The Finnish Spitz is the National dog of Finland, where it is called Suomenpystykorva, or Finnish Cock Eared Dog. In early times the breed was also known as the Finnish Barking Bird dog.

Spitz-type ancestors of the Finnish Spitz were brought from central Russia by the tribes of Finno-Ugrian people into the area now known as Finland around 100 A.D. One clan settled in the isolated far north of Finland and developed an all purpose hunting dog - the Finnish Spitz.

The Finnish Kennel Club, which was established in 1889, recognized the breed in 1892 with the conformation standard suggested by Hugo Richard Sandberg. The standard was revised in 1897 and at that time the official breed name became Finnish Spitz. The standard was revised again in 1925 and the latest revision was made in 1996.

The first Finnish Spitz believed to have been imported to the United States was Cullabine Rudolph. This dog came from Griselda Price's Cullabine Kennels in England in 1959. Breeding in the United States began sometime in the mid - 1960's with Finnish imports belonging to Henry Davidson of Minnesota and Alex Hassel of Connecticut.

The Finnish Spitz Club of America was formed in 1975. The American standard for the breed was developed in 1976, based on the Finnish standard. The breed was accepted into the Miscellaneous Class in November 1983 and was approved for showing in this class beginning April 1984. The American Kennel Club opened its Stud Book for registration on August 1, 1987. The Finnish Spitz became eligible for competition at AKC licensed shows in the Non-Sporting Group on January 1, 1988.

In October 1992, the Finnish Spitz Club of America held its first National Specialty in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The F.S.C.A. was elected as a member club of the AKC in September 1993.