Mittelspitz grooming Berlin: ruff, trousers, never shave

According to the American Kennel Club, you should brush a Mittelspitz every few days and give them a thorough groom about once a week. Their thick double coat isn't clipped; we remove knots and loose undercoat by hand. Here at GroomRoom in Berlin Charlottenburg, we groom Spitz dogs Tuesday to Saturday by appointment. A Full Groom starts at 79 € and takes 120 minutes for dogs up to 15 kg according to our booking catalogue.

What kind of coat does a Mittelspitz have?

According to the American Kennel Club, a Mittelspitz has a thick, fluffy double coat that needs regular grooming. The breed originates from Central Europe and was originally bred for freezing temperatures. The German Spitz comes in a small, medium, and large variety.

The double coat consists of two layers. The undercoat is the soft, dense hair close to the skin that protects against cold and heat. Above it lies the topcoat, which is made up of coarser guard hairs that repel moisture and shield the skin. Around the neck, the Spitz's coat forms a lush ruff, and on the hind legs, long trousers.

The British animal charity PDSA states a weight of 7 to 11 kg for the medium German Spitz. They classify its coat as medium-length. This puts the Mittelspitz in our size category of up to 15 kg.

How often should you brush a Mittelspitz?

Brush your Mittelspitz every few days and plan a thorough grooming session about once a week, as recommended by the American Kennel Club. The PDSA goes further and advises daily grooming to keep their thick coat in good condition. Our recommendation for Spitz dogs is to brush them at home several times a week.

For a double coat, the American Kennel Club recommends a slicker brush followed by a comb. A slicker brush has fine, closely spaced wire pins. It removes dead hair and distributes the natural oils throughout the coat.

Here's how to do it at home:

1. Get a medium slicker brush and a comb ready, or a soft slicker brush for puppies.
2. Brush section by section with gentle strokes right down to the skin.
3. Run the brush through the coat without scratching the skin.
4. Go over each section with a comb afterwards to make sure no knots are left behind.
5. While brushing, look out for burrs, plant debris, mats, small cuts and scratches.

A Spitz loses a lot of undercoat during shedding season. Our guide Removing undercoat during shedding season explains how to brush it out step by step.

Where does a Spitz's coat mat first?

According to the American Kennel Club, mats often form behind the ears and under the legs. On a Spitz, this also includes the thick ruff and the trousers, as the coat is longest there. Always check these areas first when brushing.

According to the American Kennel Club, the hair between the toes also mats easily. This often requires a careful trim by a professional. That's why we trim the hair on a Mittelspitz's paws, while keeping the ruff and trousers long.

An unkempt double coat can get tangled, irritate the skin and leave hair all over your home. You can find more tips on tackling knots in our guide Preventing mats in your dog's coat.

Can you shave a Mittelspitz?

At GroomRoom, we don't shave a Spitz, as we demat double-coated breeds by hand. According to the American Kennel Club, shaving doesn't stop shedding. It damages the topcoat and can increase the risk of skin problems and sunburn.

The undercoat insulates your dog in winter and keeps their skin dry. In hot weather, it allows air to reach the skin, keeping it cool and dry. Shaving strips a Spitz of this protective layer.

Groomer Dale Martins describes one exception in the American Kennel Club: when the coat is so matted that the skin underneath can no longer dry. If your dog's coat is heavily matted, we'll discuss the best solution with you before we start. We never pull on mats, but work carefully step by step.

We can plan a shorter style without using clippers during your dog grooming consultation. Drop-in consultations at the salon are available on weekdays and are completely free.

How we groom a Mittelspitz in the salon

A Spitz appointment follows the same process as any Full Groom. We take our time, include breaks, and pay close attention to your dog's wellbeing the entire time.

1. Arrival: Your Spitz can have a good sniff around the salon before we get started.
2. Coat check: We feel the ruff, trousers, and the areas behind the ears for any knots.
3. Bathing: In the Hydra tub, we wash your dog using pH-neutral natural products from LT and Ecopets.
4. Drying and brushing: While drying, we remove loose undercoat and untangle knots by hand.
5. Finishing touches: We trim the nails, tidy the hair around the paws, and clean the eyes, ears, and hygiene areas.

We adjust our grooming tables to the right height so your dog doesn't have to be lifted. You can watch from outside through the shop window.

How much does dog grooming for a Mittelspitz cost in Berlin?

A Full Groom for a Mittelspitz at our salon in Charlottenburg starts at 79 €. We'll give you a final, binding price before the appointment after assessing your dog in person. All prices include VAT.

Minor tangles are included in the price. You can pay on collection in cash, by debit card, credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You can compare all our packages on our pricing page.

How often does a Mittelspitz need to go to the dog groomer?

A Mittelspitz usually visits our salon every 6 to 10 weeks, and you should brush them several times a week in between. According to the American Kennel Club, exactly how often depends on your home care routine, your dog's coat and the climate.

If a double coat isn't brushed weekly, the undercoat can become compacted and trap moisture against the skin. Regular appointments with a professional prevent this. Redness, pain, broken skin or severe itching, on the other hand, are a case for the vet.

A Spitz puppy can come in for a puppy introduction groom without a haircut after their second vaccination. The appointment takes 45 to 60 minutes and costs 89 € for dogs up to 10 kg.

Book your appointment with a Spitz specialist

For Spitzes with a thick double coat, Alina and Natalie are our Pomeranian specialists. You can find out more about her work in the profile of Alina, Senior Groomer. How we work with their smaller relatives is described in our guide to Pomeranian grooming in Berlin.

You'll find us at Giesebrechtstraße 2, 10629 Berlin. By train, you can reach us via U7 Adenauerplatz (5-minute walk), U1 and U9 Kurfürstendamm (10 minutes). Parking is available on Giesebrechtstraße and Brandenburgische Straße.

You can choose your package, groomer, day and time yourself 24/7: book an appointment online.

Case studies from the salon

Real appointments from GroomRoom, prices as charged (as of September 2026). The final price depends on the coat condition and will be confirmed before we start.

Pomeranian

Before

Pomeranian after six months without a salon visit, undercoat matted in places.

Treatment

Full Grooming with dematting and Pomeranian surcharge: brushing out the undercoat, bath, blow-dry, styling without clippers.

Duration

2.5 hours

Price

165 to 180 €

Groomer

Team GroomRoom

Example image

Golden Retriever

Before

Very anxious Golden Retriever, first salon visit, lots of loose undercoat.

Treatment

Full groom with breaks and a second person: bath, long blow-dry with deshedding of the undercoat, paws, nails, ears; no clipping of the double coat.

Duration

around 3 hours

Price

209 to 240 €

Groomer

Team GroomRoom