American Eskimo(Toy)

Family: spitz, Northern (companion)

Origin: United States

Date of Origin: early 1900s

Breed For: companion, performer

Lifespan:

Recently Used For: companion

Avg Size of Male: Height: 9-12 Weight: 6-10

Avg Size of Female: Height:9-12 Weight: 6-10

Temperament:

The American Eskimo is bright, eager to please, lively and fun-loving in short, an enjoyable and generally obedient companion. True to its spitz heritage, it is independent and tenacious and loves to run, especially in cold weather. But it is among the most biddable of spitz breeds, and it is calm and well-mannered inside. It is good with children, other dogs, and pets and is generally outgoing to everyone.

History:

As the prototypical spitz, the Eskie (as it is often called) is just as often simply called spitz by pet owners. In fact, the American Eskimo dog descended from one of the varieties of spitz developed in Germany, with influences from other spitz breeds such as the keeshond, Pomeranian, and Volpino Italiano. Ironically, it was the success of these other breeds that held the Eskie back. Although the keeshond originally came in several colors, when it was decided to accept only gray specimens, the white keeshonden were suddenly excluded. When the Pomeranian standard was drawn up to exclude dogs over 8 pounds, larger dogs were excluded as Pomeranians. Thus, by the early 1900s, there was two groups of medium-sized white dogs that, although purebreds, were excluded from their breeds. Their fate is unknown, but it is likely that they became pets of the working people. When European workers came to America, they brought these dogs with them. The turning point came in the 1920s, when the American spitz (as it had come to be called) became a favorite of circus performers. Spectators often left the circus with a new purchase and family member an offspring of one of the dazzling performers. Many present-day Eskies can be traced back to their circus ancestors. After World War I, the breed's name was changed to American Eskimo, to remove any Germanic sound from it. Most Eskies were kept as pets and farm dogs.

Upkeep:

The Eskie is energetic and needs a good workout every day. The extent of the workout depends on the size of the dog, with the larger Eskies needing a good jog or long walk and the smaller ones needing only a vigorous game in the yard or short walk. The larger Eskies can live outdoors in temperate or cool climates, but this breed is so attuned to its family that it does better indoors. The double coat needs brushing and combing twice weekly, more often when shedding.

Health:

Major concerns: none#Minor concerns: patellar luxation#Occasionally seen: none#Suggested tests: (knee)#Life span: 12 – 14 years