American Eskimo Dog

The American Eskimo Dog is a descendant of the original German Spitz. Pomeranian and other German spitzes are closely related to the American Eskimo dog. The American Eskimo dog is a medium sized dog known to be a great family pet and companion.

The built of the American Eskimo do is that of Nordic dogs who are well equipped to pull sledges on their back in the snow. Their length is usually greater than their height and they have a very compact body. They have a double coat fur, which stands a little off their body. This fur is extremely important for the American Eskimo dog to maintain its body temperature. The silky coat keeps the dog dry in wet weather and the thickness of the coat keeps it warm in cold weather. The coat of this dog should never be trimmed or shorn. The ears of the American Eskimo dog are short and thick and are also well insulated against the cold. The coat of the American Eskimo dog is usually white, and while this is not the only color among its relative, it is the most popular choice of color in the United States.

There are three acceptable variations of the American Eskimo dog according to the Kennel Club in both the US and Canada. They are:
Standard Size: between 9 and 12 inches (23 and 30 cm)
Miniature Size: between 12 and 15 inches (30 and 38 cm)
Toy Size: between 15 and 19 inches (38 and 48 cm)

Dogs above 19 inches or below 9 inches are usually discouraged as an overly large or overly small American Eskimo dog may be fraught with health hazards.

The American Eskimo dog comes from the Spitz family, which come from the Northern hemisphere, especially the Arctic region. The larger dogs in this family have been used to pull sledges for centuries. They were first bred as pets and family dogs in Northern Europe, especially Germany, from where all existing varieties of Spitz descend. The first of these dogs came to the United States along with European immigrants in the year 1990.

While WW1 was underway, the German Spitz came to be referred as the American Spitz. Patriotic Americans felt it was wrong to call their dog German due to their clash with Germany in WW1. After the WW1, the American Spitz came into the spotlight at a variety of different circuses, where their performances were very popular.

The end of WW2 brought the Japanese Spitz into the American foray. It is presumed that some interbreeding between the two breeds is likely to have occurred. The breed ‘American Eskimo Dog’ was in circulation as early as 1919 and had received recognition from the American United Kennel Club. However, at that time, there were no fixed breed standards and no official clubs. Finally, after the efforts of the American Eskimo Dog Club of America, the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1985. This breed is only recognized in Canada, outside of the US.