German Spitz - main characteristics of the breed and content

Is it possible to keep a Spitz in an apartment?

Very often people refuse to buy a dog, being captive of the stereotype that it has no place in the apartment. Especially one as fluffy as a Pomeranian. ... In fact, everything is not so scary and keeping a Spitz can and should be comfortable and enjoyable. And all you need to do is be prepared for the appearance of a dog in the house.

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The main thing in this situation is to remain calm. Even before the puppy arrives, prepare a separate room for him or purchase an enclosure. This will help the puppy get used to the new home easier and will save your cat’s nerves if the puppy definitely wants to play with her. For a puppy of small breeds, an enclosure with 6-8 sections 60 cm high is perfect. In the room or enclosure, place a bowl of water, a bed, toys and a diaper for urination.

Prepare an “escape route” for the cat - remove everything fragile from cabinets, bookshelves, and the refrigerator. Most often, cats spend the first days of a puppy's arrival at home there. If a cat has a “character”, it is better to cut its claws or purchase special claw covers – “anti-scratch guards”.

If, when meeting a new family member, your cat begins to show aggression, it is better to isolate it, because... an adult cat can cause quite serious injuries to a puppy. If after a few days the situation with the cat’s aggression repeats, you should sternly shout out to the cat; if this does not help, you can spray it with a spray bottle of water immediately at the moment the cat attacks the puppy or scare it with a loud noise (for example, dropping a metal tray on the floor).

Of course, if the puppy does not treat the cat very respectfully, for example, barks at it or chases it around the apartment, such behavior should be stopped - strictly command “ugh” or “no” and try to distract it.

Under no circumstances try to “make friends” between pets by bringing the puppy to the cat or vice versa, if they are in no hurry to approach each other themselves. Be patient, cats are very curious, sooner or later natural curiosity will prevail over caution and “contact” will take place.

If the cat is very worried, you can use sedatives. Cat-Bayun drops and Feliway pheromones have proven themselves to be quite good. Try to give your cat as much attention as possible to prevent her from becoming jealous.

The cat's bowl should be placed higher, for example, on a windowsill, this will help avoid unnecessary conflicts due to “dividing food” between pets and will protect the puppy from an upset stomach.

Even if at first your pets don’t get along at all, almost certainly later they will be able to at least live together calmly and without conflicts, but more often than not, pets become friends over time - they play pranks together, play and sleep in an embrace.

Remember that you are the boss in the house, and the cat has no right to dictate terms to you. Just show calm and restraint, over time the cat will come to terms with the arrival of a new family member, and the puppy will learn that the cat should be treated with respect.

Author Elena

Gainulina, veterinarian, dog handler of the RKF,

owner of the nursery "from Panda Sharm".

I want a Chihuahua! I want a cat too! What to do?

Have you decided to get a Chihuahua and are you worried whether the little dog will be able to coexist with other pets? And if the puppy may not even know about fish and birds, then there is no way to avoid meeting a cat. But there should be no reason to worry, because a Chihuahua and a cat are ideally combined. The dog is smaller than a cat, so there is no threat from it, so a proud animal will not consider the puppy an enemy.

It is very good if both pets are still small, then there is a chance of a strong friendship. Well, if the pets are of different ages, proceed as described above, using all precautions and maximum patience, because the impossible does not exist. Remember that the saying about a cat and a dog is somewhat untrue, because they have not been enemies of each other since time immemorial, these animals just have different areas of interest. If you take this into account, without offending or depriving any of your favorites, then if friendship fails, then there will certainly be no enmity.

Answer:

It will get along if you behave correctly. In general, it is not clear why a cat should die - even people do not always die when a new family member appears. Here is an article that will help you establish peaceful coexistence for your animals.

Cats and dogs: if the house is shared

Contrary to the well-known saying, a cat and a dog, if they live under the same roof, can easily find a common language. However, their owners need to be very careful not to provoke clashes between animals.

Is enmity inherited?

