American Eskimo Dog
Dogs
American Eskimo Dog
American Eskimo Dog |
The American Eskimo Dog has a trademark white coat and
triangular, pointed ears.
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Alternative names |
American Eskimo
German Spitz
American Eskimo Spitz |
Country of origin |
United States |
Common nicknames |
Eskie, Eskimo, Spitz |
Classification and breed standards |
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AKC: |
Non-sporting |
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CKC: |
Miscellaneous Class |
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UKC: |
Northern Breeds |
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Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
Notes |
This breed achieved recognition by the CKC in 2006
[3] |
The American Eskimo Dog is a
breed of
companion dog originating in the
United States of America (probably in
New York City) in the twentieth century. The breed was formerly called a
German
Spitz or an "American Eskimo Spitz". It is a member of the
Spitz family of
dogs. It achieved a high degree of popularity in the
1930s and
1940s in the U.S. as a circus performer. The American Kennel Club recognized the
breed in 1994 and set the current standard for the breed. The United Kennel Club had recognized the breed long before 1994, and there is
no difference between the two breed standards.
Appearance
American Eskimo Dogs are always ready to play.
The standard for the American Eskimo Dog calls for them to be white or white
& cream, with brown eyes (blue eyes, such as those found on the
Siberian Husky, are a disqualification and a sign of poor health or
breeding), and a compact body. The dog's length should be only slightly greater
than its height at the shoulder. The muzzle is long and lupine (in contrast to
the muzzles of
Pomeranians). The ears are held erect and alert, and the tail should be
feathered and curled on the dog's back. These dogs look very much like smaller
versions of the
Samoyed, to which they are related, and come in three standard sizes. The
toy is from 9 to 12 inches (23 to 30 cm) at the
withers; the
miniature is from 12 to 15 inches (33 to 38 cm); the standard is from fifteen
inches up to and including nineteen inches (39 to 48 cm).
The Eskie, as with all Nordic breeds, has erect, triangular ears ("prick
ears"), a tail that flips onto the dog's back in a spiral, and two coats of fur:
an inner, downy coat, and an outer coat of guard hairs
that act as weather protection.
Temperament
American Eskimos were bred to be companion dogs, not just the family dog to
put outside when they bother their owners. They thrive on being a part of their
human family. Eskies love their families, and a well-socialized dog is more of a
pleasure to own. Eskies are easily trained and very intelligent, as well as
being strong-willed and independent. At home, Eskies make excellent watchdogs,
barking to announce the presence of strangers. The Eskie can be protective of
its home and family, but it shouldn't threaten to attack or bite a person.
Many people find the puppies of American Eskimo Dogs to be very cute and
purchase this breed as a puppy without doing sufficient research, such as
discovering the longevity and needs of this breed. This breed can take longer to
mature than other breeds, and Eskies can behave more like puppies than like
adults for up to two years, when they finally start to mature and grow their
adult coats. They are also an extremely intelligent dog and need to be
stimulated. When their intelligence is not stimulated or they are ignored, they
can develop behavior issues. Owners can avoid this problem by socializing their
Eskie through
obedience training or participating in
dog sports,
such as
dog agility,
flyball, or
dancing.
Health
The breed lives on average between 12 and 13 years, although some individuals
might as long as 20 years or longer.
History
The American Eskimo Dog, or "Eskie" as it is often called, is most
likely derived from the
German
Spitz, the
Finnish Spitz, the
Pomeranian, the
Keeshond,
and possibly the
Samoyed, although the latter is not universally accepted. The
Spitz family of
Nordic dogs is
one of the least altered by human
husbandry
and reflects most nearly the prototypical
dog, from which stock
all others have been derived. Archeology suggests that
Neolithic
dogs living with humans would today pass for spitzes.
Miscellaneous
Like many light-colored dogs, the fur beneath the eyes can become stained if not
regularly cleaned.
Grooming
Eskies have a long, dense coat and need regular grooming. This means brushing
them once a week, or more often if necessary. They shed, but it can be
maintained with regular brushing. They "blow" their
coats
twice a year, once in May or June to shed their winter
undercoat and once in November or December to shed their summer coat. Many Eskie
owners use an undercoat rake, a tool available at most pet stores,
for grooming.
Eskies have drier skin than most other dogs and do not usually smell doggy.
Because of their dry skin, they need to be bathed only every two or three
months, unless they soil their coat with large amounts of dirt or substances
with strong odors. Regular brushing maintains a clean coat in most cases. Eskies
are very clean about themselves and constantly groom themselves.
All dogs' teeth should be brushed once a week. Pet stores carry a variety of
dog toothbrushes, from fingertop to electric.
Breed-specific rescue
Because so many people purchase "cute" puppies and then discover that they do
not want an active, intelligent dog with a heavily shedding coat, many of this
breed end up at the
animal shelter or otherwise up for adoption. There are many breed-specific
rescue
groups that are more than willing to give advice on training or curbing
behavioral issues.
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