Canadian Eskimo Dog

Canadian Eskimo Dog
Group: Working
Size: Large
Coat length: Short
Grooming required: More than once a week
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Large House
Garden size: Large
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: More than an hour per day
The Canadian Eskimo Dog is one of North America's oldest pure dog breeds. They were thought to have died out but the breed was rescued in the 1970s.

They are a large and powerful dog with a wolf-like appearance. Their coat is very thick and dense and they have a mane of fur around their neck. They come in various colours with white.

They were bred to hunt and to haul supplies and people in the cold of the Arctic. They are brave, loyal and intelligent. They are not really a family dog but will tend to form a strong bond with their owner.

They are generally people friendly and can work well with other dogs but they do have a strong prey drive. They need a lot of exercise and especially enjoy dog sports that involve pulling such as carting, although they are built for stamina rather than speed.

Their thick coat means that they can suffer from heat stroke in hot climates. They need regular brushing and will shed heavily at certain times of the year. The small numbers that were used to rescue the breed mean that there are some health problems associated with inbreeding.