If you are a fan of Bollywood and have watched the 1994 classic called Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, you must definitely be aware of a cute, furry and white dog called Tuffy. It was as much a star of the movie as Salman Khan or Madhuri Dixit. Tuffy was portrayed by a six year old Indian Spitz called Redo. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Indian Spitz was one of the most popular dog breeds of the country as there were numerous restrictions on the import of dogs to the country. Because of that, locally developed breeds were very popular and the Indian Spitz was one of the forerunners. They still enjoy a lot of popularity today. In this post, we will take a look at the Indian Spitz in detail and also get to know a little about its international cousins as well.
Indian Spitz: All You Need To Know
What is the Indian Spitz?
The Indian Spitz is a utility dog which is one of the most popular dog breeds in India and especially enjoyed a lot of demand during the 1980s and 1990s because India had a lot more restrictions on import and export.
How was the Indian Spitz developed?
The Indian Spitz is considered to be a descendant of the German Spitz which was introduced to the Indian subcontinent during the British Raj. In the beginning, the dogs were struggling with the immense heat of India. However dog breeders managed to successfully overcome this issue with subsequent generations while still rationing the intelligence of the original German breed.
The Indian Spitz looks a lot like the Pomeranian breed of dogs and because of its adaptability to Indian conditions, it is extremely popular.
How did the Indian Spitz become so popular?
Until the economic reforms of the early 90s, the Indian Economy was very closed and restrictive. The import rules were very stringent and it was difficult to get exotic foreign breeds to India.
During that time, the Indian Spitz, which shares the beautiful looks of the German Spitz, while comfortably living in the hot Indian climate, became extremely popular around that time. They aren’t very big and size and can live comfortably in an apartment as well.
Which dog appeared in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun?
The Indian Spitz was immortalized on the silver screen after its appearance in the 1994 classic Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. Aside from superstars Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit, the movie is also remembered for the 6 year old Indian Spitz called redo, who played the role of Tuffy in the movie. That movie propelled the Indian Spitz into superstardom and it became the most popular pet dog in the country for some time. The dog was owned by the movie’s assistant director Madhukar Sawle. Madhuri Dixit adopted the dog after the movie. Tuffy passed away in 2000. He was 12 years old.
What does the Indian Spitz look like?
The Indian Spitz is a cute fluff ball that is known for its fox like ears and conical nose. The Indian Spitz tends to have a very expressive face, making it very beloved. Being a native to India, the Indian Spitz is very comfortable in the country’s extreme heat as well.
The Indian Spitz is a small breed of dog which doesn’t require a lot of space and food. It’s just about 13 inches in height at its shoulders. The dog is also very well known for its white double coat which is very furry. The Indian Spitz also has visible irises which makes its faces even more expressive.
The Indian Spitz is a descendant of the German Spitz which was bred for hunting in the cold. Even though the Indian Spitz doesn’t do that, it has still retained the luscious white double coat and playful nature. Some Indian Spitz dogs are brown, but most of them are white in colour.
Indian Spitz
The Indian Spitz is also known for its fluffy and curly tail. They don’t have very long legs and it makes their large heads even cuter, giving them a puppy like appearance even when they are adults. Indian Spitz dogs are very friendly and get along with people with ease. They are willing learners and get housebroken with ease. On top of that, they get potty-trained quickly as well. They do have a double coat and a lot of hair but just a frequent brushing of their coat should be enough.
What are the grooming requirements for an Indian Spitz?
The Indian Spitz stays clean in general and doesn’t like to play in the mud too much. However, their long, beautiful and fluffy coats need frequent brushing to avoid matting. They should ideally be bathed at least once a week as their fur might catch a lot of dirt and dust. However, you shouldn’t bathe an Indian Spitz too often as that would lead to it’s fluffy coat becoming dull and lifeless.
Indian Spitz dogs shed a lot and once winter is over, you can find their hair all over your house. Just brush with a double row brush and get to the thick undercoat so that you can get rid of all the excess hair that is being shed.
What are the differences between the Pomeranian and Indian Spitz?
The Indian Spitz resembles the Pomeranian in many ways. However, if you take a closer look, the Indian Spitz and the Polish Pomeranian have distinct differences. They are a few hundred years apart in lineage and they do have some appearance differences. A Pomeranian’s ears are less pointy and its face is flatter. It is also smaller than the Indian Spitz and has a thicker coat (because of its ancestry in cold Northern Poland). Despite the differences, most Indians refer to the Indian Spitz as a Pomeranian. As a matter of fact, most households with pets in India had the Indian Spitz at a point of time, and most of them referred to their dog as a “Pomeranian”.
