Breeds / Small
American Eskimo Dog puppies
Bright, alert and quick to learn, the American Eskimo Dog is a white double coated spitz bred in three sizes. It bonds closely to its family, watches everything, and gets vocal and destructive if it is left alone or under exercised.
The facts
- Size class Small
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 2.7 to 15.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 6 to 35 lb
- Adult height 23 to 48 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Medium double
- Typical lifespan 13 to 15 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
About the American Eskimo Dog
The American Eskimo Dog is a German Spitz by descent, brought to the United States by German immigrants and renamed during the First World War. It is bred in three sizes, which is why the breed spans 23 to 48 centimetres and 2.7 to 15.9 kilograms, all of them white or cream with a thick double coat, a wedge shaped face and a curled tail. The Eskie is bright and quick to learn tricks, which is how it ended up as a circus dog, and it is alert, watchful and inclined to announce things.
Energy is high and boredom turns destructive quickly, so plan on real daily activity plus training games and toys. Brush two or three times a week, since the breed sheds close to constantly, and bathe only every few months to avoid drying the skin. It rates five out of five with children, but supervision and socialisation still come first. The common mistake is leaving one outside on its own: the Eskie is an indoor dog that bonds hard and unravels when isolated.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a American Eskimo Dog puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get it socialised before the vaccination course finishes. It will still need four meals a day. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
- Progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited cause of blindness picked up by an ophthalmologist evaluation
- Patellar luxation, graded by a veterinary orthopaedic exam
- Wax build up and ear infections, found on weekly ear checks
From American Eskimo Dog breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-eskimo-dog/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your American Eskimo Dog puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a American Eskimo Dog.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 2.7 to 15.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other small breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.