The Finnish Spitz is a spirited, alert breed known for their fox-like appearance and cheerful demeanor. Often called Finland’s national dog, these vocal and active dogs thrive on physical activity and outdoor adventures. To keep them at their best, Finnish Spitzes require a balanced diet that supports their energy levels, lean muscle mass, and thick double coat. Whether they’re out on a hike or alerting you to the presence of birds, proper nutrition is key. At Petabolix, we’ve curated the best food recommendations for Finnish Spitzes, ensuring they receive the right nutrients to stay happy, healthy, and full of life.

Breed Summary

The Finnish Spitz is an ancient breed with a history rooted in Finland, where they were originally bred as hunting dogs for tracking small game and birds. Known for their keen sense of smell and incredible vocal abilities, Finnish Spitzes are sometimes called “barking bird dogs” for their role in alerting hunters with their distinctive yodel-like bark. These medium-sized dogs have a striking fox-like appearance, with a dense, golden-red coat, pointed ears, and an expressive face that matches their playful, intelligent personality.

Finnish Spitzes are highly active and thrive in environments where they can exercise their natural instincts, such as tracking, hunting, or engaging in outdoor play. They are known for their loyalty to their families and are particularly good with children, making them great family pets. However, their vocal nature means they can be quite chatty, which is something to consider if you live in close quarters.

With their high energy levels, Finnish Spitzes require a lot of physical activity and mental stimulation to stay content. Regular exercise is essential, as is a nutrient-dense diet that supports their stamina and overall health. Additionally, their thick double coat needs proper care to stay healthy, and their diet plays a role in keeping their coat shiny and full.

Vet’s Note

The Finnish Spitz is generally a healthy breed but can be prone to certain health issues. Hip dysplasia and patellar luxation are potential concerns due to their active lifestyle, so feeding a diet rich in glucosamine and chondroitin can help support joint health. Additionally, their thick coat can sometimes lead to skin sensitivities, so omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important for promoting skin and coat health. Maintaining a balanced weight through proper nutrition is also essential to prevent unnecessary strain on their joints and keep them agile and active.

Health Considerations for Finnish Spitzs

Dental

A Finnish Spitz's teeth and gums are always under plaque attack, which forms naturally from food particles and other bacteria. Dogs aren’t too concerned about having pretty white teeth, but dental care is critical for oral health. Bacteria in the mouth can even affect internal organs, like the heart, liver and kidneys, so there are certain things below we like to see in food or supplements to combat these threats to Finnish Spitzs. Learn more about how to take care of your dog's teeth.

Puffy/crunch kibbles (bigger)
Sodium hexametaphosphate
Treats based on solubility, not hardness

Gut

Think of your Finnish Spitz's gut like a diverse community of bacteria and other microbes that work together to keep the body healthy. Keeping all these balanced is very important for overall health, including digestive, mental, and immune well-being. For these reasons, we prefer Finnish Spitz food that support the GI system and supplements that contain attributes below. Learn more about gut and digestive health in dogs and how to keep a dog's gut healthy.

Prebiotics
Probiotics
Fermented foods

Bone & Joint

It’s very common for breeds like the Finnish Spitz to develop discomfort or pain in their joints and bones, especially as they age. Some of these issues are hereditary, and some come from wear and tear over time. We can’t usually prevent these problems, but proper nutrition and weight management will do wonders in minimizing pain in our beloved pets. We always make sure diets include the ingredients below. Learn more about joint health in dogs.

Glucosamine
Methylsulfonymethane
Chondroitin
Omega-3 from Fish Oil
Green Mussel
Taurine
Turmeric
Vitamin E
Antioxidants

Cognitive

Puppy and senior Finnish Spitzs need a little extra brain power in their nutrition plans. In the early years, puppy brains are developing quickly and need a healthy flow of vitamins to help them grow strong. Once they hit senior years, brain function can deteriorate and we like to supplement their diets with nutrients that will keep them sharp. Learn more about cognitive nutrition for dogs.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Vitamin E
Vitamin C
L-carnitine

Eye

The only thing better than looking into your Finnish Spitz’s eyes is looking into your Finnish Spitz’s healthy eyes. All dogs are susceptible to degenerative vision and eye function, but supplementing their diets with things like beta carotene, lutein, EPA, DHA, and other nutrients can help maintain quality vision. Learn more about eye nutrition for dogs.

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Anthocyanins
Astaxanthin
Beta-carotene
Carotenoids
Glutathione
Lutein
Lycopene
Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Phytonutrients

Skin & Coat

Skin is a Finnish Spitz’s largest organ, and it plays a huge role in protecting from the outside world. Just think — weather, allergies, stress, parasites — all these things are trying to get under your dog’s skin. A healthy outer layer is key to avoiding irritants that may irritate or infect. And pay close attention to their coat. Unhealthy looking (or smelling) fur can mean bigger problems. To keep Finnish Spitz skin & coats healthy, we recommend that diets contain ingredients below. Learn more about skin nutrition for dogs and the dog foods focused on a healthy coat..

