The Japanese Spitz is a playful and gregarious dog who loves their family.
When you consider their beauty and conveniently small size, you may be surprised to learn that they are very difficult to find in the United States.
Their rarity can affect their price, but maybe not in the way that you expect.
How much does a Japanese Spitz cost? You can expect to pay around $1,500 for a Japanese Spitz with no breeding rights. Because you are unlikely to be near a breeder, you may need to pay upwards of $500 more to ship the dog to you. If you want breeding rights, expect to pay considerably more.
Take a look at what to consider if you are thinking about adding a Japanese Spitz to your family, from what to look for in a breeder to what affects the price of your new Japanese Spitz.
Japanese Spitz Breeders
Breeder |
Price |
Location |
| JS Puppies | $1,600 | California |
| Margaretta Farnon | $1,575 | Carmarthenshire, U.K. |
| Kiraleea Japanese Spitz | Not listed ($200 wait list). | Wisconsin |
| Shanspitz | Not listed. | Australia |
| Imag Japanese Spitz | Not listed. | California |
| Konalae Kennels | Not listed. | Texas |
What Affects the Cost?
Japanese Spitz are adorable little dogs who love to stick with their families no matter what. Therefore, it is a surprise to many people that these dogs are quite difficult to find in the United States.
There are not yet enough of these dogs to warrant AKC registration at this time.
This can keep costs down, as breeders work to perfect lines and sell pet-quality dogs at a reasonable price. It can also raise costs since it is so hard to find these dogs.
Registration with UKC or Country Breed Club
While Japanese Spitz cannot be registered with the AKC, they can be registered with the UKC.
Registration is likely to raise the price of this dog. If you are getting your Japanese Spitz from another country, they may be registered with a kennel club in their home country.
A developing breed like this one must have good records distinguishing it from other breeds.
If you have any interest in breeding your Japanese Spitz, it is essential to be careful about registration when you choose your puppy.
Registration with American Rare Breed Association
The Japanese Spitz is extremely rare in America, so it is not yet registered with the AKC.
Until numbers reach a point where AKC registration is warranted, Japanese Spitz can be registered with the American Rare Breed Association.
This association exists to highlight breeds that are still developing or are very rare in America.
Patella Luxation
The Japanese Spitz tends to be a very healthy and active breed. They generally live to be 12 or 14 years old and are often happy and active throughout their lifespan.
The only hereditary defect that is relatively common in the breed is luxating patella. Therefore, responsible breeders screen for luxating patella in their breeding stock.
Shipping
Japanese Spitz are hard to find, so you may choose to ship your dog rather than drive to get it.
These dogs can be safely shipped, but it increases the price considerably, especially if you are having them shipped for a considerable distance.
Choosing a Good Japanese Spitz Breeder
Because breeders of Japanese Spitz can be so hard to find, choosing a good one can be even more challenging than with other breeds.
You may be tempted to take what you can find if you can get your hands on a Japanese Spitz puppy.
If you truly want a purebred Japanese Spitz who will be a great part of your family or even a potential breeding program, choose your breeder carefully.
Health Clearances
Your breeder should clear their Japanese Spitzes for luxating patella. They should never breed a dog who suffers from this disability.
Ideally, your breeder will be able to prove patella clearances for their dogs for several generations.
Foundation Stock
Look for a breeder who has taken their Japanese Spitz foundation stock from diverse sources. Because these dogs are rare, it can be hard to find unrelated lines of them.
Good breeders often import their dogs from all over the world to ensure that they have genetic diversity in their foundation stock.
Dogs from such lines will be healthier and produce healthier puppies, but they may cost more.
Living Conditions
The Japanese Spitz is a family dog who thrives when they are close to their people.
Furthermore, these small dogs can easily be housed indoors, even if you have an entire litter growing up.
These dogs should not be kept in cages or kennels or live outdoors. They should be raised with the breeder as part of the family and handled from the time that they are very young.
Grooming
Japanese Spitz have coats that repel dirt as long as they are brushed regularly. Even if the breeder’s dogs are playing outdoors, their coats should be lush and white with regular brushing.
It is not uncommon to see a dedicated Japanese Spitz breeder pick up several of their dogs for casual brushing in the midst of a conversation.
Other Costs of Japanese Spitz Ownership
The Japanese Spitz, like other Spitz dogs, tends to be a very healthy breed, so most owners won’t have to worry about paying for lots of medical costs.
These small dogs don’t consume a lot of food or treats either. In general, owning a Japanese Spitz is not very expensive compared to some other dog breeds.
However, some costs are specific to Japanese Spitz ownership that you may not pay with another breed.
Fur Management
Unless you want your house to be covered in white fluff, you will need to work to manage your dog’s fur.
Many people find that robotic vacuums are the best way to continuously pick up dropped hair from the floor.
You may need a special attachment for your handheld vacuum as well to clean furniture.
Grooming
You can certainly groom your Japanese Spitz yourself, but many people choose to bring their dog to the groomer for thorough brushings, occasional baths, nail trims, etc.
This lush coat could take some time to brush out, so expect to pay fairly high prices at the groomer.
Temperature Control
Some dogs don’t mind if you turn the thermostat up a bit when you go to work, but your Japanese Spitz needs comfortable temperatures all of the time, thanks to that beautiful, thick, double coat.
Is a Japanese Spitz breeding program a good investment?
If you are enthralled by the Japanese Spitz, you have surely noticed how difficult they are to find. You may be wondering whether it’s worth investing in a breeding program yourself.
These delightful dogs are very popular among their fans, but they are still very rare for some good reasons.
This emerging breed is not yet able to be registered with the AKC, which limits how much participation they can have in shows, agility competitions, and other activities.
It is not yet clear whether the breed will become popular enough to warrant an AKC registration or not, though the breed was added to the Foundation Stock Program in April 2019.
Importing enough dogs from different lines to establish a good bloodline can be very expensive.
Because these dogs are so rare, finding a dog to stud if you choose to have a female can require some travel.
Think hard about whether you are serious about committing to this breed before embarking on a breeding program.
To learn more about this breed, be sure to read our Japanese Spitz Fun Facts.
Related Question:
What is an easy-to-find alternative to the Japanese Spitz?
Are you in love with the fluffy, white dog that is the Japanese Spitz, but worried about the difficulty of finding these dogs and the fact that they are not registered with the AKC?
The American Eskimo dog is an awesome alternative. To the casual observer, these dogs are almost indistinguishable from the Japanese Spitz.
They have many important characteristics in common with the Japanese Spitz besides their beautiful looks, such as a quick intelligence and an outgoing personality but are available in three separate sizes.
