Petzlover
German Spitz (Mittel) is originated from Germany but Mudi is originated from Hungary. German Spitz (Mittel) may grow 9 cm / 3 inches shorter than Mudi. Both German Spitz (Mittel) and Mudi are having almost same weight. Both German Spitz (Mittel) and Mudi has almost same life span. German Spitz (Mittel) may have less litter size than Mudi. Both German Spitz (Mittel) and Mudi 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.
Sometime between the 4th and 6th centuries, the Great Migration – a variety of dogs came to live in the Carpathian Mountains on the Great Hungarian Plain. This migration period brought sheepdogs and herders brought by shepherds. These dogs were of two sizes both small and large. The smaller ones were bred together – Pumi, Puli, and Mudi. Because of this, these breeds share the same history, with the Mundi being the oldest of them all.
The Mundi was finally separated from the other breeds about 1930 when Dr. Deszo Fenyesi began to breed them. It was in 1966 when the F.C.I. finally approved the standard for the breed. Still then as today, there were not many breeders developing the Mudi. They are working dogs – farm dogs – herders, guard dogs and ratters. He is also known as a tracker, with the majority of the breed living in Hungary.
As the Mudi was bred separately from the Pumi and the Puli, differences between the breeds became clear. Many Mudi are born with a stump or no tail at all. The Mudi is not a great dog for the first timer. He is stubborn, assertive and needs a lot of socialization and exercise. In 2004 breeders in the United States created the Mudi Club of America to preserve the breed and foster responsible ownership. This is a clever, active and keen breed, very loyal to his family but wary of strangers. The United Kennel Club recognized the breed in 2006.
In Hungary, these are still a breed of herding dogs capable of running 500 sheep at a time. They are versatile, courageous, intelligent and agile. They are great in obedience trials, agility, and flyball. In Finland and the United States, they also work as search and rescue dogs.
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.
This is a medium size dog with an almost square profile. They have erect ears on wedge-shaped heads. He is not a strong boned but medium boned. That square profile is based in large part on their very square stance. Their muzzle is about half the length of their head and they have what is considered a “dare devil” expression in their dark, almond-shaped eyes. The color of the eyes is important and must match with the color of the dog or the standard is not met.
Merle fur – brown, brown speckled, blue eyes.
Brown or gray-brown fur – Brown eyes
Gray fur – gray eyes
What is not acceptable is having yellow eyes and black fur; pink eyes and white fur. The lips, eye rims, and nose must all have the same pigmentation. This should be black in all but the brown and brown-grey dogs. These dogs have brown noses, eye rims, and lips. The tail can be almost anything from full to bob. All are considered to be natural lengths for a Mudi.
Their coat is self-cleaning and won’t mat. It is on the long side. In fact, a short, flat, smooth coat is a disqualification from the standard. The color of the coat ranges from white to brown to gray, gray-brown, merle, golden, cream and white. Very little markings of any kind are usual.
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, they are great with children and love being a part of a large family or “pack”.
They are extremely versatile and great at herding and guarding.
They are adaptable if you are. They don’t need to live in the country, but they need space to run and play.
They are highly intelligent but a little stubborn. Their ability to learn is high but you have to be the boss.
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.
The Mudi does face several of the problems that medium to large dogs often face and some eye issues as well.
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.
The Mudi needs a high quality, medium breed puppy dry food and should be fed 3 or 4 times a day for a total of 1 and ½ to 2 cups.
The adult should be fed at least twice a day with an adult medium breed high-quality dry dog food. Don’t overfeed as the breed can have a tendency toward obesity.
They have great stamina and agility.
This is a working dog and like most herding dogs, they need a job and a lot of activity. Long walks every day and either a large yard or visits to a dog park. Involve them in herding activities or Barn Hunt if you can. Playing is their way of working when they are not herding real animals. So, if you want this breed, be sure you have time for playing with them. They are great at agility, flyball, obedience, frisbee trials, tracking and of course herding