velvety ears and striking eyes is such a loving dog, desiring to be with his human family as much as possible.

They are also good with children. Their loving nature and eagerness to please will ensure that you have a fully integrated 4 legged family member in your home who wants to be involved with everything you're busy with.

Your Japanese Spitz is going to make you a superb companion and you want to ensure that you are well prepared for him when he arrives. He is feisty, charming, social, bright, alert, active, loyal and loving and you want to be sure that he has everything laid on as a 4-legged family member.

He isn't a high maintenance dog, he isn't demanding and if you love and care for him, you'll find that he fills a vacancy in your life that you'll never want to be without again.

There are some common dog illnesses that most dog owners fear, and hip dysplasia is one. Fortunately the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals tells us that Weimaraners aren’t prone to this dysplasia the way some dogs are.

One cause for concern however is bloat, and as a deep chested dog breed, the Short Haired Weimaraner can be prone to this life threatening illness.

Known also as gastric torsion, the stomach swells up and the dog becomes lethargic and restless. Immediate veterinary intervention is required. One way to diminish your dog’s chances of getting bloat is to rather feed him two smaller meals a day as opposed to one large meal.

Also, skin allergies are fairly common with these dogs. If redness appears on the skin or the skin is dry and itchy with a rash and he is losing his hair, you may well need to get your pet to the vet. It is why we always recommend giving your pet some raw meat added to the diet and this can help to prevent skin allergies.

Life expectancy for the Japanese Spitz is about 10–16 years. They are a healthy breed with few genetic problems. Nothing is set in stone though, and your healthy dog can fall prey to some of the many common dog illnesses there are.

They're so sweet, you're tempted to feed him treats all the time, but obesity is a common Japanese Spitz health issue and obesity can lead to many problems with the heart, kidney, diabetes and even joint pain.

Also, eye problems such as ingrown eyelashes and a lower eyelid that rolls inward are problems that are known to trouble these Spitz type dogs. It leads to terrible irritation and damage to the eye. It's definitely time to see the vet to avoid infections and injury.

Training:

Every dog, especially the Smooth Haired Weimaraner with his anxiety issues, should be trained and socialized, and these dogs are easy to train because they’re intelligent and they want to please.

Grooming:

The short silvery coat simply requires a good brush-down twice a week to remove the few loose hairs there are. Even if you don’t need to brush him, just do it because of the type of dog the Weimaraner is.

He loves the closeness of owner and dog. It’s a good time to check him over for ticks and fleas, to feel for unusual lumps, to look inside his ears for signs of infection, to check his eyes too, that they’re bright and clear.

Diet:

If you feed your Smooth Haired Weimaraner commercially manufactured dog food, it needs to be one of the best ones with fairly high protein content. If feeding kibble, you can enhance the food by adding in some tasty home-made food. The Weimaraner’s stomach is easily upset so you want to add in easily digestible home-made food free of exotic spices and richness.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super tasty and nutritious. Your Weimaraner will love such simple, good food and you can add a little to his dry kibble twice a week.

Also important is to add in some raw meat as this ensures a healthy skin. Make sure he has a constant supply of cool, fresh water.

Exercise:

The Japanese Spitz is an active dog and he will require at least one walk a day to keep him happy. He is full of beans and wants to go with you on all your outings.

Diet:

The diet of your Japanese Spitz is basic to his good health. If you feed him low quality foods deplete of vitamins and minerals, you'll end up with a sick dog who is always at the vet. Puppies need 4 small meals a day while an adult dog can have 1 or 2 meals a day.

He can benefit from the top quality commercially manufactured foods and sometimes you can add in some cooked chicken, rice and vegetables into his dry kibble. Add in a little bit of raw meat too from time to time and ensure that he can always reach his bowl of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

The beautiful white fur of your Japanese Spitz will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it free from loose hair and to keep the fur bright and vibrant.

Check his nails and avoid them getting too long as they can hook on things and cause injury. Check his ears inside and out, keeping them clean and free of debris. Very importantly, keep his teeth clean as dental disease can play havoc with a dog's health.