  a finnish spitz (finnish language: suomenpystykorva) is a breed of dog originating in finland. the breed was originally bred to hunt all types of game from squirrels and other rodents to bears.morris, p.316. it is a "bark pointer", indicating the position of game by barking. barking also makes the game animal focus on the dog, not on the hunter. its original game hunting purpose was to point to game that fled into trees, such as grouse, and capercaillies, but it also serves well for hunting moose and elk. some individuals have even been known to go after a bear. in its native country, the breed is still mostly used as a hunting dog. the breed is friendly and in general loves children, so it is suitable for domestic life. the finnish spitz has been the national dog of finland since 1979. ==history== thumb|right|finnish spitz from 1915 the finnish spitz developed from selectively bred spitz-type dogs that inhabited central russia several thousand years ago. isolated finno-ugrian tribes in the far northern regions bred dogs according to their specific needs.the american kennel club, p.508. these small clans of woodsmen relied on their dogs to help them obtain food, and the excellent hunting ability of the finnish spitz made it a favorite choice.nicholas, p.6. by 1880, as advanced means of transportation brought diverse peoples and their dogs together, finnish spitzes mated with other breeds of dogs, and were becoming extinct as a distinct breed. at about that time, a finnish sportsman from helsinki named hugo roos observed the pure native finnish spitz while hunting in the northern forests. he realized the many virtues of the pure finnish spitz breed and decided to select dogs that were untainted examples of the genuine finnish spitz in order to try to rev
Dog_breeds Dog_breeds_originating_in_Finland Hounds National_symbols_of_Finland Rare_dog_breeds Scent_hounds