These are the major differences between the Pomeranian and the Indian Spitz:
- The Pomeranian is significantly smaller than the Indian Spitz and actually qualifies as a toy breed because of its diminutive stature. Even the Lesser Indian Spitz is significantly larger than a Pomeranian.
- The Pomeranian’s face is much flatter and it resembles a teddy bear more. Whereas the Indian Spitz has a more conical nose and resembles a fox. The Pomeranian also has much rounder ears than the Indian Spitz.
- The Pomeranian has a much thicker coat than the Indian Spitz and it’s difficult to see the individual strands because of that. Because of that, Pomeranians need a lot more grooming than Indian Spitz.
Which are some other popular breeds of Spitz dogs?
Keeshond
Height: 17 to 18 inches
Weight: 35 to 45 pounds
Physical characteristics: Medium-sized breed with a robust complexion and a fluffy, curly tail; famous brands of “show” around the eyes.
Siberian Husky
Height: 20 to 24 inches
Weight: 35 to 50 pounds (women), 45 to 60 pounds (men)
Physical characteristics: Medium-sized dog with a slim but muscular build; the color of the eyes is usually blue or brown and the double-layered coat can be black, gray, red, brown, tan or white.
Icelandic sheepdog
Height: 16 to 18 inches
Weight: 25 to 30 pounds
Physical characteristics: Fox face with kind and friendly expression and medium-sized erect ears; Thick fur can have a wide variety of colors or patterns, all of which include white.
Pomeranian
Height: 6 to 7 inches
Weight: 3 to 7 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Small stature with short, erect ears and a thick coat with an abundant frill of hair that covers the shoulders and chest.
Samoyed
Height: 19 to 24 inches
Weight: 35 to 50 pounds (women), 45 to 65 pounds (men)
Physical characteristics: Medium-sized dog with a strong complexion and very dense white fur to keep warm; mouths turn upward in a permanent “smile.”
Shiba Inu
Height: 13 to 17 inches
Weight: 17 to 23 pounds
Physical characteristics: The smallest size with a strong constitution and a thick and dense coat can be red, black or tan with white markings; strong fox features.
Chow chow
Height: 17 to 20 inches
Weight: 45 to 70 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Of robust and robust constitution with prominent neck and wrinkled face; famous for its blue-black tongue.
American Eskimo dog
Height: 15 to 19 inches for standard, 12 to 15 inches for miniature, 9 to 12 inches for toy
Weight: 25 to 35 pounds for standard, 10 to 20 pounds for miniature, 6 to 10 pounds for toy
Physical Characteristics: Black nose, lips and eye rings with thick ruff around neck and shoulders; the thick, white coating can also be seen in cream, known as “biscuit cream.”
Alaskan Malamute
Height: 23 to 25 inches
Weight: 75 to 85 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Wolf characteristics and large frame with dense fur that can be white, gray, black, brown or red.
Norwegian buhund
Height: 16 to 19 inches
Weight: 26 to 40 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Smaller athletic dog with very prominent spitz qualities; thick fur can be wheat or black.
Norwegian elkhound
Height: 19 to 21 inches
Weight: 48 to 55 pounds
Physical characteristics: Medium-sized dog with strong northern features. The thick coat is a familiar silver gray.
Norwegian Lundehund
Height: 12 to 15 inches
Weight: 20 to 30 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Small frame with extremely flexible neck, shoulders, ears and six toes; the coat can be black, white, sable, gray or red.
Finnish Lapphund
Height: 16 to 21 inches
Weight: 33 to 53 pounds
Physical Characteristics: A long, very thick coat and a muscular body built to work in the Arctic; dense fur can be black, white, sable, brown, or red.
Swedish Vallhund
Height: 11 to 14 inches
Weight: 20 to 35 pounds
Physical characteristics: Characteristic features of the spitz with long and low profile; It can be born with a long curly tail, docked tail, or bobtail.
Swedish Lapphund
Height: 16 to 20 inches
Weight: 30 to 45 pounds
Physical characteristics: Robust frame with long, thick fur that can be black or brown and may have small white markings; look alert and attentive.
Finnish spitz
Height: 15 to 20 inches
Weight: 20 to 33 pounds
Physical characteristics: Fox characteristics and agile body; Known for its multi-toned golden red fur.
Kai ken
Height: 15 to 20 inches
Weight: 20 to 40 pounds
Physical characteristics: Of medium height, strong constitution with a short but thick coat; it is born with a black coat that can develop a brindle pattern during the first five years of life.
