Finnish Spitz Structure & Movement

Understanding why and how a Finnish Spitz should move is much simple  than most fanciers realize. It takes the most simple understanding of  biology and physics…

—  we studied that in biology, how an animal is ideally built is dependent  on the work that we want that animal to perform. The hunting Finnish  Spitz is used on rocky and mossy ground, which he covers at a ”lope” or  canter. He must not move forward too much with each step or he will  stumble on the uneven forest floor. He must move effortlessly or he will  tire too quickly.

The ideal Finnish Spitz then is built squarely and up-rightly — his  shoulder blades, which are not as sloping as in many other breeds,  allow him limited reach forward so that he does not tend to step out too  much with each step.

Because he does not gain enough speed at trot, the keen hunter will break into higher ”gear” and begin to ”lope”  rather than trot. A dog with a square, upright body — that is with high head carriage and straight sloping shoulder blades — is comfortable moving at a lope for long periods of time.

We don’t, however, evaluate movement on our dogs while they lope. The  trot is a better standard gait. It clearly shows us whether the dog has  the limited reach that we are seeking, whether his front gait is in  balance or matched by his rear gait, and whether the movement is clean  and efficient so that the dog will be able to hunt tirelessly.

Standing structure of the front should be with straight columns for leg bones, the feet turning neither in nor out. The toes have a natural  tendency to support weight on the Inside of the foot and do not turn  slightly out — this however is no excuse for the Finnish Spitz which  stands with weak wrists and ‘east-west’ turning feet. When you stand  comfortably you also tend to point your toes ever so slightly outward.

The standing rear should stand with hocks moderate in length and  appearing strong and straight. The rear toes may also turn so slightly  outwards but should never turn outwards with the hock joints close and  weak, ie. ”cow-hocked”.

Moving the Finnish Spitz tends to ”single-track as speed increases”.  This is where the physics is applied — in order to maintain a center of  gravity, the dog should bring his feet closer under his body as he moves  forward from a stand. As the speed increases the feet come closer and  closer under his body.

This means that at a walk or slow trot, the front feet touch the ground in two separate tracks, inches apart. However, as the trot speeds, the feet begin to converge so that they soon touch the ground along one single track at the center of gravity beneath the dog. The ideal gait  is ” clean” — which means there is no wasted effort. The dog does not paddle out nor ”hackney” as he lifts his feet, nor does his gait cause his weight to roll from side to side. He should look as if he is  floating.

The rear movement is also smooth and effortless. The hocks should  kick out evenly, no limp or favouring of a leg which might indicate a poor joint in the stifle or hock. As the speed increases the track upon  which the feet hit the ground should also touch down in a single line.  No wasted effort such as ”cow-hocks” or ”crossing over” is desired.

A common problem in Finnish Spitz is ”crabbing” or ”side-winding”.  The dog tends to tracks so poorly that there are four separate tracks:  the rear movement tending to creep up the side of the dog, and the dog  appears to be moving side-ways. This is often cause by a poor-moving  front being coupled with a stronger-reaching rear — the dog moves his  front out of the way of the more efficient rear movement and so tends to  move.