Norrbottenspitz
Temperament
Fearless, Agile, Attentive
[5]A hunting Spitz from northern Sweden
This small hunting Spitz comes from Sweden’s Norrbotten region. The FCI standard says it probably descends from Laika-type Spitz dogs; registrations stopped after the post-war decline in fur trading and resumed in 1967.
[1]Finding forest game and calling the hunter
The AKC standard describes a dog that uses sight, scent and hearing to find forest game, hold it at bay and call the hunter with a high-pitched voice.
[2]White-ground patches and preferred colors
The FCI standard calls for a white ground with fairly large, clearly defined patches, including color on the sides of the head and ears. Shades of red or yellow are preferred, but black, fawn and agouti patches are also tolerated. The tail is carried in a high, loose curve, with its tip touching the side of the upper thigh.
[1]FCI ideal height and short double coat
The FCI ideal height is 45 cm for males and 42 cm for females, with a tolerance of 2 cm either way. A fine, dense undercoat lies beneath hard, short, straight guard hairs. The coat is shortest on the nose bridge, top of the skull, ears and fronts of the legs, and longer on the neck, rear thighs and underside of the tail.
[1]UKC: A small hunting Spitz from northern Sweden
The UKC standard describes it as a small hunting dog from Sweden. After World War II, interest in furs collapsed and the breed was declared extinct, but surviving dogs were found in Norrbotten, mainly serving as farm guards and companions; registration resumed in 1967.
[3]UKC: A nimble, nearly square build
Males are nearly square and females slightly longer, with erect ears and a loosely curled tail carried high. The UKC describes a small, powerful Spitz type that is extremely mobile.
[3]UKC: A hard short coat, often white with markings
The outer coat is hard, short and close, with a dense undercoat. All colors are permitted, though the UKC standard prefers white with yellow or red-brown markings. Albinism is disqualifying.
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