Breed: Japanese Spitz

Sex: Female

Date of Birth: 06/02/2013

Measurements: 

Neck circumference: 34cm

Length (base of neck to tail): 34cm

Height (floor to shoulder): 36cm

Height (floor to top of head) 52cm

Chest circumference: 51cm

Weight: 10kg

Kiki the Japanese Spitz is an absolute superstar of a dog.  She has so much to her repertoire that she is truly remarkable.  

She has an infallible bond with her handler and the duo have become recognised nationally for their achievements for the breed.  Together, they are partners in crime and Kiki has stolen the hearts of many who have met her.

Similar in appearance to the smaller Pomeranian and larger Samoyed breed, the Japanese Spitz has a history all of its own and is thought to originate in Japan in the early 20th Century.  Their unique all-white fluffy appearance is simply stunning.

Kiki has had three litters of puppies (though she is now retired) and in 2021 her human was recognised as #2 Top Japanese Spitz Breeder UK.  Her human is  incredibly accomplished in all areas of the dog world and particularly recognised for her training capabilities.  Together with her handler, Kiki has worked to help many young handlers gain confidence in showing.  She loves the attention and adores children.

This dog has a strong family bond to an almost psychic level.  In her younger years, Kiki, who never licks anyone or anything (way too posh for that), approached her human grandmother and licked her chest.  Within a fortnight, her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer.  It is now understood that Kiki has an extra sense when it comes to her family.  She’s really one in a million.

Kiki the Japanese Spitz is adept at ring craft, agility and obedience training and has a wide range of talents.  She has an unrivalled skills list that is particularly suited to the filming world because of her abilities.

Training with Kiki is a breeze, particularly as this breed is naturally intelligent.  Kiki is incredibly obedient and eager to please her experienced handler.  She is capable of learning new tricks when required and can also work sequenced tricks so is happy to perform to script.  Kiki is super chilled about everything and handles set work with aplomb. 

This very friendly and sociable lady will be anyone’s best friend for a dog treat and because of this, she’s capable of working with strange actors that she hasn’t met before.   Due to her work with her handler, she’s experienced at working with children and is a steady and reliable dog when child actors are involved in shooting.

In her work, Kiki has been used to train other dogs social skills if they’ve had issues with their behaviour.  She’s super chilled and eager to please, making all work effortless.  As she is food motivated, she’s easy to handle in most circumstances.

Due to her impeccable training, Kiki is able to work with other dogs of any breed or size, and most other animals including small furries.

With numerous 1st prizes, countless class placings and many Best of Breed certifications, Kiki has placed third at Crufts twice, a standard that is highly respected the world over. Her show ring experience ensures that she copes with large events effortlessly and film work is no different.

Slightly larger than average size for a Japanese Spitz, yet still a small dog, Kiki does have an appearance akin to a miniature wolf.  She’s really quite striking and is a wonderful candidate for professional photography.

Kiki is happy to wear dog clothes and accessories which is great for fashion shoots.  She’s also happy to do product placement work, posing in different positions alongside commercial products when required.

Her brilliant white fluffy coat oozes class and Kiki looks brilliant in themed shoots surrounding elegance and the finer things in life.

This breed characteristically has a wedge-shaped face with large dark ‘almond’ shaped eyes that are set at a slightly slanted angle. Kiki’s eyes are like a window to the soul and it’s easy to capture emotive shots with her.

The cuddly teddy bear appearance that the Japanese Spitz is famous for allows for cute family themed photography.  Don’t rule out action shots for Kiki; she’s excellent at agility and her long skills list means she can manoeuvre her body in a variety of ways that enables captivating photography.

Her ability to work with other animals opens up a wide range of photographic opportunities and her all white colouring means that she’s easy to place against any colour palette.

Despite Kiki’s veteran status, this lady is still young at heart and more than capable of stellar performances.  She is a real professional with bags of event experience and unrivalled prizes and qualifications.  Kiki’s impressive skills list coupled with her experience make her one excellent dog actor.  

Credits:

Daily Mail – Crufts editorial and photoshoot

Kennel Club Good Citizen – Bronze, Silver & Gold Awards

British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers – Bronze, Silver & Gold Awards

Crufts – Third prize 2015

Crufts – Third prize 2016

Best Veteran in Breed 2021 – British Utility Breed Association Championship Show
Best Veteran in show 2021 – Northern Japanese Spitz Club
Best Veteran Bitch 2021 – Northern Japanese Spitz Club
4 x Best AVNSC – Open shows 
Reserve Best Of Breed – Open show