Canadian Eskimo Dog / Canadian Inuit Dog

story

The Canadian Eskimo Dog, also known as Canadian Inuit Dog or in German as Canadian Eskimohund, is one of the oldest indigenous dog breeds in North America. Its roots in the Arctic go back over 4000 years. For the Inuit, who call the dog Qimmiq, dogs have always been an integral part of their life in the Arctic. They used their qimmiq, as they call the dogs, as sled dogs for transporting their belongings, hunting, stalking polar bears, and protecting their camps on the arctic tundra. Dogs lived closely with humans, puppies served as cuddly playmates for children and life without dogs would have been unthinkable.

In the 19th century the Canadian Eskimo Dog was very popular with researchers and explorers for expeditions to the polar regions. In the 1920s there were around 20,000 dogs in Canada. When the Canadian government forced the Inuit to give up their nomadic life and settle down in settlements, people's lives changed and with them the lives of the people dogs dramatic. Many Inuit did not earn enough money in their "new life" to feed the dogs. In addition, the way the animals were traditionally kept did not fit into the modern settlements. Free-roaming animals were shot by the RCMP on the grounds that they posed a threat to residents. Actually should people presumably be prevented from seeing her to continue living independently. In addition, in the late 1960s, snowmobiles increasingly took the place of dogs. So in 1970 there were only a few hundred left Animals left over.

The breed would probably have died out if some people in Canada hadn't started promoting them. Founded in 1972 by William Carpenter and John McGrath the Eskimo Dog Research Foundation (EDRF). The EDRF bought some of the remaining Eskimo Dogs from the Inuit and began a breeding program with various breeders to increase the number of animals again. Brian Ladoon also brought purebred dogs from arctic settlements and founded the Canadian Eskimo Dog Foundation (CEDF) in Churchill, Manitoba with the aim of keeping the gene pool pristine and healthy. On May 1, 2000, the Canadian Territory of Nunavut designated the Canadian Inuit Dog as its heraldic animal.

Description of the breed Canadian Eskimo Dog

appearance

The Canadian Eskimo Dog has an imposing appearance. He is athletic, but at the same time very powerfully built, so that his appearance already indicates his propensity for hard work. Due to their finer skeleton and slightly smaller physique, female animals appear significantly lighter than male dogs.

Size : Male: 58-70 cm, females: 50–60 cm

weight : Male: 30-40 kg, females: 18–30 kg

coat of hair:

Double coat of hair. Thick, soft undercoat and a dense, smooth and coarse top coat 8-15 cm long. A collar forms on the neck, which reinforces the impressive appearance, especially in male dogs. Bitches have a slightly shorter coat overall.

Color:

All colors are allowed, multi-colored and single-colored are allowed.

Skull:

Broad and wedge-shaped skull. Females have a much narrower skull than males.

Eyes:

The eyes are usually dark, but can also be light or yellow, but never blue. They are slightly slanted and neither protruding nor lying too low.

ears:

The ears are short, triangular and rounded at the tips. They are carried upright. The ears are protected inside and out with short, thick hair.

Jaws/Teeth:

Strong jaws with powerful teeth and scissor bite.

Anatomy:

The physique shows strength and endurance. He is muscular and compact with a deep, broad chest and loins. The neck is short, straight and strong.

Forelegs:

Forelegs perfectly straight when viewed from the front; strong muscles and strong bones.

paws:

Large, almost round, arched paws. Strong pads with hair between toes.

Rod:

Long and bushy tail carried over the back.

Character / Essence:

The Canadian Eskimo Dog is a hard working, passionate sled dog. He is friendly to people, even to strangers. In most cases, he loves human attention. Rather calm temperament. Can be typically Nordic noisy. Strong pack instinct. If the dogs are kept in groups, there is a clearly structured hierarchy that is identified within the pack. Minor injuries from fights are not uncommon here. Compared to modern, domesticated dog breeds, this original breed shows a very fast and intense response to external influences, whether it is for food, play, fighting or work.