Eskeimo Dog

Eskeimo Dog

A sturdy, powerfully built dog capable of withstanding extreme cold, and a dedicated worker.

History:

A Spitz-type of dog with ancestry dating back two thousand years, it was used by the Inuit living on the fringe of the Canadian Arctic. Before that, it may have been brought by the Mongolian races when they migrated from Asia to North America, and was then cross-bred with wolf. Used as sled dogs they numbered in the 20,000s in the 1920s, but their numbers declined with the introduction of the snowmobile.

Physical characteristics:

A medium-sized dog. Height: Under Canadian standards: 23 - 27.5 in (58.4 - 70 cm) for the dog and 19.5 - 23.5 in (49.5 - 59.7 cm) for the bitch. Elsewhere: 23 - 27 in (58.4 - 68.6 cm) for the dog and 20 - 24 in (50.8 - 61 cm) for the bitch. Weight: Under Canadian standards: 66 - 88 lb (30 - 40 kg) for the dog and 40 - 66 lb (18 - 30 kg) for the bitch. Elsewhere: 75 - 105 lb (34 - 47.6 kg) for the dog and 60 - 90 lb (27.2 - 40.8 kg) for the bitch.

The head is broad and wedge-shaped with a strong, flat skull and moderate stop. The muzzle is medium-length, tapering to the black nose. The lips are black and tight, covering large, strong teeth, with a scissor bite. The eyes are small, slanting, brown or black. The ears are small, set well apart, and face forward. The body is well-muscled and strong, with wide shoulders and chest, and a straight and well-developed loin. The tail is set high and is large and bushy with a thick curl over the back, falling to one side. The forequarters are heavy-boned, straight and muscular. The hindquarters are straight with broad, heavily muscled thighs.

The coat of the Eskimo Dog is a thick double coat, with the outer coat being long and stiff over the body, and shorter over the head and legs. It is a dense, rough coat to withstand freezing temperatures with, a soft undercoat to insulate the skin. The color is unspecified.

Behavior:

The Eskimo Dog still retains many of its original characteristics. It is still strongly competitive with other dogs which must be allowed for if two or more are kept together. To avoid disputes, one dog must be allowed to be dominant over the other(s), but never over the family. These alert and responsive dogs make good watch-dogs and soon become very protective of their family. These dogs require plenty of exercise to keep them in top form. If these dogs are to be kept in hot climates, special accommodation must be made to avoid overheating them.