In the city, cats and dogs live in the same areas. Usually their unexpected meetings do not entail any special incidents. Frightened by a sudden collision, the cat tries to intimidate the dog: hisses, arches his back, raises his hair on end, and extends his claws. This is often enough to make the dog run away. A cat becomes aggressive when a dog violates the boundaries of “his” territory. Most often, such a meeting is limited to the exchange of threats and the subsequent retreat of both one and the other.

Some dogs, however, seem to be designed for hunting cats. They are chasing them and are ready to literally tear them to pieces. Unfortunately, they are encouraged to engage in such behavior by their own owners. For example, watchdogs living in a pack generally leave little chance of life for a cat who dares to invade their domain.

Do dogs behave the same towards all cats? Of course not. It often happens that a dog perfectly tolerates the presence of a cat in his house, but literally goes crazy at the sight of a “mustachioed-striped” one outside of it. Such a dog is capable of tearing apart a “strange” cat, and then peacefully sharing the “common pot” with “its own” cat.

At the same time, some cats like to tease dogs and deliberately provoke them to attack.

Happy Neighborhood

But a cat and a dog can get along well under the same roof. They even become inseparable friends, especially if they are raised together or if the cat appears in the house at a very early age. It happens that a bitch accepts a kitten as her cub and even feeds it along with her puppies. If kittens and puppies become friends, they play together, lick each other, do not separate at all, and even sleep together.

The cat usually dominates the house; outside the house, the dog acts as his protector. After all, a cat that grew up with a dog, unfortunately, does not feel danger; it is vulnerable to attack by other animals and does not understand at all when it is necessary to flee.

Friendship must be taught!

For a dog living calmly in a family, the appearance of a small ball of fur that squeaks, meows and takes away its owner’s love is a big drama. For the first time, the newcomer should be placed in another room, where he would have his own bed and his own bowl. The kitten must get used to this place. In turn, the dog behind the closed door gets used to the new smell. An unprepared, unexpected meeting can be fraught with long-term enmity between animals. So it is better to take certain precautions to ensure that this meeting happens smoothly.

In a week you can introduce the animals. But try not to get nervous yourself, be calm. No matter what happens, the cat will be able to stand up for itself. Don't let his behavior scare you: his spitting, hissing, his fur standing on end. These are all elements of a strategy, the purpose of which is to make it clear to the dog that he should not get too close.

To avoid conflicts, place your cat's bowl higher, out of reach of your dog's nose. Each of them should have his own corner for rest and food, where his peace is not disturbed. This state of affairs does not at all contradict the fact that, having become friends, they will sleep in an embrace.

When you bring home a noisy and playful puppy, and you already have a cat, there are fewer problems. You can introduce it to your cat right away, but you must be prepared to endure her hissing for a whole week. Then the cat will reconcile itself and accept the newcomer into the family. Just don’t deprive her of your attention during this period: prove that you love and have never stopped loving your old-timer.

Incidents

Cats and dogs go through similar stages in their development. Their training in coexistence in a team lasts from 4 to 12 weeks. At this time, the puppy and kitten discover the world - their own kind, as well as other animals and humans. They learn to distinguish between prey objects, sources of danger, and friends. Hence the need for early acquaintance of your pets with as many different animals as possible.

We must learn to avoid certain mistakes so that the established harmony between the cat and the dog is not violated.

Be very careful with a nursing bitch: in this state, dogs do not like if their peace is disturbed.

Never give your cat and dog food in a common bowl.

Keep in mind that the innocent desire of a large dog to play with a kitten can end badly for the latter.

During games, animals can injure each other. Don't forget to trim your cat's nails regularly: a scratched nose causes unbearable suffering for the dog, and a scratch in the eye can cause a dog to go blind.

Know that common diseases in cats and dogs are rare: with the exception of rabies, most diseases are caused by completely different viruses. However, some skin parasites (such as fleas) are transmitted from one person to another.

Description of the breed

The Pomeranian is a typical Spitz, but significantly smaller than the rest of the group. They are popular for their luxurious, thick fur and resemblance to a fox. As befits a decorative dog, the Pomeranian is very small.

