Breed History

History of the

Northern Japanese Spitz Club

The Inaugural Meeting was held in a Yorkshire Village Hall on 6th May 1995 commencing at 12 noon. 27 members present. Officials and committee were elected and progress set in motion.

AFTER 13 YEARS AND FOUR APPLICATIONS TO THE KENNEL CLUB WE HAVE FINALLY BEEN RECOGNISED BY THE K.C. IN THE MID 2008.

Membership at the end of year 2009 was 131

Click here to download membership application form

The book “All about the Spitz breeds” published in 1978 gave us the first photograph of one of this lovely breed, just starting to be imported. We had to have one! And after twenty eight years of living with a growing number of them, what a joy they are to live with. When we had our first litter we intended to keep only bitches, we had never lived with a male, but having over time kept two males we found them to be perfect gentlemen.

Temperament wise there has never been any problem, they have been uniformly sweet natured, friendly and easy to train. We have had grandchildren during the life spans of our many dogs and bitches and they mixed extremely well, great fun to play with, not too big and boisterous, loved being cuddled. Keeping them clean and tidy isn’t a problem either, the coat has the facility to shake off anything they pick up, and seems to be largely self cleaning, with a little regular help from a brush and comb. Ours loved to go up on the table and be groomed, when one went down it would go to the other end of the queue.

Health wise there is really very little to say. Obviously, like any breed they sometimes ate something they shouldn’t and we had to clean up the consequences. They all lived a normal life-span, with one or two exceptions, an early cancer at eight years, and a heart failure at 12, but mostly they were into the 14th and 15th years with one 16 plus and one nearly 17. Bitches that we bred from whelped very easily and they were all good mothers.

This is not to give the impression that Japanese Spitz are carbon copies of each other. Certainly not. It is very interesting to observe their very different personalities. They are very much individuals, with their own different characteristics, but they all have the same good manners, clean eating habits and odour-free coats. They are friendly and sporting, active and tireless, and, above all soft cuddly companions.

The history of the Japanese Spitz is very difficult to trace, there seems to be a difference of opinion of it’s origin. The Japanese imported many dogs at the end of the ‘Taisha Period’ (around 1920). From America and Canada came the the Samoyed, from Manchu the Russian Spitz, this is a small white spitz similar to the German Spitz. At this time the Japanese named them all Samo for all the white dogs with long coats and tails over their backs. These were inter mated until 1935 when they separated them, naming the large type “Samo” and the small type “Spitz”. After 1954 they named the small dog Japanese Spitz. Around this time these small dogs were very popular in Japan as companion dogs.

Although it is known a few Japanese Spitz were imported to this country a number of years ago, these were bought as pets and unregistered at the Kennel Club. We are indebted to Mrs Kenyon of the Norsken Kennel as she was the pioneer of the breed in this country. In 1976 she imported a female “Alvretens Jicho of Norsken” and Mr and Mrs Rodwell followed by importing a male “Alvretens Lucifer of Namik”.

In 1977 the Kennel Club approved the registration of these dogs, and there were further imports from Scandinavia. Mrs Kenyon’s daughter-in-law Ann imported a male “Alvretens Omonzuru of Norsken”, he sired the first three litters of puppies in this country. Liz Cartledge imported one male and three females. Gladys Langton imported a female from Finland, Margo Emerson a female and Freda Spector a male, “Ceholms White Metu of Rhinevale” and “Ceholms White Osamu of Snowcleve”. The strength of the breed in this country lies behind “Omonzura” and “Osamu” who have proved worthwhile stud dogs. These two dogs stem from litter brothers in Japan and exported to Sweden, they were Swedish and Nordic Champions “Hawk of Kagetsuland”.

The breed did very well at Crufts before we were finally awarded C.C’s In 1982 the Best of A.V.N.S.C. Utility and Working Group was won by Johnson and Hinchcliffes “Norsken Daisetsu of Hexwood”. In 1983 this Group was won by Iris Bowkers “Oldway Prince Charming of Sherivale” and in 1984 the winner of the Group was won by Pearl Peacocks’ “Oldway Pearly King of Alcala”.

The Japanese Spitz Club was recognised by the Kennel Club in 1981 and in 1988 the first set of Challenge Certificates were on offer at Crufts. Taking the C.C’s were “Yonala Tiger Lilly at LuSofia” female, bred by Mrs S Collins and owned by Mrs Vee Stripe and the male “Sherivale Osaka of Valdonic” bred by Mrs Iris Bowker and owned by Mr & Mrs D Brookes, Lilly became the first champion taking her C.C’s at the first three Championship Shows. Osaka did it in four shows.