Best dog food for a Finnish Spitz
The Finnish Spitz is a medium-sized breed originally used for hunting birds and small game across long days in cold conditions, which built a lean, athletic dog with a dense double coat rather than a heavily muscled one. That working background is a genuinely useful guide to what suits them at the bowl, even for dogs who never hunt.
Feeding a Finnish Spitz
A medium breed
An adult Finnish Spitz typically weighs 14–16 kg, so a healthy Finnish Spitz eats a moderate amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A medium breed is usually done growing at ~12 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 12–15 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
A high-energy dog eats like one
Finnish Spitzs sit at the top end for energy, and a dog working through an hour and a half of real exercise a day burns through the feeding guide faster than a dog on a short stroll. Feed to the dog's condition, not to the middle of the range on the bag.
How much should a Finnish Spitz weigh?
Adult 14–16 kgfully grown at ~12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 2.2–2.5 kg | 15% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 3.5–4 kg | 25% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 7–8 kg | 50% |
| ~12 months | Fully grown | 14–16 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a medium breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Finnish Spitz
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Finnish Spitz's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Burns Adult/Senior Weight Control Chicken and Oats
A low-fat weight control dry food for adult and senior dogs, oat-based
£35.99
Simpsons Dog Sensitive Lamb Potato
A grain-free lamb and potato dry food for dogs with sensitive skin or digestion
From£17.05
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
Burns Puppy Original Lamb & Rice
Complete Burns lamb and rice puppy food in a 2KG bag for up to 12 months
£14.99
A lean, stamina-built breed rather than a bulky one
Finnish Spitz were bred to work long days at a steady pace rather than short bursts of power, which favours a lean, efficient build over heavy muscle mass. A food pitched at sustained, moderate energy needs — rather than one aimed at short, intense bursts of activity — generally suits the breed's natural build well.
Because they are a genuinely active breed that also tends to be alert and busy even at rest, it is easy to overestimate how many calories a Finnish Spitz actually needs if they are a pet rather than a working dog. Match the food's calorie density to your individual dog's actual activity level rather than assuming a high-energy formula is automatically right.
The coat this breed carries
A Finnish Spitz has a dense double coat built for cold-weather work, which sheds heavily, particularly around a seasonal coat blow. A food with a reasonable fat content and named protein source supports coat condition, though regular brushing does more for managing the shedding itself than any dietary change will.
This is a generally robust breed without the widespread skin sensitivities seen in some others, so unless your individual dog shows a specific reaction, there is no particular need to seek out a specialised hypoallergenic formula for coat reasons alone.
Portion control for an alert, busy breed
Finnish Spitz are known for being vocal, alert and often quite active even indoors, which can make owners assume they need more food than they actually do if kept mainly as a pet rather than worked in the field. Judge your dog by feel — ribs easily felt with a light covering — rather than by temperament alone.
As with any breed, weigh food by the scoop or by kitchen scale consistently, and adjust the daily amount as your dog's actual exercise level changes through the seasons, since a working-style diet suits a genuinely active dog but overfeeds one who gets shorter walks in winter.
Common questions
- Is a Finnish Spitz an easy breed to feed?
- Generally yes — they are a robust breed without widespread dietary sensitivities, and a good-quality food matched to their actual activity level is usually all that is needed rather than anything specialised.
- Does a Finnish Spitz need a high-protein diet?
- Not necessarily a very high one — they are built for sustained, moderate activity rather than short, powerful bursts, so a food suited to steady energy needs generally suits them better than one formulated for explosive activity.
- Why does my Finnish Spitz shed so much?
- Their dense double coat, built for cold-weather work, sheds heavily, particularly during a seasonal coat blow. Regular brushing manages this far more effectively than any change of food, though a food supporting general coat condition can still help.
- How much should I feed a Finnish Spitz who isn't a working dog?
- Match the amount to their actual activity level rather than the breed's working history, since a pet Finnish Spitz getting moderate exercise needs noticeably less than one worked in the field all day. Judge by body condition and adjust as needed.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.