This middle-sized German Spitz is known in England as the German Spitz (Mittel), and in its homeland as the Deutscher Mittelspitz.
During the course of the last few centuries, the German Spitz dogs have been progressively reduced in size from the big, northern dogs that were their early ancestors. The situation has become progressively complicated, with different authorities recognizing different phases in this reduction process. At the present time, there are five different sizes recognized, and this one falls in the middle of the range, with the Wolfspitz and the Giant Spitz above it and the Miniature Spitz and the Toy Spitz below it.
Its height is given as 11-14 in (29-36 cm) by one authority, and 12-15 in (30-38 cm)by another. The outer coat is harsh and long, while the undercoat is soft and woolly, providing good protection from even the coldest weather. Colours are varied. Solid colours are most commonly seen, but others are permitted.
Although this breed had been recognized by the FCI for some time, it was not until 1985 that it was accepted by the Kennel Club in London. Previously the British preference had been for the ever-shrinking Pomeranian, which had first arrived in England in the 18th century as a medium-sized dog and had then been selectively bred for smaller and smaller sizes until the tiny, modern Porn had been reached. In the 1970s several English breeders decided that they wanted to reverse this process and imported larger German Spitz dogs which they then crossed with the minute Pomeranians. The idea was to reverse, to a small degree, the extreme dwarfism which had developed. The idea of calling the larger dogs resulting from these crosses ‘Pomeranians’ was offensive to the devotees of the very small Poms, and the Kennel Club decided to classify the new, enlarged Poms as a separate breed. Even this did not settle matters entirely, because there were now two ‘levels’ of enlarged Pom. These were given the new names of German Spitz (Mittel) and German Spitz (Klein), which linked them to their continental size-equivalents, the Standard German Spitz and the Miniature German Spitz.
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