The Finnish Spitz has been the national dog of Finland since 1979. It has been in existence for centuries. Shedding is generally more present in an intact female Finnish Spitz.
Does the Finnish Spitz shed a lot? The Finnish Spitz has a double coat, meaning that they shed regularly. Although they shed moderately throughout the year, they have a twice-yearly shedding season. They shed heavily in both the spring and in the fall.
So, if you are a new Finnish Spitz owner, prepare yourself to give a LOT of brushing to your new pet in the future. Weekly brushing your pup will help to prevent their hair from flying around your home.
Always expect this dog to shed regularly.
In the 1920s, Finland began exporting these dogs to England, where they first got their easy-to-say nickname.
Finkies (“Finkie” is the nickname of the Finish Spitz breed) should only be bathed on an as-needed basis, and typically do not require hair cuts.
In their native Finland, the Finnish Spitz breed is still primarily used for hunting. It is a “bark pointer,” meaning that it indicates the position of the game (prey) by barking.
What You Can Do To Minimize The Shedding
These dogs need to be brushed often. It is recommended to brush them once per week. This greatly reduces the amount of hair flying around.
A healthy coat for a Finnish Spitz is light, airy, and has a natural shine. The outer coat is no longer than 2.5 inches long.
Brushing should be a pleasurable experience for both your pet and for you. Make brushing a regular [weekly] experience. Find out how to groom a Finnish Spitz.
Doing so really helps to keep your Finnish Spitz’s hair – as well as general home cleanliness – in good condition.
I can recommend you begin this process/routine at the very beginning of your pup’s ownership. This helps to establish regularity for both you and for the dog.
A dog who grows up being groomed usually never minds it when you come at them with a brush! The needed brushes for Finkies include a pin brush, a comb, a de-shedder, and a nail clipper. Read my article on how to use a nail clipper.
Their coats are not oily, so they typically do not have an odor.
Other Characteristics Of The Finnish Spitz
They are lively, high-energy dogs. They require a lot of daily exercises. A fenced yard is a necessity if you are thinking about a Finnish Spitz as your next pet.
The Finnish Spitz is not recommended for apartment dwellers or those who don’t have the time or energy to give them a lot of exercise. The Spitz highly enjoys barking.
This is a breed that requires a knowledgeable and active owner, as well as tolerable neighbors. It has a lot of energy that needs to be burned off.
The Finnish Spitz breed is known to be very vocal. Vocal, intelligent, happy, and playful.
The Finnish Spitz is a breed that takes a long time to mature mentally, so you should expect your pup to be rather puppyish and silly until it is about 3 to 4 years old.
Like every dog, the Spitz needs early socialization. It is highly recommended to expose your pup to many different sights, sounds, people, and experiences at a young age.
Finkies are active and friendly. The Finnish Spitz’s alert nature makes him/her an excellent watchdog. You can expect your pup to be protective of its family.
Training a Finkie
Training these strong-willed, independent dogs can be a challenge. It is recommended that they are best trained with a soft voice and touch.
The Finnish Spitz is clever and independent, thus challenging to train. Finnish Spitz’ are hunting dogs, which means they have a strong instinct to chase and seize other animals that run.
They are amusing, perky dogs who are uninhibited and affectionate around their owners.
Although the Finnish Spitz has regular self-cleaning habits, it is highly recommended to invest in a good dog brush for your Finnish Spitz.
Doing so will assist in keeping down the amount of shedding that occurs in your home. This breed has a thick coat. Their fur is medium in length, straight, and thick in density.
Some of the best brushes for your Finnish Spitz:
- The Pat Your Pet Undercoat Rake
This is a versatile tool that you can use in grooming from your Spitz’s undercoat. It is a two-sided comb that offers a solution for safe dematting, tangles, thinning, and deshedding. - The Sleekez Original Deshedding Tool
This tool is a popular option for double-coated dogs like the Finnish Spitz. It fits in the palm of your hand and is designed to gently remove hairs with no tugging or snagging. It is easy to clean with a unique design. - The JW Pet Company GripSoft Comb
This is an 8-inch comb with sturdy stainless-steel teeth. This comb will help you to remove tangles and knots from your pup’s coat. - The Poodle Pet Dematting Fur Rake
This tool is designed to remove thick, dead hair from your pup’s undercoat. It has 2.5-inch extra-long safety blades that will gently detangle any mats or knots. - The Furminator Grooming Slicker Brush
This tool is a popular slicker brush for longer-haired breeds such as the Finnish Spitz. The brush is double-sided to remove any surface mats gently and detangles fur with limited pressure on your pup’s skin.
A good undercoat rake is also a necessity for your Finnish Spitz’s coat. It will remove any dead or molting hair in the undercoat. This is important because it will prevent painful mats or knots from forming.
This brush should be used before any baths, to help remove hair beforehand.
The best undercoat rake overall is the “FURminator for Dogs Undercoat Deshedding Tool,” according to Pet Life Today (www.petlifetoday.com). Runner ups are the “Pat Your Pet 2-Sided Undercoat Rake” and the “FURminator Grooming Rake.”
The Finnish Spitz’ overall grooming needs are moderate. The Finnish Spitz has longer hair around its neck, along its tail, and behind its legs. These areas may be combed by using a simple metal comb! A wide-toothed comb is recommended.
This dog is very loyal to its family. Keeping your Finkie well-groomed will allow it to function better. It will also instill the highest degree of comfort for your pet.
The Coat Of A Finnish Spitz Puppy
Finkie puppies are born dark. They have quite a lot of black in their coats when they are born, but that usually fades out entirely in the first couple of living years.
Exercise Requirements
Their exercise requirements range from 20 to 40 minutes per day. The Finnish Spitz has a lot of energy that needs to be burned out. This breed makes for a great jogging companion and should go out and jog for at least 30 minutes once or more times a day.
Therefore, it is not recommended that this breed is adopted by novice dog owners or those who have little time to dedicate to their dog.
They have a high tendency to bark and a low tendency to drool, snore, or dig.
They were crowned with the “King Barker” title in Finland, their native homeland. The Finnish Spitz is a cold-weather dog and prefers cooler climates.
In general, the Finnish Spitz is home-loving and friendly. He is generally good with other pets and is playful, yet patient with children.
The Finnish Spitz tends to be leery of other people he does not know. He will guard by barking, but he is not an aggressive dog. The Finkie is known to bark a LOT.
Conclusion
Always remember, the Finnish Spitz needs plenty of room for exercise. You can expect 90 minutes of activity from your Finkie per day.
As far as food, your dog will eat about 2.5 cups per day. You can expect to spend anywhere from $34.00 to $45.00 per month on food.
Also, remember – This pup DOES shed a lot. Always keep that in mind.
Weekly brushing will keep the Finnish Spitz’ coat in good condition and prevent hair from making its way to the floor and the furniture. This results not only in a happier human but in a happier dog as well!
The Finnish Spitz can make for a great companion. This breed is highly ranked amongst any “best dog breeds” lists. Just be sure to own a dog brush and a vacuum if you do adopt one because you will CERTAINLY need them.
If you want to read more I have written an article on all you could want to know about the Finnish Spitz. You can read it here.
