Origins
The exact origins of spitz-type dogs are not known, though most of the spitz-types seen today originate from the Arctic or East Asian regions. The type was described as Canis pomeranus by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revision of Systema naturae in 1788 (printed in English in 1792.)
There is no archaeological evidence showing transition stages between the wolf and the often-similar spitz-type dogs. Skeletal remains up to 5,000 years old suggest it is far more likely that the ancestors of spitz types mated with wolves. In recent genetic testing of dog breeds, many spitz-types were found to be in the group closest to wolves, presumed to be the oldest types of dogs.
Humans have intentionally mated spitz-types with wolves in more recent times to achieve or maintain the wolf-like appearance.
Read more about this topic: Spitz
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