It can generally go without saying that people love and appreciate dogs of all different kinds. This is one of the reasons why there are so many different breeds of dogs out there. There are dogs that are bred for working, such as on a farm or as a police dog. There are other dogs that are well-known for their appearances, such as poodles.

Other dogs are sought after because they are unique. If you find that you are in the market for a unique yet lovable dog, then you might want to consider looking at the American Eskimo dog. These dogs are fluffy clouds of loveable dog, and can be thought of as a shrunken version of the famous Samoyed breed. These unique, playful dogs can make a wonderful and gorgeous addition to any family. They can adapt to families with older children, and apartment living as needed, making them a dog for just about any occasion.

What Is the History of the American Eskimo Dog?

Despite the name “American” Eskimo dog, this dog breed originates from an amalgamation of different Nordic breeds. Some of these breeds include the German Spitz, white Pomeranian, and the Volpino Italiano. The breed was “developed” sometime in the 19^th century by German immigrants who found themselves in the United States.Originally, this dog was known as the American Spitz, but was given the name “American Eskimo Dog” in 1917 and has been known as that ever since.

Some people lovingly call this breed the Eskie. Curiously enough, the “Eskimo” part of the name has nothing to do with the history of the dog either. In reality, the American Eskimo Dog was developed by Germans, using a combination of Nordic breeds. The intended purpose of this breed was to be a multipurpose working dog on farms. This means that it was bred for a desire to please, intelligence, and the ability to successfully herd animals. In today’s time, this means that this dog can be trained in a variety of different areas, including herding, being a watchdog, guarding, detecting narcotics, and show business.

What Does the American Eskimo Dog Look Like?

These dogs are known for their cloud-like appearance. They are relatively small, usually appearing between toy sizes and standard, depending on the specific breeder’s interests. These dogs have a wedge-shaped head, with triangular ears. They also have plumed tails that are almost always curled over the back of the dog. These dogs have strong, agile legs, giving them a bouncy, energetic trot when they walk or run.

As for the iconic fur of this dog, they are almost exclusively white, or occasionally white with biscuit or cream markings. The coat is quite heavy around the neck of the dog, creating almost a mane-like appearance, which is more pronounced in male dogs. The fur is often long, straight, and plush.

What Kind of Personality Does the American Eskimo Dog Have?

What these dogs lack in size, they make up for in personality several times over. These dogs are known for being friendly, curious, and energetic dogs. In addition to this, they are intelligent and clever, often weaseling their way into situations that you would rather not have to deal with. These dogs are almost never aggressive, but they are very rarely shy as well.

Instead, they are alert. Because of the way these dogs were bred, they are inherently eager to please, so there’s a good chance that your dog will be more than happy to perform tricks for rewards and will often try to do things that the dog thinks of as being “reward-worthy.” This means that you might end up finding a gift from your dog, if your dog enjoys giving you gifts. These dogs have a seemingly endless pit of energy, being athletic and agile and ready to run around the entire home if you let them.

As the name might suggest, these dogs thrive off of cold weather, their plush coat keeping them warm and toasty no matter how low the temperature drops. With all of this being said, you will want to keep an eye on how your dog interacts with strangers and younger children.

Because of the wary nature of watchdogs, these dogs can become nervous around strangers and will probably not tolerate a younger child playing with the dog’s tail and ears, or even another dog that simply wants to play. In the end, this means that you will want to avoid getting one of these dogs if you have younger children or other animals.

What Kind of Care Does the American Eskimo Dog Need?

These dogs are not necessarily the easiest dogs to maintain, which is something that you will need to keep in mind if you live a busy or a lackadaisical lifestyle. These dogs are energetic, and they will need an outlet to release that energy. This means that to keep your dog from being wound up, you will need to take your dog on a good workout every single day. The extent of that workout will depend entirely on your dog and its personal preference and how energetic your dog is.

Typically, the larger dogs will need a job or a long walk, while smaller ones can get away with a vigorous game outside. Because of the thick coat, you are going to have to take several measures to make sure that it stays groomed and well kept for. This means getting a double-coat brush and comb, and brushing and combing the fur twice a week. When it is shedding season, you are going to need to groom your dog even more to take all of the extra fur out, and unfortunately, these dogs shed a fair bit at a time. Depending on where you live, the double coating of fur can become troublesome during the extreme months of summer. While there isn’t much that you can do to combat this, you should keep it in mind and keep an eye on your dog during these months to make sure that it remains healthy.

What Kind of Health Does the American Eskimo Dog Have?

You should always keep in mind that there will always be the threat of hereditary diseases when you are adopting a purebred dog. With that being said, this breed of dog tends to be healthier than others, meaning that you won’t have any major or guaranteed conditions. There are some conditions that this dog is more prone to, however. These can include hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, and patellar luxation. Some people have issues with their dogs getting diabetes, so that is another possibility that you will need to look out for. If you want to make sure that you catch any of these diseases before they become bad, you should consider getting regular tests on your dog’s eyes and knees. While there isn’t much that can be done for progressive retinal atrophy, catching it early on can make treatment a lot easier on you and your dog. This breed is also prone to gaining weight, which means that you will need to stay on top of getting the dog exercise and not overfeeding it. When all is said and done, the average life expectancy of this breed is between 12 and 15 years, giving you over a decade of meaningful memories with this memorable breed of dog.