The American Eskimo Dog is frequently called a Spitz in America. The American Eskimo Dog is a loving, energetic, agile, beautiful, social, and fantastic companion. She makes an excellent protective dog however is controlled to be not threatening or aggressive. It has a white straight outer coat, with a heavy undercoat. There is a lion appearance as the coat is longer and thicker around the chest and neck and has a heavy tail carried on the back. You should not see any blue eyes in this breed or else it is considered a defect or a problem of ill health.
She will do well in any household as long as she can get frequent long walks. She was bred to be a family dog and they need a lot of family attention. She is excellent with children but naturally, never leave very small children alone with any dog for any length of time without adult care. The Spitz refers to a group of breeds and not just an individual breed. It is a group of breeds including the Samoyed, Pomeranian, Finnish Spitz, Siberian Husky and Shiba Inu. They can normally live 12 to 14 years with the right nutrition and care. There are also cases of these pets living over 20 year life spans. There are three sizes of the American Eskimo Dog labeled as Toy, Miniature or Standard. The Toy leads from 9 to 12 inches to the withers (which is the tallest point of the back), the Miniature has 12 to 15 inches to the withers and the Standard runs 15 inches to19 inches to the withers.
The American Eskimo Dog, like many big dogs, are vulnerable to patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, flea allergies, hot spots, epilepsy, cataracts, and Leg-Calve-Perthes Disease. They have no tolerance for fleas and can develop extreme flea allergies which can result in painful skin lesions. Their skin is naturally dry so they should not be bathed more than once every two or three months. Also all dogs should have their teeth brushed once a week. The thick coat is easy to groom and remember to brush two times a week with a firm bristle. They are a medium shed breed, usually one in May or June and then again around November and December. Many owners use an undercoat rake to groom which is available on line or check your local pet stores.
The American Eskimo Dog comes from the ancient Spitz family. They are recognized as the German Spitz in Germany. Acclaiming from the coastal regions of Germany, these dogs were once traded throughout Europe. When this family dog arrived in America along with German immigrants, they were used as family pets, watch dogs and circus animals. Circuses would sell puppies of this breed after performances and that was how they spread throughout America. They became popular during the 1930’s and 1940’s. Since we were at war with Germany, they were renamed during World War I to remove their national origin. They were accepted as a breed in 1913.
They can be quite protective but rarely will they bite. They are easily trained especially at an early stage. They love to bark and is susceptible to weight gain. They can respond very poorly to harsh treatment and can take a bit long to mature. They can develop bad habits if not stimulated.
Hear More About Eskimo Adoption, free guest reviews and questions answered, Click Here.