Grooming a German Spitz Puppy in India is less about appearance than about catching problems early. Ten minutes with your hands in the coat finds the tick or the hot spot while it is still nothing.
Bathing: less than you think
Over-bathing strips the coat's oils and causes more skin trouble than it prevents. What matters more is drying thoroughly afterwards.
Ears and paws
Check between the pads after every outing, and check the ears. A yeasty smell from an ear is the earliest sign of infection and the cheapest moment to treat it.
The routine
Twice a week for a small dog, hands through the coat rather than a brush skimmed over the top. You are feeling for mats near the skin, scabs, ticks and damp patches.
The hot months
Coat thinning, hydration and protection from hot ground. A small dog will keep going past the point it should, so the limit has to come from you.
Balancing lively against alert
Breeds described as both lively and alert need the two managed together rather than separately. With a small dog that usually means a predictable routine first and training second - the routine is what makes the training stick.
The monsoon
Damp is the whole problem: fungal skin trouble, ear infections and bedding that never quite dries. A drying routine that is actually followed prevents most of it.
A breed from Germany, living in India
The German Spitz Puppy was developed in Germany. The part that travels badly is rarely temperament - it is the coat and the tolerance for heat. Plan the year around that and most of the rest follows.
