Japanese Spitz

The breed was developed in Japan during the 1920s and 1930s, drawing on white spitz-type dogs imported from Siberia, China and elsewhere, refined by Japanese breeders into a smaller, consistently white companion type shown from 1921 onward. It spread from Japan to other parts of Asia, Europe and Australia through the twentieth century, arriving relatively late in Britain and America compared to many spitz breeds, and remains more established in some countries than others, a quirk of its recent and somewhat scattered history.

Living with a Japanese Spitz means living with a lively, alert and generally very affectionate small dog that enjoys being close to its family and is typically good with children when raised alongside them. It is intelligent and reasonably easy to train, though its spitz heritage gives it a tendency to bark at things it finds interesting or unfamiliar, a trait worth managing early with consistent training. The pure white double coat looks demanding but is naturally clean and resists dirt reasonably well, needing regular brushing rather than frequent bathing to stay looking smart.

Today the breed remains a popular companion in Japan and parts of Asia, and is a growing but still relatively uncommon choice in Britain, valued for its striking white coat, cheerful temperament and manageable size for people wanting a spitz-type dog without the size of a Keeshond or the working drive of a Shiba.