The Spitz is the oldest breed of dog in Central Europe and served as the progenitor of many European breeds. Well preserved specimens of Stone Age Peat Dogs, known as the Torfhund (Canis familiaris palustris Rüthimeyer) and dating back 6,000 years, have been found in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, England and Ireland and closely resemble modern European Spitz dogs. The term Spitz is derived from the Old Dutch language and literally translates as pointed peaks.

The Spitz was common in medieval times, and was valued as a watchdog, for vermin control, and guardian of livestock and vineyards. While the color of the small Spitz (klein, mittel) had no special meaning, the large Spitz (Gross spitz) had different areas of distribution and characteristics depending on the color. The white Gross spitz was mainly in northern and central Germany. He was a typical guardian of the farm and was v used for herding sheep (pommerscher Hütespitz). The white color is of particular importance to a herding dog, because it is so easy to distinguish it from the wolf over long distances and in the dark. The black Gross spitz were especially widespread in the southern German wine-growing regions. During the day, they guarded the yard, and at night, they were sent to the vineyards. The brown Gross spitz was also common in southern Germany. He was considered extinct for a long time. In 2011, the first brown Gross spitz was bred by backcrossing from the black Spitz. White, black, and brown are now bred and shown, although white is most common.

The Association for German Lace (Spitz) was founded in 1899 for large Spitz (Großspitz or Gross spitz). At the time, only the colors white, black, and wolf-grey were recognized. Although the white Spitz were usually only paired with each other, they were crossed every few generations to a black Spitz to strengthen the pigmentation.

In 1906, all colors were allowed for small Spitz, but not for large Spitz. In 1958, colors for the small Spitz were limited to white, black, brown, orange and other colors including parti-colors. The large Spitz were still only registered as white, black, and brown. Merle is not an acceptable color. In 1959, the sizes were further divided into different sizes: Klein spitz (toy), Mittel spitz (miniature) and Gross spitz (large or giant). In 1969, the size variant of the Mittel spitz was added to the FCI Standard.

Many German Spitz were brought to the US in the late 1800s and early 1900s by German immigrants. Due to the negative perception of immigrants as poor, uneducated people, the breed was denigrated as sneaky, bad tempered, and difficult. It was not until the early 1990s that German Spitz owners sought recognition by the AKC. The AKC accepted the German Spitz for recordation in the Foundation Stock Service in 1996. The AKC does not separate the different sizes and colors, as is done under the FCI and by the European registries, but records all as a single breed. They are also all shown together.