GLA
ALA
Omega-3 fatty acids
Vitamin E
Vitamins and choline
Flaxseed/fish oil
Antioxidants
Probiotics

Heart

Chances are, if you’re doing what’s right for your Finnish Spitz’s heart, you’re doing what’s right for his or her health overall. Proper exercise, weight management, and nutrition are all key to a healthy ticker. Most heart issues in dogs are a result of normal wear and tear with age, so heart-focused diets with taurine and omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil could be the gift of a lifetime for your Finnish Spitz. Learn more about heart nutrition for dogs.

Taurine
Carnitine
Omega-3 fatty acids
Antioxidants
Complete protein
Low sodium

Immune

There is a powerful little army inside your Finnish Spitz (the immune system) that protects the body from bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins and countless other microscopic predators. As pet parents, our job is to keep this army strong, conditioned, and well-supplied. Most of the battle is won in the gut, so a balanced diet plus probiotics and antioxidants are key for victory. Learn more about immune system nutrition for dogs.

Antioxidants
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Omega-3 fatty acids
Fish oil
Coconut oil

Weight Management & Obesity

There is nothing more important than keeping your Finnish Spitz at a healthy weight. Even a little excess poundage can cause a wide variety of health problems, including the pain of extra burden on their joints. Unfortunately, almost half of dogs in the US are overweight. Let’s fight dog obesity together by giving our dogs appropriate exercise and managing their caloric intake. If your Finnish Spitz needs to shed a little weight, look for diets with these labels below. Learn more about weight management and obesity for dogs and how to tell if your dog is overweight.

Low calorie
Low fat
Large bites (to slow chewing)
L-carnitine

Are Fresh Food Diets Good for Finnish Spitzs?

Only if they’re properly balanced.

Many well-intentioned Finnish Spitz parents spend a lot of time preparing meals at home, but health benefits are lost if meals aren’t properly portioned and balanced with all the nutrients dogs need. Recently, a few companies have done an excellent job ensuring accurate portions and nutrient balance by delivering pre-prepped fresh meals customized to the size and needs of your dog. Farmer’s Dog, Ollie and Nom Nom have each been approved by our nutrition team as delivering truly quality and well-balanced meals. They can be a little expensive (usually 3-4x more per day than kibble), but many find the added health benefits worth the cost. They do offer discounts to new customers, though, if you’d like to try one out.

Pros and Cons of Fresh Food Diets

✓ Diets balanced by Nutritionists
✓ Customized portions for weight control
✓ Superior digestive and immune health
✕ More expensive than standard dog food

Farmer's Dog

"Fresh, human-grade dog food"
Ollie

"Healthy, Simple and Delicious"
Nom Nom

"Real, fresh, custom dog food"

Foods We Recommend for Finnish Spitz Puppies

How long do Finnish Spitzs need puppy food?
Until they're 10 to 12 months old

Finnish Spitzs are very focused on growing, and how we feed them should help them do just that. Since they have so much growing to do, they need higher amounts of nutrients than adult dogs, especially proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and — don’t forget — water. It’s still important to not overfeed puppies, so make sure to portion food and keep treats to no more than 10% of their caloric intake. Since balance is so important, we recommend that your young Finnish Spitz is eating food that is made just for puppies from a reputable brand.

Foods We Recommend for Finnish Spitz Adults

When should Finnish Spitzs start transitioning to adult food?
Until they're 10 to 12 months old

From a nutrition standpoint, Finnish Spitz become adults once they reach about 90% of their expected weight. Once adults, our two key nutrition goals are balance and maintenance. We want balance because a dog’s body is responsible for a lot of things, like digestion, fighting infection, keeping muscles strong, and chasing squirrels. These are all important tasks, so we want to make sure each body function gets its share of nutrients. We also need to maintain a healthy weight. Underfed dogs are at risk for malnourishment, and overfed dogs can become obese — both of which lead to even worse problems for a Finnish Spitz.

Foods We Recommend for Finnish Spitz Seniors

When should Finnish Spitzs start transitioning to senior food?
All dogs can age differently, but Small dogs like the Finnish Spitz can start to benefit from senior food around 8 to 10 years old

Ever watch kids running around the playground and wish you had that energy again? Yeah. Dogs get there, too. The metabolic processes in senior Finnish Spitzs slow down as they age, which often means they aren’t needing quite as many calories as they did in their prime. Smart dog food companies have formulated senior diets to ease up on calories but still help them feel full and give them adequate maintenance protein. Still, like humans, everybody is different. Sometimes older dogs need just as many calories, or more, depending on how their bodies progress. So keep a close eye on their body condition, and look for dog foods made for seniors.

What are the Best Dog Foods for the Finnish Spitz?

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