82• S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE • O CTOBER 2010 Finnish Spitz as Hunting Dogs The person I got my first Finnish Spitz from told me that they’re bred to run away and bark a lot. It wasn’t until many years later that I under- stood what that meant. I had the good fortune to meet a man from Finland who hunted with his Finnish Spitz, and he taught me why that trait is so strong in this breed. Except for rare occasions where certain prey warrants it, Finnish Spitz hunt alone. The hunter and dog go to wherever it is they’re Finnish Spitz are highly intelli- gent, so they learn quickly when they enjoy what they’re doing. And Finnish Spitz THE FASCINATING BY HOLLY HORTON ! AJUAQ KENNELS going to hunt, and the hunter turns the dog loose. The dog goes out and makes a loop, anywhere from a few hundred yards up to a mile or so. If the dog finds no prey, he returns to the hunter. Then either the dog goes out again, making a wider loop, or the two of them move to a new location and go again. The dog must trust that the hunter will be where he left him, and the human must trust that the dog will return. Depending on the terrain and size of the loop, the dog will usually be gone anywhere from five to twenty minutes (take a good book!). Using sight, scent and hearing to find the game being hunted, he’ll flush it, tree it, and bark. Their “treeing bark” is distinct—a rhythmic ringing bark that carries for quite a dis- tance. This alerts the hunter and helps him locate the dog and prey, and also covers the sound of his approach. On an average hunt for grouse/capercaillie, the hunter will travel six to fifteen miles; the dog will cover more than five times that distance. In addition, the dog will traverse often rough forest terrain. Their square frames allow them to bound over fallen trees and rocks and easily navigate steep hills that would stop a rectangular dog in its tracks. Their glorious red-gold coats, which I thought would stick out like a neon sign in the forest, work like camouflage against the forest floor. The only thing visible is the glowing gold tail, bobbing along through the brush. Finnish Spitz in AKC Companion Events Even though the AKC offers sev- eral venues for dog owners to com- pete and earn titles, many people with arctic breeds avoid them. First, there is the deep-seated fear of let- ting their dogs off leash only to watch them bound off across the show grounds. Then there is the knowledge that, traditionally, one would get more success and satisfac- tion beating down a brick wall with one’s head (and that would also be far less embarrassing than the cre- ative disobedience at which arctic dogs excel). But those who have dared to step into these rings have found that Finnish Spitz not only enjoy these events but excel at them. Ah, the wisdom of a four-year old! This question from my friend’s daughter is one of many that I’ve fielded about my Finnish Spitz. It is a rare occasion that I only have to say the breed once, no matter how careful I am to enunciate each word. And I always have to clarify with some version of the following: The Finnish Spitz is the national dog of Finland. They’re a hunting dog, their primary prey being a grouse-like bird called a capercaillie. They’re a bark pointer, so their hunting style is most similar to Coonhounds here in the USA, as they flush their prey and then bark at it to hold it in the tree and also to lead the hunter to them. And I always have to add that of all the arctic breeds I’ve had, they actually care what I think. All arc- tic breeds have an independent streak. For some it’s a pinstripe, while for others it’s as wide as a free- way in a major city. Most were bred to work independently of their humans, so they aren’t sure you are entitled to an opinion. But because Finnish Spitz are hunting dogs that hunt in a team of one dog and one human, a bond is created between them. Thus they are one of the most versatile breeds I’ve owned. “Mom, how can she be a Finnish Spitz? She isn’t finished, and she doesn’t spit!” Reprinted from ShowSight June 2009
Powered by FlippingBook