Greenland Dog puppies

About the Greenland Dog

The Greenland Dog is a polar spitz that has pulled sledges for Inuit hunters since ancient times, and the FCI still runs the breed with a working trial. Everything about them is built for hauling: heavy bone, a short strong back, a coarse double coat and a thick tail carried curled over the back. Males stand from 60 cm at the withers and the standard sets no upper limit. They are bold and friendly, with a strong hunting instinct.

This is a dog for people who spend their days outdoors. The Kennel Club puts them in the highest exercise band, more than two hours a day, and in practice they cannot be tired out. The coat needs frequent brushing and a shedding rake when it blows. Recall is the weak point, since a dog bred to run ahead of a driver in a team has little reason to turn round, so tall secure fencing and a long line are standard equipment.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Greenland 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, scored from x-rays under the BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme before a dog is bred from
• Loss of genetic diversity in a small population, which the Kennel Club asks breeders to weigh through inbreeding coefficients when choosing a mate
• Few other breed specific diseases are recorded, so routine weight, dental and parasite checks carry most of the load

Your Greenland 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 Greenland Dog.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 27 to 47.5 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 48 inch (48 x 30 x 32 in, 122 x 76 x 81 cm) for an adult of up to 47.5 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 Greenland Dog

Previous: Greater Swiss Mountain Dog · Next: Greyhound

Sources

• purina.co.uk for adult weight and height and life expectancy
• royalkennelclub.com for energy, grooming and the temperament ratings and health notes
• fci.be for coat type and country of origin
• Health notes from Greenland Dog breed information at https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/working/greenland-dog/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Slaunger, edited by Thegreenj, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.