Eskimo Dog
An Arctic sled dog that has been in the north for a thousand years, and one of the rarest breeds alive. Bred for hauling and for hunting seal.
Photo by Ansgar Walk, CC BY-SA 2.5
Overview
The Canadian Eskimo Dog, or Qimmiq, is one of the oldest and rarest working dogs in North America, kept by Inuit peoples for at least a thousand years to haul sledges and to hunt seal and polar bear. It is not the same breed as the American Eskimo Dog, which is a German spitz.
Numbers collapsed catastrophically in the twentieth century and the breed came close to extinction, with a few hundred registered animals remaining.
Temperament
Tough, independent and strongly pack oriented. These are working dogs shaped by a harsh environment, and they are affectionate with their own people while being far less biddable than a domestic breed.
The pack hierarchy is real and they can be seriously dog aggressive, particularly with the same sex. The prey drive is very high. They howl rather than bark and they do not adapt well to ordinary pet life.
Care and grooming
A thick arctic double coat that sheds enormously twice a year and needs daily brushing through it, weekly otherwise. It should never be shaved.
They are hardy, having been selected by survival. Hip dysplasia occurs. Heat is a serious problem for a dog built for the Arctic. Ten to fifteen years.
Living and exercise
Very high, and specific. These dogs were bred to haul heavy loads for hours and they need work rather than walks.
They belong in cold climates with owners who will sled or work them. They are genuinely unsuitable as ordinary pets, and the rarity means most are in working or conservation programmes rather than homes.
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