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The exact origins of Spitz-Dog type type dogs are not known, though most of the Spitz-types seen today originate from the Arctic regions. The type was described as Canis lupus ''Canis pomeranus'' by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revision of Systema naturae in 1788 (printed in English in 1792.)Linnaeus, C. (translated and revised by R. Kerr). 1792. The Animal Kingdom; or, zoological system of the celebrated Sir Charles Linnaeus. Class I. Mammalia and Class II. Birds. Being a translation of that part of the Systema Naturae, as lately published with great improvements by Professor Gmelin, together with numerous additions from more recent zoological writers and illustrated with copperplates. J. Murray, London, 644 pp.
There is no archaeology archaeological evidence showing transition stages between the wolf and the often-similar Spitz-type dogs. Skeleton Skeletal remains up to 5,000 years old suggest it is far more likely that the ancestors of Spitz types mating mated with wolves. In recent genetic testing of dog breeds, many Spitz-types were found to be in the group closest to wolves, presumed to be the oldest types of dogs.cite web url= http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/55869/page/1
title= Genetics and the Shape of Dogs; Studying the new sequence of the canine genome shows how tiny genetic changes can create enormous variation within a single species
dateformat= mdy accessdate= 05/06 2008 last= Ostrander first= Elaine A. date= September-October 2007 work= American Scientist (online) publisher= www.americanscientist.org pages= page 2, chart page 4
Humans have intentionally mated Spitz types with wolves in more recent times to achieve or maintain the wolf-like appearance of breeds such as the Alaskan Malamute.
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About three thousand years ago, dogs began to migrate from the Arctic into temperate climate temperate Europe, North America, Asia, and to a lesser extent, Africa.
Skeletal remains around 2,000 years old unearthed in Switzerland indicate that Spitz-type dogs have inhabited Central Europe for millennium millennia. These dogs are almost certainly the ancestors of the European Spitz-types, such as the German Spitz and Schipperke.
Many Spitz-types also migrated into Siberia and Mongolia. Over the centuries, many of these dogs were transported by humans to Japan, most likely from Manchuria.Japan Kennel Club "SPITZ" [http://www.jkc.or.jp/modules/worlddogs/entry.php?entryID=92&categoryID=5] These Asian Spitz types are the ancestors of today's breeds such as the Chow Chow and the Akita Inu.
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Through selective breeding, Spitz types have been developed to fit three purposes helping humans: hunting dog hunting, herding dog herding, and sled dog pulling sleds.
The larger and more powerful breeds such as the Karelian Bear Dog and the Norwegian Elkhound were used for game (food) big game hunting, helping humans kill moose and brown bear.
Smaller breeds such as the Finnish Spitz and the Lundehund were used in Scandinavia to hunt birds and smaller mammals.
The largest of all the Spitz types, notably the Canadian Eskimo Dog and the Greenland Dog, were used to pull sleds up until the 19th century. During that century, when fur trapping became a lucrative business, people began to realize that size did not necessarily relate with endurance, and the smaller Siberian Husky came to be used more frequently in Canada and Alaska. The Finnish Lapphund was used by the Sami people.
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Spitz types are well suited to living in harsh northern climates. They often have an Thermal insulation insulating, waterproof undercoat that is denser than the topcoat to trap warmth.
Small ears help reduce the risk of frostbite, and thick fur that grows on the paws protects the dogs from sharp ice.
However, many Spitz-type breeds retain wolf-like characteristics such as independence, suspiciousness, and aggression towards unfamiliar humans or other dogs, and can therefore require much training before they become manageable. Some, such as the Karelian Bear Dog, are almost impossible to train as companion dogs.
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The charming look of the Spitz-type, with its thick fur, fluffy ruff, curled tail and small muzzle and ears, have caused several people to create non-working types designed to be companion dog companions or lap dogs. This trend is most evident in the tiny Pomeranian (dog) Pomeranian, which was originally a much larger dog closer to the size of a Keeshond before being bred down to make an acceptable court animal and is also regarded by some today as to being a "prop" type dog. The Keeshond, the Wolfsspitz variation of the German Spitz, widely known as the national dog of the Netherlands, is an affectionate and loyal, albeit very energetic, pet.
Other Spitz types which have been bred away from working uses are the American Eskimo Dog, the Alaskan Klee Kai, the German Spitz, the Japanese Spitzhttp://www.dogbreedinfo.com/japanesespitz.htm, and the Pomeranian (dog) Pomeranian.
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This list might not be complete and is, at best, an educated guess from experts and dog fanciers based on the physical characteristics of the breeds. Some, such as the Papillon (dog) Papillon, exhibit the tail, coat, and head of a Spitz dog, but its ears more closely resemble those of spaniels although being upright like the Spitz. In the future, genetic studies might better clarify the relationship among various breeds. Note that dogs listed here might also be classified as toy dogs, herding dogs, sled dogs, and in other types.
