Breed Grooming Article Japanese Spitz 300x257 1

Japanese Spitz

German Spitz and the Japanese Spitz obviously have much the same ancient origins, just different modern origins. The early modern forerunner to the German Spitz popularised in England from the 18th Century by George 1 and his German wife and descendants and the Japanese Spitz developed in Japan and shown as far back in 1921 and registered with the JKC after World War 2.

Their coat needs are similar too in that they are double-coated with a short soft undercoat and long harsh textured outer coat.

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The Japanese Spitz

German Spitz and the Japanese Spitz obviously have much the same ancient origins, just different modern origins. The early modern forerunner to the German Spitz popularised in England from the 18th Century by George 1 and his German wife and descendants and the Japanese Spitz developed in Japan and shown as far back in 1921 and registered with the JKC after World War 2.

Their coat needs are similar too in that they are double-coated with a short soft undercoat and long harsh textured outer coat.

Let’s deal with the German Spitz first for grooming this coat to perfection. As he is compact, and his silhouette required to be an almost square outline his coat should highlight his good substance without disguising it. His tuck-up should be evident, and he ought to exhibit a level topline.

All colour varieties are acceptable and the difference between the Klein and Mittel appears to only be in height ranges.

When washing faces always use Plush Puppy Let’s Face It. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed just for faces. It’s no tear formula features the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean, soothe, add moisture, aid healing and have anti-inflammatory benefits. A small golf ball sized amounts directly to the face and eye area allows you to thoroughly clean without causing irritation. It can also be used in and around the ears with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows ease of rinsing, yet complete cleaning.

For all Spitz breeds or double-coated breeds, you need to use different products on different areas of the coat depending on what state the coat is in at the time. Since you need to have this coat mostly standing up except for the level topline, and remembering you cannot trim, use Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo with Henna on the topline for shine. We call this the ‘Shine’ shampoo as it features natural Henna stalk extracts that impart a beautiful gloss and shine to your dog’s coat. All Purpose Shampoo is primarily derived from organic sources and also features Alpine and Lichen herbs.  It is wonderful to use on normal to slightly dehydrated coats.

Use Plush Puppy Natural Body Building Shampoo on those areas that need to be standoffish and to enhance substance on your dog. This shampoo does have brilliant lift and a bodifying effect to the coat without an artificial feel.  It is wonderful for the coat as it is primarily naturally derived and infused with beneficial plant extracts.

Dilute both these shampoos at 1:5 (1 part shampoo to 5 parts water). I recommend dilution to get even dispersion throughout the coat and right down through to the skin. All of our shampoos are outcome orientated and do what they are suppose to do. They will add to those attributes you wish to enhance, thus highlighting that squared silhouette you are keen to achieve. So put the All Purpose on the topline area and the Body Building Shampoo on the longer areas you want to stand up. Simple!

You can use Plush Puppy Black Opal Shampoo diluted 1:3 for the black coats.  However, make sure you use Body Building first or mix half Body Building Shampoo and half Black Opal for the lengths. For the topline, you can mix half Black Opal and half All Purpose. Black Opal Shampoo is brilliant for toning black coats, giving depth to faded coats and enhancing natural colour.  It is not a dye but a strong stain that contains organic sources with herbal extracts and intense black tone. Leave your mix on for 5 minutes to enhance the black coverage and rinse.

Now do not use conditioner at all. That will simply flatten and soften the coat when in fact you require a harsh texture. If your coat is too long then you can put conditioner only on the pants to flatten and shorten the length of the body illusion.

For those who don’t need to shorten the silhouette but need to keep up the moisture and condition in the coat without softening and flattening use Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil. This is a truly beneficial blend featuring extracts of Calendula oil, Wheat germ oil, and Evening Primrose. Add 1 tablespoon to 4 Litres of water, then either sponge on or sluice well through the coat and LEAVE IN. DO NOT RINSE. This is quite a unique product in that it is not greasy and totally water-soluble. It gives an outstanding healthy vigour to the skin and coat.  It will maintain the texture and moisture in the coat and help protect it.  Use Seabreeze Oil after normal bathing and for Show bathing.  You will get a nice healthy sheen on the coat with this continuous routine.

We all from time to time need to show when our dog is “out of coat”, the joys of a double-coated breed. Using Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo will help.  However, there are those times we just need that bit more. Use Plush Puppy Volumising Spray. A light spray over the dog, brush in and dry as normal.
This is a hair thickener to add volume, not a hair stiffener and not easily detectable.  It leaves the coat with a natural fuller look and feel.

Shampoo to use for Japanese Spitz is Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo diluted 1:5.  You need a crisp pearly white and not a purple white! This is especially important if you have been using anything to lighten your Japanese Spitz coat to remove stains, such as any form of bleaching agent. I hope not! The porosity of the coat would be compromised and suck up anything you put onto that coat till it grows. I would use the Herbal Whitening Shampoo for first shampoo and then use Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo diluted 1:5 or mix half and half of each of the shampoos to save time. You must dilute for even dispersion and to get maximum effect.

