Felix & the gardener's trousers

The most remarkable German Spitz I ever met was named Felix. Like all Spitzes, he had a strong sense of his master's property. Nothing came into the house that he didn't immediately register and include in his extremely precise inventory list. Nothing could be gotten out of the house without Felix protesting violently, loudly and persistently.

One day his master gave a pair of trousers to the gardener who had pruned the bushes and roses. The next morning, Felix was gone. It wasn't until late in the evening that he reappeared, growling, grumbling and completely exhausted. However, he couldn't stand on his own four paws - he was hanging on to the pants that still had the gardener in them. The man had been working a few blocks away. Suddenly a ball of white fur flew over the fence, pounced on the gardener, barking and baring its teeth, and bit into his pants.

They had tried friendly persuasion, threats and a few slaps. A bucket of cold water had been poured over Felix's head and a veal bone was held under his nose - Felix wanted the trousers and nothing else. Finally, the gardener had no choice but to go to Felix's master with the dog on his leg. He, in turn, had no choice but to go to the gardener's wife to get a pair of trousers from there, in which the gardener was then allowed to leave without being criticized, accompanied by happy, peaceful barking. Felix's vigilance, which you can certainly describe as excessive, is a characteristic feature of all Spitzes. However, if it is said that they are more attached to their master's property than to the master himself, then they are being slandered. But one thing can be said without reservation: the Spitz in the house saves the alarm system!

Why does the Spitz have a bad reputation?

He doesn't roam, he doesn't poach, and even the most attractive bitch can't lure him away. A Spitz is imbued with the belief that his master's house would have long since been demolished stone by stone if he had not defended it with his never-tiring vigilance. Felix's master told me his dog must have a sixth sense. Even if a visitor is not visible for a long time, the dog announces him loudly. Of course, Felix doesn't have a sixth sense. But, like all dogs, he has extremely sensitive hearing. For example, he can hear the ticking of a pocket watch up to a distance of 13 meters. The human ear fails after just 1.70 meters.

This gift, which every dog has, is primarily a kind of radar system for the Spitz to locate every visitor in good time, suspect them of dishonest intentions and bark. This has given the Spitz a reputation as a barker. And he also barks more often than other dogs. But you shouldn't blame him. Anyone who takes their guardianship as seriously as he does is naturally suspicious. And how else could he express this distrust if not in his dog language!