|
| First Dog | Dog Care | Dog Training | Dog Feeding | Dog Health | Dog Breeding | Dog Showing | OutDoor Dogs | Working Dogs | Careers with Dogs | Forum | Pet Links | Site Map | Home | |
ESKIMO DOG |
|||||||
|
Additonal Breeds Starting With Letter:
Pet Sites
 |
The Eskimo Dog has served as the only means of transportation for his people since 1000 BC. This far northern hauling dog—bred to haul sleds in winter, backpack in summer and hunt seals, oxen and bears all year—is closely related to the Greenland Dog. In fact, the Eskimo Dog Club of England considers them the same breed and registers canines imported from Scandinavia (where they are registered as Gr0nlandshund) as Eskimo Dogs. The FCI still recognizes two breeds, but they are very similar dogs, and there has been much crossing in the last 200 years. The Canadian version is native to the vast areas north of Hudson Bay and east of Alaska and the Mackenzie River—the Northwest Territories, stretching into the Arctic Circle, including Victoria Island, Baffin Island and even Greenland. Because the breed was fostered and saved by the interest of the Canadian KC, the FCI has dubbed it a Canadian breed. The Eskimo Dog is a hardy, working breed, and has been known to withstand temperatures of -75 to -94 degrees Fahrenheit. The famed Arctic explorer MacMillan once drove a team of Eskimos 100 miles in a continuous run, taking less than 18 hours. The commander of the second Grinnell Expedition, Dr. EHsha Kent Kane, used a six-dog team, which hauled a fully-loaded sledge about 750 miles in two weeks. The packed sled weighed about 700 pounds, more than the usual average load of 100 pounds per dog. Because of
their long history of survival in the harshest of environments, they
have an extremely independent nature and go at everything "gung
ho!"—fighting, eating, playing and working. They require firm,
consistent handling from an owner who will earn their respect as the
"lead dog." Owners report that the dogs have very strong pack
instincts and that fights and challenges among their peers are common.
By the same token, they need sufficient exercise and the company of
other dogs. Most are kept outdoors because of their abundant energy,
as well as to acclimate the working dogs during the cold months. They
must be fenced constantly or walked on lead, since their wild instincts
to run and chase are all but impossible to eradicate. In fact, there
is some tendency to regard all other animals as food, and they are also
inveterate food thieves, characteristics which assured survival in the
bitter environs of their homeland.
Despite their
strong working background, they are good tempered, affectionate and
dignified with people. The mature dog has a certain aloofness similar
to a cat and does not relish unsolicited attention. The breed doesn't
bark but has a wide range of vocalizations that, owners say, can be
quite explicit. The Canadian standard states: "The natural voice
is a howl, not a bark.
When in a group, the dogs often give voice in a chorus of strangely
woven tones, and this is one of the thrilling sounds of the Arctic.
A number of dogs will produce a mass crescendo persisting for varying
periods until, as if cued by a special note, all will abruptly stop."
The Eskimo
Dog is a primitive and natural working dog, representing an era long
past. He is a dog only for those who understand his nature and who
have the time and facilities to channel his energy. According to Sverdup,"they
have the persistence and tenacity of the wild animal, the domestic
dog's admirable devotion to their master; they are the wildest breath
of nature, the warmest breath of civilisation."
|
