Irene & Tuuli, Töölönlahti in Helsinki Oct 2013 (Opera House seen on opposite shore)
The Finnish Spitz breed
The Finnish Spitz (Suomenpystykorva) is the national dog of Finland but is one of the best kept secrets of the dog world here in the U.K. Very few puppies are registered with the Kennel Club each year.
The Finnish Spitz was originally bred for hunting game birds in the forests of Finland, and is still widely used for this purpose today. The breed is very popular in its native land and other Scandinavian countries, where it is appreciated for its beauty, intelligence and integrity.
In appearance they have the typical Spitz look characterised by sharply pricked ears and the tail curled over the back. They have dark eyes, a pitch black nose and carry a double coat comprising of an outer coat which can vary in colour from a pale red-gold to a deep chestnut, with a soft cream coloured under coat producing a clear contrast and making the coat appear to glow.The trousers and tail are also of a paler colour. They groom themselves like cats, are extremely clean, and have no doggy odour.
Dogs are usually noticeably larger than bitches. Dogs range in height (measured to the shoulder) from around 17” to 20” (43 to 50 cm) and bitches range from 15½” to 18” (39 to 45cm). They weigh between 22 and 33 lb (10 to 15 kg).
They are an affectionate, sensitive breed with excellent watch-dog abilities, and generally nice stable temperaments making them a good family pet. The Finnish Spitz has an extensive vocabulary and can sometimes yodel or ‘joik’. It is sometimes known as the “barking bird dog”. While the bark can be high pitched and loud when visitors arrive, it is our experience that this can be controlled and the dogs trained to be quiet when required.
The 'Valokki' kennel name
Valokki is our Kennel Club-registered ‘affix’ and this word will always precede one or more other words as the registered name of your puppy. So when we register your puppy with the Kennel Club, we will use a name such as 'Valokki Pellervo', but you may of course give any name you wish for everyday use.
So why ‘Valokki’? Well, it is one of many Finnish words for the arctic cloudberry. This much prized berry is a red-gold colour like the Finnish Spitz and is also to be found at its best in the forests of Finland. Other words for the cloudberry include Hilla (the name of our first Finnish Spitz) and Lakka (Hilla’s mother’s name).
Irene was born in Helsinki, Finland but spent her childhood summers at her Grandmother’s farm in the countryside of Central Finland where Finnish Spitz and cloudberries were both familiar features of everyday life.
