Indian Spitz: How to train them?

Indian Spitz: How to train them?

Bred in the 1850s, the Indian Spitz breed was introduced by the British in India. It is a cross between German Spitz dog and Indian Pariah dog. They were bred so that they could adapt to the Indian weather conditions, at the same time retaining the intelligence of the German Spitz. And without any doubt, Indian Spitz is a great breed to have as a pet. 

Indian Spitz are intelligent dogs that are quick to learn

Be it a small apartment, or a big house, these intelligent dogs adapt to any surroundings. In fact, not just the environment, but the people too. Above that, they are very quick learners too. Thus, their training is a smooth sail, and you should begin when they are young. A few things that you can start with are:

General commands

Give them commands for ‘sit’, ‘stand’, or ‘fetch’, and reward them right after they follow your instructions. This will let them know that their action was appreciated.

Crate training

For best training, get them a crate that is appropriate to their size.

Socialise

Indian Spitz are social dogs. They enjoy being around people and other dogs. So, let them have company whenever you can.

Traits to Watch Out For

Although they are social, affectionate, and highly trainable, there are some things that you’ll have to be cautious about. Some of them are:

Small Dog Syndrome

Being small in size, an Indian Spitz might develop this syndrome i.e. trying to be the tough one to compensate for the size. That is why it is important that you establish your supremacy right from the beginning. To do that, here are some things that you can do:

  • Go out or come in through the door first
  • Eat first, and serve the dog its the meal after you are done
  • Make your Indian Spitz move if it is in your way, don’t find your way around it
  • Pay attention when you want, and not when it demands. This way, you are not letting it set the rules.

Separation anxiety

They don’t handle being left alone very well. So, you must start preparing them for this early. Leave them at home for short durations of time so that they get used to it.

Barking

This is a very vocal dog breed. They enjoy barking and howling loudly. The reasons can range from protection, alarm, attention seeking, fear, boredom, to separation anxiety. 

Since they don’t need a lot of exercise, you can tire them well every day and prevent this behaviour to some extent. 

Prey Drive

They have a high impulse to catch a prey, which could be a cat or any other smaller animal. That’s why, try to keep them on a leash, especially on roads or at places where the risk of your dog getting hurt is higher. 

You must have realised by now that training an Indian Spitz dog is not going to be a task. In fact, before you know it, they might pick up and learn a lot of things just by observing you! They are that smart at observing human behaviour! So, watch your step(s), hooman! 😉