Q1. Are these dogs suitable for families containing older people or children?
A1. Yes, most definitely. Although they are lively, they are not a heavily built dog, 
and therefore don’t knock over frail elderly people, or small children.

Q2. Are they good watchdogs?
A2. Yes. They have acute hearing and therefore will warn you of any stranger entering your property.

.Q3. Do they enjoy the company of other dogs and cats?
A3. Yes. They make friends very quickly with other animals.

Q4 .That white coat looks as if it requires a lot of maintenance. How much time must I spend on grooming?
 A4. Believe it or not, a couple of baths a year and ten minutes with a comb twice a week is all that you need. This is because the "Non-Stick Teflon " coat allows the mud and dirt to fall off.  Japanese Spitz have no "doggy odour" and therefore there is no need to bath then frequently.   Two baths a year is usually enough. They do not need any clipping or plucking.

Wondrous, but true! This pup was transformed from how he looked in the picture on the left, to the pristine fellow on the right, just by allowing him to dry in a warm environment for 30 minutes. All the mud dropped off his coat; and in true Japanese Spitz fashion, he licked his legs and feet clean.

Q5. What about exercise requirements?
A5. This is really up to you. Whilst they like frequent walks for socialisation and to enrich their life, they can amuse themselves, particularly if they have another dog to play with. As long as you spend time with them, even if it is at home, they are content. If you have a family member who enjoys long brisk walks ,or even jogging they will love to accompany them.

.Q6. What about feeding them?
A6. Once they are adults they are cheap and easy to feed. They aren’t fussy eaters, and don’t have digestive problems.

Q7. Do they suffer from heart or ear complaints?
A7. No, not as far as we know.

Q8. Are they easy to train?
A8. Yes, being very intelligent they are easy to train. However dogs don’t train themselves! As with any dog, you have to put in some time showing them what you want of them. A Puppy School (or Dog School) will help.  In addition, you can obtain some very good books on how to make your dog a pleasure to live with. It might be worth noting here, that, between the age of 3 and 9 months, any pup requires a high level of socialisation.

Q9. Is this breed prone to skin complaints?
A9. No. Skin problems are extremely rare.

Thank you for visiting the ABASEIKO Japanese Spitz Web Site.