Alaskan Klee kai
Height: 13 to 17 inches
Weight: 10 to 20 pounds
Physical characteristics: Small frame with dense fur that outlines the dog; the coat can be black, gray or red on the back and around the eyes with white on the belly, legs and lower half of the face.
Karelian bear dog
Height: 19 to 24 inches
Weight: 44 to 50 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Of robust, strong and athletic constitution with a thick black and white coat.
Yakutian Laika
Height: 21 to 23 inches
Weight: 40 to 55 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Medium-sized muscular dog with prominent spitz features; thick fur can be black, white, brown, red, or gray.
Kintamani
Height: 17 to 23 inches
Weight: 28 to 40 pounds
Physical characteristics: Medium complexion and agile with pointed snout; the coat can be white, black, fawn, red or brindle.
Thai Bangkaew Dog
Height: 17 to 21 inches
Weight: 35 to 60 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Of robust and robust constitution with deep chest and ruff of thick hair on the neck that is generally thicker in males; coat colors can be black, white, gray, chocolate, tan, or red.
Danish spitz
Height: 15 to 19 inches
Weight: 26 to 40 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Small frame with down coat around neck and back of legs; The coat is commonly white, but it can also be a biscuit color.
Eurasier
Height: 19 to 24 inches
Weight: 40 to 70 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Sturdy and strong construction with coats in a variety of colors that can have dark or light face masks; the tongues can be pink, purple or a mixture.
Schipperke
Height: 10 to 13 inches
Weight: 10 to 16 pounds
Physical characteristics: Short, compact and muscular build; fox face with thick ruff around the neck and dense fur that can be black, chocolate or cream.
Italian Volpino
Height: 9 to 12 inches
Weight: 9 to 12 pounds
Physical characteristics: Small, compact square frame; the thick fur stands out from the body and creates a thick ruff around the neck.
Japanese spitz
Height: 12 to 15 inches
Weight: 10 to 25 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Small, sturdy frame with a thick, upright coat and a ruff around the neck; the coat is pure white.
West Siberian Laika
Height: 20 to 24 inches
Weight: 40 to 55 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Wolf-like features and strong build with a medium-length coat that can be white, gray, black, or red.
Akita
Height: 24 to 28 inches
Weight: 70 to 100 pounds (women); 100 to 130 pounds (men)
Physical Characteristics: Strong, muscular, bear-faced; dense fur can be white, black, brindle, sesame, or red.
Russian-European Laika
Height: 19 to 23 inches
Weight: 40 to 50 pounds
Physical characteristics: Medium in size with a strong and agile structure; dense coat is black or gray with white markings.
Pungsan Dog
Height: 21 to 24 inches
Weight: 45 to 65 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Strong and robust body with distinctive spitz characteristics; The short to medium length dense coat is white or creamy white.
Norrbottenspets
Height: 16 to 18 inches
Weight: 20 to 30 pounds
Physical characteristics: Small, compact and well balanced; the short, dense coat is white with red, brown or tan spots.
Kishu Ken
Height: 17 to 22 inches
Weight: 30 to 60 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Strong, muscular build with a dignified air; the short, dense coat can be white, brindle, red, black, or sesame.
Korean Jindo
Height: 18 to 22 inches
Weight: 30 to 50 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Strong and solid construction with an alert and dignified appearance; thick fur can be white, black, brindle, black and tan, wolf gray, and fawn red.
Hokkaido
Height: 18 to 20 inches
Weight: 44 to 66 pounds
Physical characteristics: Medium-sized dog with a muscular and robust body; dense fur can be red, black, black and tan, sesame, brindle, or white.
Greenland dog
Height: 21 to 25 inches
Weight: 60 to 75 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Rugged, muscular build with a strong chest without being barrel-like; the medium-length coat can be black, white, gray, or brown.
Caanan Dog
Height: 19 to 24 inches
Weight: 35 to 55 pounds
Physical characteristics: Agile, agile structure and strong neck; the short, dense coat can be white, black, brown, red, tan, or a mixture of these colors.
German spitz
Height: 12 to 15 inches
Weight: 24 to 26 pounds
Physical Characteristics: Small, compact breed with distinctive spitz features and iconic ruff around the neck; The thick, upright coat can be white, black, black and tan, cream, brown, orange, or gray.
So that was all you need to know about the Indian Spitz and its international cousins. If you are planning to get an Indian Spitz, now you know what to keep in mind before getting one. You should also remember the difference between the Indian Spitz and the Pomeranian and tell your friends as well.
