Canadian Eskimo Dog puppies

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 their numbers fell sharply in the twentieth century as snowmobiles replaced dog teams. This is a powerfully built spitz with a thick standing coat, a heavy ruff about the neck and a plumed tail. They are bold and hard working, strongly pack oriented with other dogs, and blunt rather than fussy in their dealings with people.

The defining trait is the urge to pull, so sledding, bikejoring, skijoring, canicross and backpacking suit them far better than walks, and they need 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 them 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 they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their 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

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.

Kit sizes: crate 42 inch (42 x 28 x 30 in, 107 x 71 x 76 cm) for an adult of up to 39.9 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other large breeds

More on the Canadian Eskimo Dog

Previous: Canaan Dog · Next: Cane Corso

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Canadian Eskimo Dog breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/canadian-eskimo-dog/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

No published figure for coat type, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.

Photo: Mondarruego2011, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.