Breeds / Large
Canadian Eskimo Dog puppies
Bold, hard working and strongly pack oriented, the Canadian Eskimo Dog is an Arctic sledge and hunting breed. It has a powerful urge to pull and needs a working outlet and a cool climate to be content.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Canada
- Adult weight 18.1 to 39.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 40 to 88 lb
- Adult height 50 to 70 cm
- Energy level Very high
- Grooming High
- Coat type Not published
- Typical lifespan 10 to 15 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- 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 and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
No published figure for coat type, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.
About the Canadian Eskimo Dog
The Canadian Eskimo Dog is one of the oldest working breeds of the Arctic, kept by Inuit communities for hauling sledges and for hunting seal and polar bear, and its numbers fell sharply in the twentieth century as snowmobiles replaced dog teams. It is a powerfully built spitz with a thick standing coat, a heavy ruff about the neck and a plumed tail. It is bold and hard working, strongly pack oriented with other dogs, and blunt rather than fussy in its dealings with people.
The defining trait is the urge to pull, so sledding, bikejoring, skijoring, canicross and backpacking suit it far better than walks, and it needs a great deal of work every day. The coat is heavy and sheds enormously, which means frequent brushing. This is a dog for a cold climate and secure fencing rather than a warm flat. Owners routinely underestimate both the exercise requirement and the sheer volume of hair the breed produces.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Canadian 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 large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire it out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. 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 radiographic hip evaluation of breeding stock
- Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation of breeding stock
- Heat intolerance, since the heavy Arctic coat makes exercise in warm weather risky
From Canadian Eskimo Dog breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/canadian-eskimo-dog/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Canadian Eskimo Dog puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Canadian Eskimo Dog.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 18.1 to 39.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.