Height at withers is from 18 to 22 cm, weight is 1.4-3.5 kg. Some breeders create even smaller dogs, although larger ones, over 5 kg, are also common.

Like most Spitz dogs, it is a square dog. The breed standard requires that it be the same in height and length.

Most of the Pomeranian's body is hidden under thick fur; the tail is of medium length and lies on the back.

The muzzle is typical of a Spitz. The head is proportional to the body when viewed from above, but is wedge-shaped.

The skull is rounded but not domed. The muzzle is rather short and narrow. The eyes are medium in size, dark in color, with a mischievous, fox-like expression.

The erect, pointed ears also add to the resemblance to a fox. Pomeranian puppies are born with floppy ears and they stand up as they grow older.

A characteristic feature of the breed is its thick, long, double coat. The undercoat is soft, dense and short, and the outercoat is hard, straight and shiny. The coat is shorter on the muzzle, front of the paws, and paw pads, but the rest of the body is long and abundant.

Around the neck the fur forms a mane. Show class dogs should not be trimmed, except for the paws and the area around the anus.

Owners of pet-class dogs often trim their hair to prevent the animal from suffering from the heat during the summer months.

Pomeranians come in a variety of colors, almost all of which are acceptable. The most common colors are white, black and cream.

Care

Anyone who has seen this dog knows that it requires a lot of care. You need to comb the coat daily, as tangles can form anywhere.

In parallel with combing, you need to check the skin, since long and thick hair can hide problems in the form of wounds, allergies and scratching.

To stay at their best, Pomeranians need several hours of grooming each week. Despite the fact that they do not need the services of professionals, some owners prefer to resort to them.

Owners of pet-class dogs sometimes cut their hair short, since such a haircut requires much less care and the dog can tolerate the heat more easily.

Pomeranians shed a lot, and many do so continuously. Wool can cover floors, carpets and furniture. Seasonal molting is observed twice a year, during which they shed even more profusely.

The Pomeranian Spitz is apparently the most shedding breed of all toy dogs and produces more hair than larger breeds. If you or members of your family suffer from dog hair allergies, then you may want to consider a different breed.

Causes of Hostile Behavior

A proud, independent cat and a dog devoted to its owner look at this world differently. Hence many problems and inconsistencies when living together in the same house.

Sociable dogs

Dogs, like their wild relatives, wolves, are pack animals. Together it is easier to defend your territory, hunt and survive. Therefore, they constantly need company, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s their own pack, close people, or an arrogant cat neighbor. Meeting resistance and indignation in the form of a hiss when trying to get acquainted, the dog begins to regularly “harass” his obstinate roommate.

The cat walks by itself

Cats are antisocial animals. They seek to isolate themselves from society by setting boundaries and defending them. Even in the wild, cats live alone, avoiding groups. Only during the mating season do sexual instincts force them to unite in order to produce offspring. The babies soon become independent and leave their mother.

A cat's isolation may seem arrogant in appearance. But all these habits were fixed during evolution as a result of their practicality. They survive by all means, both in the apartment and in the wild. At the same time, even the most “unapproachable” loners require the care and love of their owner.

The language barrier

Cats and dogs show their emotions through their body language. The trouble is that seemingly identical gestures and signals convey completely different information. Eg:

• A cat's purr is caused by vibration of the vocal cords in the larynx. This sound indicates contentment and peace of the animal. A similar function in dogs causes a growl, which indicates the dog’s dissatisfaction and readiness to defend or attack.

• A dog's wagging tail indicates a good mood and readiness for friendly contact. The movements of a cat's tail warn of nervousness, an aggressive attitude and a possible attack.

• Lying on its back, the dog demonstrates boundless trust in the owner and readiness to start playing at any moment. If the cat has turned over on its back and shows its clawed paws, then you should not touch it in this position. When you try to play with it or pet it, its sharp claws will instantly dig into your skin.

• Pinned ears, a lowered head and timid wagging of the tail indicate a dog feeling guilty. Such a pose of a cat implies readiness for an attack that is about to happen.

