Japanese Spitz
The Japanese Spitz has a long white coat with a soft layer underneath. It sheds, and it sheds a lot. Most owners book a wash and dry every eight weeks. Brushing at home carries the weeks in between. The white coat is easier than it looks.
- Coat type
- Long Double
- Groom every
- 8 weeks
- Brushing at home
- Line brush twice a week
- Shedding
- Heavy, and much heavier when the coat drops
- Watch for
- Behind the ears, the ruff and the trousers
- Time in the salon
- About 45 minutes for a Luxe Wash and Dry
What the coat is like
The Japanese Spitz has a double coat. The top layer is long and straight, and it stands off the body. Under it sits a soft, dense layer. That soft layer is the one that fills your house with hair. Dogs NSW says the breed drops its coat once a year in males and twice a year in females. The white coat sheds dirt as it dries.
Why eight weeks
Twice a year the soft layer lets go in clumps. If it stays in the coat, it packs down behind the ears and on the trousers. A bath and a proper blow dry push that loose hair out. This is why we dry to the skin and not just the top. Eight weeks fits most Japanese Spitz. Come in sooner during a heavy drop.
No shaving, whatever the weather. The coat holds heat off the skin as well as in, and regrowth is not guaranteed.
Home care between grooms
- Line brush twice a week. Hold the coat back with one hand and work a thin band at a time, from the skin out. Brush a thin line of hair at a time, down at the skin. Brushing the top alone misses the hair underneath.
- Give the ruff, the trousers and behind the ears the most time. That is where it packs first.
- Rinse muddy paws and let them dry. Most of the dirt then falls out.
Line brushing, shown by iGroomHub, our partner. This is how our groomers brush, and it is the way to do it at home.
What you need at home
- Slicker brush
This is the brush you line brush with. Follow it with the comb.
- Steel comb
Run it down to the skin. If it stops, you have found a knot.
- Shampoo and conditioner
A proper wash loosens the dead hair so the dry can lift it out. Our range is made with chemists: 100% natural, vegan and palm oil free.
What we do for the Japanese Spitz at WOOOF
Most Japanese Spitz book a Luxe Wash and Dry. That is a bath, a deep dry to the skin, a brush out, ears and nails. It takes about 45 minutes. We add Deshedding when the soft layer is on the move. Deshedding pulls the loose hair out instead of taking the coat off. Puppies start in the Happy Puppy Club.
What a Japanese Spitz groom costs
Set to a small dog with a long double coat. That is where most Japanese Spitz sit. Add Deshedding if your dog is dropping coat.
Showing the lowest prices, for a small dog with a long double coat. Pick your dog’s weight and coat to see their price.
Add to any service
- Teeth Brush$30
- Nail Trim$25
- Nail filing$15
- DemattingFrom $34quoted on arrival
- DesheddingFrom $34quoted on arrival
Specialist grooming and programmes
Grooming that is priced after a conversation, a consultation, a coat assessment or a programme rather than a standard slot.
Happy Puppy Club
Short, positive sessions that teach a puppy the salon is a good place, so their whole grooming life is easier. Start any time from their first vaccinations.
See how the club works →
Spa treatments
Hydrospa and therapeutic treatments for coat, skin and muscular health, for itchy skin, dull coats, and older dogs who feel their walks the next day.
Browse treatments →
Hand stripping
Terriers and Spaniels whose coats are better hand stripped, or stripped and clipped. Duration and price depend on the coat.
Talk to our team →
Asian freestyle groom
Soft, sculpted, toy-like styling by an award-winning stylist: rounded faces, fuller legs, even braids. For smaller dense or curly coats groomed every 4 weeks.
Talk to our team →Cancellations and late arrivals
Please give us 24 hours if plans change. Arriving more than 15 minutes late may mean we cannot finish the groom booked.
Safe handling fee
A $30 safe handling fee applies where a dog needs two groomers or extra time to stay safe and comfortable. We always call you first.
Ready when you are
You’re 2 minutes away from happiness. Our booking portal helps you select the right services for your dog and shows you live calendar availability.
Book nowService prices are a starting point. The exact price is confirmed at drop-off, based on grooming time, coat condition, size and any extra handling. Add-on prices are exact.
Common questions
How often does a Japanese Spitz need grooming?
Every eight weeks for a wash and dry, and sooner while the coat is dropping. Line brush twice a week at home.
Do Japanese Spitz shed?
Yes, and heavily. Males drop the soft layer once a year and females twice a year. A bath and a deep dry take out far more than a brush alone.
Where this comes from
Dogs NSW, Japanese Spitz. "It does shed its coat, once a year for males and twice a year for females."
Tripovich and others, Feeling the heat, Australian Veterinary Journal, 2025. A study of NSW dogs from 1997 to 2017. Deaths rose about 0.6% for each degree above 25°C, and 9.5% on days over 32°C. A double coat and a body weight over 15 kg were listed among the things that raise the risk.
RSPCA Australia, Why and how should I groom my dog? Brush knots out before they turn into mats.
PetSure, Pet Health Monitor 2026. Ear infections in adult dogs cost $473 on average to treat.
WOOOF groomers are not vets. We tell you what we see on the table and send you to your vet. Nothing here is vet advice.