PetzloverGerman Spitz (Mittel) is originated from Germany but Moscow Water Dog is originated from Russia. German Spitz (Mittel) may grow 38 cm / 14 inches shorter than Moscow Water Dog. German Spitz (Mittel) may weigh 44 kg / 97 pounds lesser than Moscow Water Dog. German Spitz (Mittel) may live 3 years more than Moscow Water Dog. German Spitz (Mittel) may have less litter size than Moscow Water Dog. Both German Spitz (Mittel) and Moscow Water Dog requires Moderate Maintenance.
Originating in Germany, the German Spitz Mittel is an alert, vigilant dog and it is these qualities that made him sought after for working on farms.
He is no new breed and is the 3rd largest of the five German Spitz varieties. It is believed that the German Spitz descended from the Northern sled and herding dogs which arrived with the Vikings into Europe. When you do research you see that the dogs are mentioned in German literature which dates way back to to 1450 already.
The Moscow Water Dog was developed in the Soviet Union around the same time as other classic Soviet dogs. The Moscow Watchdog and the Black Russian Terrier are a couple of these other dogs. The Water Dog came from crossing the Caucasian Oytcharka with the Newfoundland. The breed is known by many names including the Vodolaz which means “diver of deep Water”. The Moscow Water Dog was only bred in the Russian state’s Red Star Kennels as working dogs for the military.
Following the second World War, most of the working dogs had been destroyed during the war. Not enough dogs could be imported to begin a breeding program for any working breed. So, the Soviet Red Star Kennels began to create several working breeds. Included in this group with the Moscow Water Dog, were the Moscow Newfoundland, the Moscow Great Dane, the Black Russian Terrier, and the Brudasty Hound.
The only really successful breed coming from this program is the Russian Black Terrier. All the rest are either extinct or found only in Russia today. The Moscow Water Dog was supposed to be a life saver/water rescue dog, but the dogs they developed were too aggressive, and the program was scrapped. It seemed that the cross had bred a dog that had too much of the working water dog traits and not enough of the rescue dog traits. The military breeders tried to pass the dogs off as a Russian Newfoundland and sell it to the non-military.
These non-military owners of the few “Russian Newfoundland”, did not try to change the dogs through breeding. Instead over time they bred the Russian Newfoundland with pure bred Newfoundlands almost eliminating the “Russian” portion of the breed. By the early 1980’s the stock had been so diluted with the pure Newfoundland that the Russian Newfoundland was basically extinct.
The Red Army kennel had other breeds with some of the genes of this breed in their lines. This included the Brudasty Hound, the Moscow Great Dane, the Caucasian Oycharka, the Moscow Watchdog and the Russian Black Terrier. The Russian Navy was unhappy with the situation and never again let the army developed the Navy’s waterdog.
The German Spitz Mittel is similar in looks to the other sizes of German Spitz. The Mittel is a medium sized dog and stands between 30 and 38cm in height and weighs between 7 and 11kg. You’ll find him in solid colors such as tan, liver, white, fawn, black or a mix of these colors.
He has a soft woolly undercoat and a long outercoat with a mane-like ruff at the neck. He has a fairly long muzzle, dark eyes, sharp erect ears and a bushy tail which curls over his back.
Affectionate, faithful, and always happy by nature, the German Spitz Mittel is a family companion that wants to be part of everything his human family is up to. He makes a good watchdog. He is alert and has a distrust of strangers.
He gets on well with children in the home and he can also live in peace with other dogs. Because he is an intelligent dog, you won’t have much trouble with training- and socializing him, although he will require a firm, consistent owner and trainer.
Training and socialization are important as there are always some important commands such as sit, stay, come and lie down that you will want him to respond to immediately.
The Moscow Water Dog was intelligent, vigilant, an excellent swimmer, and great in artic waters. However, he was too aggressive and instead of saving the swimmer, they would attack them. The Moscow Water Dog is a tall, balanced and powerful dog. They have a wide muzzle and a square head like the Newfoundland. Their eyes are dark and small while the ears are triangular. The nose and lips are black. He has webbed feet of course and a hanging tail.
The coat on the Moscow Water Dog was of course waterproof and double. The top coat is very dense, straight and soft. It is usually a dark brown with some black and white.
People who have owned a German Spitz Mittel are delighted with him, saying that he is such an easy-going, happy dog. He is social and thrives on the interaction he has with his human family.
He won’t do well if you simply put him in your backyard and forget about him, using him merely as a watchdog.
The German Spitz Mittel dog is one dog that definitely lives up to the title of man’s best friend. He is social, happy, loving, loyal, playful, entertaining and smart too, and when you treat him the way he deserves, you’ve got the most awesome friend.
yes
Swimming and stamina
Yes but needed some land. Better in countryside.
This is an intelligent dog, but he could not be trained out of his aggressiveness.
German Spitz dogs are healthy, and when you shower him with love and attention and good food, you can expect to have him around for up to 15 years of age.
Of course, as with any other healthy dog breeds, there are always one or two common dog illnesses that your dog may get. These include hip dysplasia and eye diseases. If you notice symptoms that indicate possible joint issues with your pet, get him to the vet immediately.
Patellar Luxation for instance occurs when your dog’s kneecap is dislocated. It is more common in toy breeds like the German Spitz. It can be painful for your pet and lead to lameness. If your dog has problems with his hip, it can actually force the patella out of its groove, which is a secondary condition.
Because the breed was around for such a short period there is not a lot of documentation or information regarding genetic or propensity health issues. There are however a few issues that just his heritage and Newfoundland blood would lend itself to.
You can help reduce loose hairs with your German Spitz by brushing his thick coat twice a week. It’s a good time to also inspect your dog for ticks and fleas.
Your German Spitz Mittel isn’t the most active dog, but he will still need regular exercise. Going on a walk is good for both you and him. He is a mentally sharp dog too and these walks keep him both physically- and mentally fit. He also loves ball games.
Every dog deserves the best food, and if you feed your German Spitz Mittel with a commercially manufactured dog food, make sure its one of the top quality ones. You want to avoid foods packed with preservatives, colorants and fillers. You want dog foods with minerals and vitamins with high protein and ingredients such as Omega 3 and 6 to promote health skin.
There are also some dog foods which have ingredients in them such as polyphosphates. Ingredients like this keep your dog’s teeth clean.
Try and also give him some cooked rice, vegetables and chicken mixed into his kibble from time to time as well as raw meat. He should never be without fresh, cool water.
Required high quality food made specifically for large or giant puppies. Feed 3-4 times a day a total of 21/2 -3 cups.
Required high quality food made for large or giant dog breeds. Feed twice a day a total of 2 cups.
The Moscow Water Dog did not need a high level of exercise, but they did have a lot of stamina. They loved to swim. Not overly active – more of a couch potato.