Herbal Whitening Shampoo will give a crisp white finish. It works brilliantly in reducing yellowing or warm tones in white coats without bleaching or lightening. Herbal Whitening Shampoo is primarily derived from organic sources with Ginseng extracts, protein, and violet tone combined in a concentrated and rich formula.

Another clever whitening and stain reducing product is Plush Puppy Wonder Blok. It helps to maintain a white stain free coat. It is not a bleach and contains no harmful chemicals but high amounts of naturally sourced vegetable surfactants and glycerin This product is designed to remove gently unwanted warm or red tones to the coat. Best used on a damp or wet coat. Gently rub into the areas required allowing 5-10 minutes and rinse. For maximum effects repeat or allow a longer time for this amazing product to work. As with all products take care around eyes.

Your Japanese Spitz is ever so slightly longer in body than height, but not much at all.  So you want to keep a fairly compact shape with this one too, slightly longer but not long as a train. His tail is set on high and curled over the back and ribs powerfully sprung with a good tuck up. His coat also requires fullness and lift hence the use of the Body Building Shampoo on him too.

For a clean crisp whiter than white rather than a pearly white and also to help clean up the coat without using anything harsh, do a pre-shampoo with Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo.  Dilute equal parts of shampoo and water and work well into the less than white areas.  Leave for at least 5 minutes before rinsing. Deep Cleansing Shampoo is specifically designed to remove product build-up and to reduce unwanted stains in dogs coats. Its rich formulation using organic sources with added Green Tea and Seaweed extracts to provide the deepest coat clean available. Not only will it spruce up dull whites, this product can be used on any colour coat for a thorough cleansing and clarifying when required.

Again no conditioner on this coat and do the same bath/oil/blow dry routine as outlined above for the German Spitz. Leave in Seabreeze Oil and do not rinse.

I guess the main thing to keep reinforcing to you all is to get into a habit of doing this at least once a week. Oiling these coats with Seabreeze Oil will maintain the condition and elasticity of the coat allowing you to bath as many times as you wish and certainly, when we have a big show coming up we often will bath/oil/blow dry twice a week. It is a discipline. We never not do it! It is hard work but then if you want to stand out and look great against those hairdo breeds you have to present the coats to their very best and get that all-important outline happening to the max.

Show day for both the German and Japanese Spitz, brush up using a dilution of Plush Puppy OMG Concentrated Grooming Spray.  Dilute the concentrate 1:30 (1 part OMG to 30 parts water). You can dilute as much as 1:40. The stronger the mix the stronger their effects. It is also available in a ready to use spray. Plush Puppy OMG is a revolutionary grooming spray that lives up to its name.  A light spray of OMG and brushing in allows this product to refresh the coat leaving it feeling wonderful.  It separates the coat and leaves the most amazing finish.

Using OMG can be a one-off at shows or during the drying process after bathing. This is also an amazing product for regular brushing as it hydrates the coat reducing stress and coat loss. Its active ingredients smooth the cuticle and protect the coat.  For this coat type where you still wish to retain texture, use at a higher breakdown.  It will still allow you to brush the dog and refresh to coat without over softening. OMG never builds up and never goes stringy. A product that took years to develop using amazing technology for maximum effects. A true necessity for the tool kit.

Brush the OMG through using Plush Puppy Ultimate Pin Brush either regular pins or long pins. This is a cushion based brush and gets into the coat without ripping at it. Finish off the topline with the Plush Puppy Ultimate Slicker Brush.

Use a Plush Puppy Professional Grooming Comb with a comfortable lightweight oval shaped spine combining fine and coarse pins made of hardened stainless steel with anodic oxide finish that reduces drag and static to the coat. Perfect for use for this breed of dog.

At times due to various reasons including the weather static electricity can create flyaways. If this occurs use Plush Puppy Anti-Static Coat Control. This is a lightweight spray using the latest technology is infused with organic extracts of Witch Hazel Leaf, Linden Flower, Birch Bark and Nettle.  It also adds to the protection, include a UV filter to stop sun damage and protect against heat strength for the perfect finished look of the coat. This amazing product is idea for this breed and a must for your tack box.

Lastly a quick spray with Plush Puppy Odour Muncher. It literally munches the odour and works well for smelly problems such as emergencies in transit. Leaves a light fragrance, certainly not too much and definitely not too little.

Then a tiny sprinkle of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust onto the Pin Brush and then tapped lightly through the pants and chest area to pick up the sunlight or spotlights. If you can see this when you’re putting it on, you have used too much!

Your main work has been done before the show and your German Spitz looks his perfect square silhouette gleaming with health and vigour to his coat. His intelligence and happy personality is a vote winner in the show ring. They love you their handler and will give you their all. You have given your all in training and grooming and the pair of you makes formidable opponents.

The Japanese Spitz is a great companion watchdog and is light and nimble with a wonderfully smooth gait. You have his coat perfectly standoffish with his mane reaching from the neck and shoulders back to his brisket area. This little alarm dog for the elite in old Japan is fairly high spirited and lively in the ring. His boldness and alert character makes him hard to go past too. But then, hey, I really like Spitz breeds!

Recommended Products

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Seabreeze Oil

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Odour Muncher

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