{ class=wikitable
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Akita Inu
align=center Image:Akita inu.jpeg 175px
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Alaskan Husky
align=centre Image:Goose-Alaskan Husky.jpg 175px
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Alaskan Klee Kai
align=center Image:Standard Alaskan Klee Kai.jpg 175px
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Alaskan Malamute
align=center Image:Alaskan Malamute 600.jpg 175px
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American Akita
align=centre Image:American akita.jpg 175px
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American Eskimo Dog
align=center Image:American Eskimo Dog.jpg 175px
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Black Norwegian Elkhound
align=center
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Canaan Dog
align=center Image:CanaanDog3.jpg 175px
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Canadian Eskimo Dog
align=center Image:Canadian Inuit Dog.jpg 175px
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Chow Chow
align=center Image:Chowchow.jpg 175px
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East Siberian Laika
align=center Image:East Siberian Laika.jpg 175px
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Eurasier
align=center Image:Eurasier liegend.jpg 175px
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Finnish Lapphund
align=center Image:Finnish Lapphund Glenchess Revontuli.jpg 175px
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Finnish Spitz
align=center Image:Finnish Spitz 600.jpg 175px
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German Spitz
align=center Image:spitz.jpg 175px
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Greenland Dog
align=center Image:Greenland Dog.jpg 175px
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Guejae Gae
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Hokkaido (dog) Hokkaidō
align=center Image:Ainu-Dog.jpg 175px
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Icelandic Sheepdog
align=center Image:Ulfur.jpg 175px
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Indian Spitz
align=center Image:Indian spitz.jpg 175px
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Jämthund
align=center Image:Jämthund.jpg 175px
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Japanese Spitz
align=center Image:Wikidinky.jpg 175px
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Kai Ken Kai
align=center Image:Kai.jpg 175px
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Karelian Bear Dog
align=center Image:Karelian Beardog.gif 175px
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Karelo-Finnish Laika prety sure it is the same thing as Karelian Bear Dog
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Keeshond
align=center Image:Keeshond2.JPG 175px
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Kintamani (dog) Kintamani
align=center Image:Kintamani.jpg 175px
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Kishu
align=center Image:kishu.jpg 175px
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Korea Jindo Dog
align=center Image:Korean Jindo Dog.jpg 175px
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Labrador Husky
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Lapponian Herder (''Lapinporokoira'')
align=center Image:Lapskvallhund.jpg 175px
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Mackenzie River Husky
align=center Image:MackenzieRiverHusky.jpg 175px
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Nenets Herding Laika looks like a calque of the Russian name for what's known as Samoyed in English
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Norrbottenspets
align=center Image:Nordic Spitz.jpg 175px
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Northern Inuit dog Northern Inuit Dog
align=center Image with unknown copyright status removed: Image:NI4.JPG 175px deletable image-caption 1=Monday, 4 August 2008
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Norwegian Buhund
align=center Image:Norwegian Buhund 600.jpg 175px
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Norwegian Elkhound
align=center Image:Norwegian Elkhound.jpg 175px
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Norwegian Lundehund
align=center Image:Lundehund-2003.jpg 175px
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Pomeranian (dog) Pomeranian
align=center Image:Pomeranian 600.jpg 175px
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Pungsan Dog Pungsan
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Russo-European Laika
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Ryūkyū Inu
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Sakhalin Husky
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Salish Wool Dog
align=center
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Samoyed (dog) Samoyed
align=center Image:Samoyed 600.jpg 175px
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Sanshu
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Schipperke
align=center Image:Schipperke gismo 12.jpg 175px
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Seppala Siberian Sleddog
align=center File:Seppala Siberian Sleddog.jpg 175px
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Shiba Inu
align=center Image:Shiba Inu 600.jpg 175px
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Shikoku (dog) Shikoku
align=centre Image:Shikoku dog.jpg 175px
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Siberian Husky
align=center Image:Siberian-husky.jpg 175px
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Swedish Lapphund
align=center File:Svensk lapphund.JPG 175px
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Swedish Vallhund
align=center Image:SwedishVallhundAgility wb.jpg 175px
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Thai Bangkaew Dog
align=center Image:Bangkaew Dog.jpg 175px
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Volpino Italiano
align=center Image:Volpino04.jpg 175px
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West Siberian Laika
align=center Image:West Siberian Laika.jpg 175px
}
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Reflist
Spitz
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Category:Dog types
Category:German loanwords
ar:إسبتز
bg:Шпиц
da:Spidshunde
eo:Ŝpico
it:Spitz
he:כלבי שפיץ
lv:Špics
lt:Vokiečių špicas
nl:Spits (hond)
ja:スピッツ (犬)
no:Spisshunder
pl:Szpic
fi:Pystykorva
sv:Spetshund
en
Olympic swimming champ Spitz sues Bergen company 2010/03/09Former Olympic swimming champion Mark Spitz has filed suit demanding $300,000 from Franklin Lakes-based Medco Health Solutions, Inc., claiming the pharmacy benefits manager used his likeness to promote its services for longer than contracted.
Spitz: Cyclists' PHUN night, cancer fight 2010/03/11No matter how tired you are, some sights
Checkmate: 14-year-old rules the chessboard 2010/03/10TENAFLY “ Watch out, Bobby Fischer. Tenafly is raising their own young chess champ with 14-year-old Sebastian Spitz. Though he’s no Fischer, Spitz is making his name known in the chess world.
Green Bay Packers Team Report 2010/03/10The blunt words came first. An alleged harsh action soon followed.
Kim Fowley on 'The Runaways' film: 'Every movie needs a villain, and I'm a good one' 2010/03/11There are different accounts as to what happened behind closed doors at Runaways rehearsals. There are different accounts as to what happened behind closed doors at Runaways rehearsals.
Spitz: 120-pound loss spurs 26-mile run for vets 2010/03/09After Eric Knowlton's promotion, he started thinking about his shoes. At 300-plus pounds, tying his shoes in the morning was a challenge for the Wayland native who'd found the courage to go after a manager's position
No mass boycott in works by free agents, but Colledge likely to skip part of Green Bay Packers offseason schedule 2010/03/11The Green Bay Packers restricted free agents likely arent headed for a mass boycott of the offseason workout and practice programs, though guard Daryn Colledge might skip some or all of that voluntary work.
Weekly bowling column 2010/03/11Speed Queens at the head of Boulevard Lanes
Spitz: The few, the proud, the young 2010/03/08Inside a warehouse at the National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Milford, eight pairs of eyes focus on Corey Creasia's every move.