Two opposing systems of body language complicate understanding between animals. It is almost impossible to predict the development of their relationship. But this does not mean that it will not be possible to make friends between a cat and a dog.

Feeling jealous

Jealousy is characteristic not only of people, but also of animals. A pet's strong feelings of being offended can lead to anger and unpleasant behavior. Pets are frightened by the prospect of losing the owner's favor and being driven out.

Jealousy manifests itself as follows:

1. The animal often disappears from the owner's field of vision. Appears only during feeding or at the litter tray, although before it followed you on your heels. With this behavior, the pet expresses protest and provokes greater love and affection for the offended person.
2. Uncontrolled aggression often occurs in jealous animals. If there have been sudden changes in your pet's behavior, it is worth analyzing the possible reasons. In case of deep resentment, attempts to appease the jealous person will end in bloody scratches and a spoiled mood.
3. Don’t be surprised if, when a new resident arrives in the house, your pet drops a flower or bites a wire. Mischief in the form of torn furniture and chewed-up shoes will become commonplace if you pay much more attention to your new pet.
4. Jealousy can cause serious stress and subsequent refusal to eat if the owner chooses another animal. The pet feels abandoned and loses the joy of life.

Fight for territory

The presence of separate cozy “places” for cats and dogs does not exclude the possibility of conflicts. It happens that one of the animals unceremoniously displaces another from its rightful possession. If the owner allows such developments to take their course, such conflicts will develop into a “martial law” with bloody fights.

In order for the “houses” to fully satisfy your pets, you will have to go through more than one option. Some cats happily accept play sets, while others won’t even go near them. Dogs, especially small breeds, love to live in cozy spaces, but some need freedom and open space.

Theses

• Pomeranians bark a lot and this can annoy their neighbors.

• It is difficult to toilet train them; it takes time and effort.

• High temperature and humidity can lead to heatstroke and death of the dog. During walks, you need to monitor the dog’s condition and take immediate action if it worsens.

• These are domestic dogs, unable to live on a chain or in an enclosure.

• They get along well with children, but it is better to keep them in a family with older children. They are too fragile and freedom-loving for small children.

• Despite their modest size, Pomeranians feel like big dogs. By provoking large dogs, they can be harmed or killed. To prevent this from happening, you need to educate the dog and take the place of the leader yourself.

• These are small but dominant dogs. If the owner gives in, they will consider themselves the leader of the pack and will behave accordingly. Not recommended for novice dog owners.

Rules for keeping two animals in the same territory

If the owner wants to make friends with pets, then he should help them in every possible way, and not stay on the sidelines and watch the current developments of events. Here are some tips from a zoopsychologist on how to reconcile animals:

1. Adhere to the laws of hierarchy. They are very important in the life of animals. The older members of the “pack” should receive food first, and after them the younger ones are given food. Do not go beyond the established relationship, do not create privileges or concessions. By strictly following the rules, animals will learn them faster.
2. When going for a walk with your dog, take your cat with you. You can also put a leash on it. Walking together promotes rapprochement and friendship.
3. Come up with a game so that both pets can participate. For example, you can throw the ball to them one by one.
4. If the cat climbs onto the owner's lap, call the dog and pet it.
5. If the dog gets a little carried away with the game and accidentally bites the cat, do not use corporal punishment. Strictly say the command “no” and lock her in another room for a few minutes. She will understand that this is not worth doing and next time she will be more careful.
6. Trim the claws of aggressive cats or use anti-scratch guards. Dog claws are not so sharp and cannot cause much harm. And they are not used as often in disassemblies as cat ones.
7. Pay attention to feeding your pets. The cat calmly leaves the uneaten food in the bowl when it is full. When he gets hungry, he will approach her again. The dog is inclined to eat its portion, and will happily take advantage of the addition from the cat’s plate. In order not to upset the cat, place his bowl in a place inaccessible to the dog.
8. Designate a separate litter box for your cat. She may be stressed by the dog's proximity, which will lead to infrequent bowel movements and intestinal blockage.