Breed standard

DANISH SPITZ

Country of origin: Denmark

Utilisation: Farm dog, guard dog, family dog.

Clasification: FCI Group 5 (Spitzes and breeds of primitive types).Section 6 (primitive breeds) Without working trial. Breed not officially recognized by the FCI.

History: The Danish Spitz is an old Danish breed. It has lived a life in anonymity under names as Greenland Spitz, Wolf Spitz and Samoyed Spitz. 
In 1988 The Danish kennel Club together with well- known dog people began an investigative reporting to find out if it was possible to provide a basis for a breeding program for this lovely breed.

General Appearance: The Danish Spitz is a typical spitz – a little less than middle size. It looks elegant but robust. It is rectangular in body. The ears are rather big and pointed. It moves without effort and with effectivity. The gender identity is distinct.

Important Proportions: The length of the body is a little more than the heights at the withers. The muzzle and the skull are of the same length.

Conduct / Temperament:  Lively, friendly, curious, and brave. An excellent guard dog. Must not show a strong hunting instinct.

Head: Of middle size and wedge shaped – seen from above and in profile.

Skull: Slightly rounded with well-marked superciliary arches.

Stop: Clearly defined.

Nose: Black or brown.

Muzzle: Is half the total length of the head. Tapering from the stop to the nose in depth and width. The nasal bridge is straight.

Lips: Tight-fitting and pigmented.

Bite: Strong jaws with a well-developed scissor bite or level bite.

Cheeks: The cheeks are a little rounded – not prominent.

Eyes: Of middle size with a bright, calm, and energetic look. The colour is dark brown. The eyes are of oval shape but look rounder than almond shaped. They must not be protruding.
The eye rims are pigmented.

Ears: Pointed. Rather big and triangular with a broad basis. Set high on the skull. They are supple and always in movement.

Neck: Moderate length, strong, and dry with a well arched nape. The head is carried high. There is no loose skin around the neck.

Body: A little more than the heights at the withers. Strongly build without coarseness.

Tail: High set and carried curled over the back or slightly hanging to one side. The tail can be carried hanging when the dog is at ease.

Limbs:
Foerequarters: The front legs are straight, muscular, and dry. The angulation allows free movements.

Forefeet: Slightly oval with well arched and tight-fitting toes. Well-developed pads.

Hindquarters: The hind legs are strong and muscular with a moderate angulation allowing a free movement and a strong action from behind.

Hindfeet: Like the forefeet.

Movement: Without effort and effective. Very enduring.

Coat:
Hair: Moderate long. The guard coat is a little rough with a soft and thick underwool. The coat is a little longer underneath the ears. The tail is well brushed. The guard coat lies flat and must not stick out from the body.

Colour: From off-white to biscuit. The colour can also look like a delicate pink – must never give a light brown impression.

Size:
Height at the withers: Males: 43 – 49 cm. – The ideal is 46 cm.
Height at the withers:Females: 39 – 46 cm. – The ideal is 41 cm.

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

• The gender not clearly defined
• Loose eye lids
• Light eyes
• The ears not pointed
• The coat light brown or pure white
• Samoyed expression

Disqualifying Faults:

• Aggressive or overly shy dogs
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioral abnormalities.
• Overshot or undershot

NB:

• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

You can find the breed standard in Danish here.