The Japanese Spitz is a small, completely white, breed of dog that is thought to have been bred from the German Spitz for smallness beginning in the late 19th century in Japan. They were introduced to the United States in the 1950s. It is very similar to the American Eskimo Dog, and German Spitz, in size, overall appearance, and temperament. History
In the late 19th century, Japanese cynologists cross-bred various dog breeds for a small dog breed with pure white coat. These breeds include the German Spitz, Siberian Samoyed, Russian Spitz, and American Eskimo. It was believed that these various dog breeds from different countries were introduced to Japan through Siberia and Manchuria. The end result was the Japanese Spitz. The breed was first exhibited in a dog show in Tokyo in 1921. Subsequently, a unified breed standard was established by the Japan Kennel Club in 1948. It gained much popularity in Japan in the 1950s, and was introduced to Europe and North America around the same period of time. An adult Japanese Spitz typically weighs 5 to 10 kg, and stands at 32 to 38 cm off of the ground at the withers. Their coats are divided into 2 layers. The outer layer consists of long straight hair standing off from the body, used for insulating against fluctuating temperatures. The under layer consists of short, soft and dense fur that is always a pure white color. The tail is covered with long hair and is carried curled over the back. The coat is short on the bottom half of the legs and has feathering on the forelegs. The dryness of their coat makes it virtually free of odor. The ears are small and pointed upright, and the muzzle tapers slightly. The large oval eyes are dark and slightly slanted, and the nose and lips are black. The face of the Japanese Spitz is wedge-shaped.
The Japanese Chin ( also known as the Japanese Spaniel) is the dog of Japanese Royalty. A lap dog and companion dog, this toy breed is a small spaniel with a distinctive heritage. Japanese Chins stand about 20 to 27 cm (8 to 11 in) in height at the withers and weigh 2 to 7 kg (4 to 15 lb) (Although some have been known to be over 20lbs). They have straight, silky, profuse long hair that is most often black and white, lemon and white, red and white, or rarely black and white with tan points. They have feathered tails that curl up over their backs. Their faces have an "oriental" appearance, with a short, upturned muzzle and large, wide-set eyes that have white visible in the inner corners, creating an astonished expression.
These dogs commonly have a black spot or blaze in the middle of the white fur on their heads known as Buddha's Thumbprint. This designation can be attributed to the Emperor Ming of Han China, who owned many of these dogs. This breed is considered one of the most cat-like of the dog breeds in attitude: it is alert, intelligent, and often independent, and it uses its paws to wash its face. A companion dog, it is loving and loyal to its owner, yet some are distrustful of new people. Chins prefer familiar surroundings, and are very uncomfortable in unfamiliar areas and with new situations. They are a quiet breed, with a much deeper bark than the high-pitched yap commonly associated with many of the toy breeds and are naturally clean.
History
There is some debate as to the origins of this breed. Some say that the ancestors of these dogs first appeared in Japan around the year 732, as gifts from the rulers of Korea. Others attribute the ancestors of the Chin to breeds of Chinese origin.
Professor Ludvic von Schulmuth studied canine origins by studying the skeletal remains of dogs found in human settlements as long as ten thousand years ago. The Professor created a genealogical tree of Tibetan dogs that shows the "Gobi Desert Kitchen Midden Dog", a scavenger, evolved into the "Small Soft-Coated Drop-Eared Hunting Dog". From this dog evolved the Tibetan Spaniel, Pekingese, and Japanese Chin. Another branch coming down from the "Kitchen Midden Dog" gave rise to the Papillon and Long-haired Chihuahua and yet another "Kitchen Midden Dog" branch to the Pug and Shih Tzu.
Portuguese sailors introduced the breed to Europe in the 1600s by presenting some to Catherine of Braganza, Queen Consort to King Charles II of England.
An American naval officer, Commodore Perry, helped make this dog famous in England in 1853 when he presented a breeding pair to Queen Victoria after returning from Japan. This was the first canine gift given to the royal family. He is also credited with this breed's appearance in America when he later gave a pair to the President of the United States.
