American Eskimo Dog Information

2005-11-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

American Eskimo dogs, like me, are also called Eskies for short. American Eskimo dogs are officially part of the Non-Sporting group in the AKC (American Kennel Club) and part of the Northern breeds group in the UKC (United Kennel Club). American Eskimo dogs are a Northern Spitz breed. We may look a bit like other dogs in this breed like the Japanese Spitz, Pomeranian, German Spitz and Keeshond. Sometimes Eskies are referred to as the White Spitz or Eskimo Spitz. Sometimes we are even mistaken for a small Samoyed.

Available Sizes
There are three sizes to choose from. The Standard American Eskimo dog is generally 15 to 19 inches tall at the shoulder. They can weigh up to 30 pounds. Miniature American Eskimo dogs, like me, are around 12 to 15 inches tall. We can weigh up to 20 pounds. The Toy American Eskimo dog is generally 9 to 12 inches and weigh up to 10 pounds. The Toy American Eskimo dogs are recognized by the AKC but not by the UKC.

The Look
American Eskimo dogs have foxlike heads with short, triangular erect ears. Our eyes are brown. We have heavily plume-like tails which curl over our backs. The skin around our eyes and mouth should be black and we have black noses, too. But some American Eskimo dogs have pink skin in these areas. That is not accepted in the AKC standards. The skin underneath our fur is typically pink, and dark freckles are not uncommon. American Eskimos tend to have tear stains near the eyes. Other breeds can also have tear stains but it is more noticeable on us because of our white color. This is sometimes caused by blocked tear ducts. You can remove tear stains with the help of Saline Solution. Just put some on a cotton ball and wipe on the stains regularly.

A Hairy Situation
American Eskimo dogs have thick coats and a really thick mane of fur around the neck. We have a double coat that helps us in both cold and warm weather. The undercoat helps keep us insulated from the cold. It is thick and wooly and keeps us warm. Then we have long silky hairs on the top coat. We can be pure white or cream colored. This color helps to make the heat from the sun bounce off us. This is because dark colors absorb heat and light colors reflect it. Also, the fur itself helps shade our skin from the sun otherwise we might get sunburned. We Eskies look our best when we are in full coat. So fluffy!

Eskie produce little to no dander so people with allergies to dog dander need not fear. Hehe! My human cousin has all sorts of allergies but he is fine even though he rubs his face in my fur all the time.

American Eskimo dogs shed a lot though. Just ask Mom. Hehe! But she says I am worth it. If you own an American Eskimo dog, you will find yourself familiar with terms like tumblefur and chronic vacuuming.

When we Eskies blow our coats, our undercoat will come out in clumps. Mom is able to get bagfuls of fur from me. But don’t worry, it all grows back eventually. Eskies require frequent brushing so that our fur does not become matted. I tend to get matts behind the ears coz people like to scratch me behind my ears. Invest in a slicker brush. Believe me, you are gonna need it. It may also be wise to invest in a strong vacuum cleaner. Hehe!

American Eskimo puppies have a cottony coat but eventually they will grow in the stiffer adult coat. Puppy coats are prone to matting so it may be harder to manage.

Boys vs Girls
Us male Eskies, are usually bigger than female Eskies and we tend to have thicker coats and manes, too. Males will shed or blow coat once a year in the spring time. But the girls, they shed twice a year around 2 months after each heat cycle. If they are spayed, then they will only blow coat once a year.

Smarts
American Eskimo dogs are among the most intelligent of the dog breeds. We can solve problems and are very independent thinkers. Eskies are very easy to train. This is why our breed is a favorite among circus folk. But we can get bored if there is nothing for us to do. This leads to mischief. Hehe! It may sometimes lead to lots of barking. Some people keep more than one American Eskimo dog so that they can entertain each other. Also, if you do not act as the boss, we will do it for you. Someone has to be the boss. Haha!

Temperament
American Eskimo dogs are very loving and devoted to our owners. We like lots of attention and are happiest when we are considered part of the family. Eskies are generally very happy, good-natured, curious and affectionate with lots of personality. We aim to please! This is why we make really great companions. We are very good with other doggies, kids and other animals if well socialized as a puppy. Early socialization is very important for dogs of any breed. Some of us tend to be suspicious around people or animals we do not know. Not me, though. I am a very friendly dog!

Never a dull day with an Eskie in the house! We are very adventurous, energetic, love to play and chew on stuff. We like to play in the water and in the snow, too. Although it may be a bit hard to track us in the snow coz Eskies will just blend into the background and no one will be able to find us. We like to run around in backyards but we can live in apartments too so long as we are walked regularly and are given lots of opportunities for exercise.

Eskies are active and alert which makes us excellent watch dogs. We are very serious about our watchdog duties and we love to bark.

Grooming
Basic grooming for an American Eskimo dog would include bathing, clipping nails, clipping the fur between the paw pads, cleaning eyes and ears and lots of brushing. We really require very little formal grooming. American Eskimos are very easy to keep clean. This surprises a lot of people coz they tend to think it is hard to keep a white dog clean.

We generally do not need frequent bathing. Bathing once every couple of months should be sufficient unless we are very dirty coz frequent bathing can cause our skin to dry out and become irritated. We have special oils in our coat that helps us repel dirt. Any dirt or mud that sticks to us will just fall off or can be brushed off as soon as it dries. Make sure to brush your Eskie prior to bathing to minimize tangles and matting. If there are tangles, you can use a slicker brush. It is a kind of brush with metal bristles that works very well for detangling and getting rid of fur that has been shed. If there are really bad matts, what you can do is split the matt by cutting it in the direction of the hair growth. Then use the slicker brush to detangle it. You will have to brush your Eskie after the bath as well.

We can also wash our paws and faces just like a cat. Plus, we have no doggie odor. We generally do not get our fur cut off or shaved unless it is for medical reasons. You may want to trim a bit near the butt area to ensure that no poo bits stick to the fur when your Eskie does his business.

When clipping nails, make sure you cut below the quick. That is the red vein that you can see in the nail. American Eskimos have white nails making it easy to see the red vein. It hurts a lot and will bleed if you cut where the vein is so be very careful. If you do cut too high and it starts to bleed, you can use Styptic Powder. If your Eskie walks on concrete or rough surfaces, you may not need to cut coz the rough surface will act like a natural nail file.

Newbie Dog Owner?
American Eskimo dogs are typically a good breed for novice dog owners. Take my Mommie for example. She has never taken care of a dog before and is happily surprised at how easy it is to take care of me. Everyone she knows is surprised that she is able to take care of me. Hahaha! Just make sure you get your Eskie from a reputable breeder so that your Eskie is healthy and has no hereditary problems. Also make sure to socialize your Eskie early so that he is used to other doggies and other people.

If you need information about getting a dog, check out my other site at gettingadog.blogspot.com.

That’s a Fact!
Mom saw this posted on the web ‘American Eskimo dogs know they are cute and can use it to their advantage.’ How true! Haha!

I hope you will consider buying/adopting an American Eskimo dog after learning all about us. A couple of rescue organizations dedicated to Eskies are Heart Bandits and Eskie Rescuers United. And come join this great Eskie.Net message board dedicated to American Eskimo dogs. Lots of wonderful people in this group share stories, pictures and advice about their Eskies.

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