German Spitz (Mittel) vs Danish Broholmer - Breed Comparison

Originating in Germany, the German Spitz Mittel is an alert, vigilant dog and it is these qualities that made him sought after for working on farms.

He is no new breed and is the 3rd largest of the five German Spitz varieties. It is believed that the German Spitz descended from the Northern sled and herding dogs which arrived with the Vikings into Europe. When you do research you see that the dogs are mentioned in German literature which dates way back to to 1450 already.

The Danish Broholmer is also known as the Danish Mastiff. This is a large dog which comes from Denmark.

Known as a molosser breed, the dog used to fulfill a guard dog role in the home of wealthy Danish people. There are those who take one look at the dog’s size and build, and regard him as aggressive, when in fact he is a calm, good-tempered dog.

The origin of this large dog breed goes way back to the Middle Ages, although details of the dog’s origins are unknown. The Broholmer comes from mixing the English Mastiff and various local German breeds, being named after the Sehested of Broholm.

The dog all but became extinct during the Second World War. It was in 1974 that the Danish Kennel Club started looking to revive the breed. The breed was revived and the dog was imported to the United Kingdom in 2009. The Danish Broholmer has been recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

The German Spitz Mittel is similar in looks to the other sizes of German Spitz. The Mittel is a medium sized dog and stands between 30 and 38cm in height and weighs between 7 and 11kg. You’ll find him in solid colors such as tan, liver, white, fawn, black or a mix of these colors.

He has a soft woolly undercoat and a long outercoat with a mane-like ruff at the neck. He has a fairly long muzzle, dark eyes, sharp erect ears and a bushy tail which curls over his back.

Temperament:

Affectionate, faithful, and always happy by nature, the German Spitz Mittel is a family companion that wants to be part of everything his human family is up to. He makes a good watchdog. He is alert and has a distrust of strangers.

He gets on well with children in the home and he can also live in peace with other dogs. Because he is an intelligent dog, you won’t have much trouble with training- and socializing him, although he will require a firm, consistent owner and trainer.

Training and socialization are important as there are always some important commands such as sit, stay, come and lie down that you will want him to respond to immediately.

The Danish Broholmer is a large dog that looks familiar to the Mastiff. The dog stands roughly between 66 and 75cm and weighs between 40 and 60kg.

The body is strong and muscular and he has the large head of the molosser. The coat of the dog is short and harsh, with the color being fawn, light brown, yellowish or black. He is quite a heavy shedder and will require brushing twice a week.

The dog usually has a black mask.The muzzle is also large, the nose black. His ears are medium-sized, set high and floppy, the chest deep. The tail is long and carried downwards.

Temperament:

The Danish Broholmer is an awesome family pet who seems to go out of his way to please his human family. He is an intelligent dog and obedient by nature. Because he is so devoted to his human family, he wants to protect them too.

He is a non-aggressive dog and the best part about owning such a dog is that he is a gentle pet for the family but he still looks threatening to intruders.

The Danish Broholmer gets on well with children and pets in the home. However such a big dog needs to be trained and socialized and he could jump up against smaller people and unintentionally send them flying. Training will see to it that he responds well do simple commands such as ‘down’, ‘sit’, lie-down’ and ‘come’.

People who have owned a German Spitz Mittel are delighted with him, saying that he is such an easy-going, happy dog. He is social and thrives on the interaction he has with his human family.

He won’t do well if you simply put him in your backyard and forget about him, using him merely as a watchdog.

The German Spitz Mittel dog is one dog that definitely lives up to the title of man’s best friend. He is social, happy, loving, loyal, playful, entertaining and smart too, and when you treat him the way he deserves, you’ve got the most awesome friend.

Once people have owned a Danish Broholmer, they have got nothing but good comments about them. You hear words such as courageous, sweet, good-natured, playful and intelligent. Also if he believes his family is in danger he will want to protect them.

He is a great friend for child and adult and a fairly low maintenance breed too. He is an adaptable dog, but his size isn’t suited to small, cramped spaces. He will need to be exercised but this should be a pleasure as every human being can use some additional exercise themselves if they want to remain healthy.

Look after your wonderful amicable Danish Broholmer and he’ll shower you with his doggy love and devotion.

German Spitz dogs are healthy, and when you shower him with love and attention and good food, you can expect to have him around for up to 15 years of age.

Of course, as with any other healthy dog breeds, there are always one or two common dog illnesses that your dog may get. These include hip dysplasia and eye diseases. If you notice symptoms that indicate possible joint issues with your pet, get him to the vet immediately.

Patellar Luxation for instance occurs when your dog’s kneecap is dislocated. It is more common in toy breeds like the German Spitz. It can be painful for your pet and lead to lameness. If your dog has problems with his hip, it can actually force the patella out of its groove, which is a secondary condition.

The Danish Broholmer is a large dog who can consume quite a lot of food. With large dogs like these, there is often strain on the dog’s joints.

Also dogs with deep chests are also prone to gastric dilatation volvulus or bloat. In fact, large dogs can also suffer with obesity apart from joint problems. It is why they often live shorter lives than smaller dog breeds. Some points to consider with your large breed pet -

Nutrition is most important for puppies and your adult dog. Don’t overfeed your large breed puppy as he can grow too quickly so that his joints are at risk of injury.

Too much weight gain as well as too much exercise can increase the risk of your dog developing hip dysplasia. This is a hereditary disorder, causing problems with the hips. The disease can lead to terrible pain and sometime lameness. Always remember to keep the weight of your dog in a healthy range to prevent pressure on the joints.

Grooming:

You can help reduce loose hairs with your German Spitz by brushing his thick coat twice a week. It’s a good time to also inspect your dog for ticks and fleas.

Exercise:

Your German Spitz Mittel isn’t the most active dog, but he will still need regular exercise. Going on a walk is good for both you and him. He is a mentally sharp dog too and these walks keep him both physically- and mentally fit. He also loves ball games.

Diet:

Every dog deserves the best food, and if you feed your German Spitz Mittel with a commercially manufactured dog food, make sure its one of the top quality ones. You want to avoid foods packed with preservatives, colorants and fillers. You want dog foods with minerals and vitamins with high protein and ingredients such as Omega 3 and 6 to promote health skin.

There are also some dog foods which have ingredients in them such as polyphosphates. Ingredients like this keep your dog’s teeth clean.

Try and also give him some cooked rice, vegetables and chicken mixed into his kibble from time to time as well as raw meat. He should never be without fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

For his size, you’d be inclined to think that the Danish Broholmer will require a lot of exercise, but in fact he is much like any other other. He will love to join you on your daily walks and will readily run to fetch a ball.

Diet:

Your Danish Broholmer will require quality food manufactured exclusively for large dog breeds.

There are excellent manufactured dog foods out there and you can take the kibble and mix in some home-made foods from time to time such as cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken. He will also require some raw meat added into the diet occasionally.

Never leave him without a constant supply of cool, fresh water.