Any of several northern dogs, including the chow chow , Pomeranian , and Samoyed , characterized by a dense, long coat, erect pointed ears, and a tail that curves over the back.
In the U.S., the name is often given to any small, white, long-haired dog; it is also used for the American Eskimo dog . European breeds include the Finnish spitz, with a bright reddish brown coat, and the Lapland spitz, which has a white, brown, or blackish coat.