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The Canadian Eskimo Dog (American Husky), otherwise known as the Qimmiq (Inuit for "dog") or what is considered to be the more politically correct Canadian Inuit Dog, is a larger breed of Arctic dog commonly found pulling sleds for their Inuit counterparts. However, as snowmobiles tend to be faster and more efficient, the Canadian Eskimo Dog is now a rare breed.
Appearance: The Canadian Eskimo Dog should always be
powerfully built, athletic, and imposing in appearance. It
should be of "powerful physique giving the impression
that he is not built for speed but rather for hard work".
As is typical of spitz breeds, it has erect, triangular ears,
and a heavily feathered tail that is carried over its back.
Males should be distinctly more masculine than females, who
are finer boned, smaller, and often have a slightly shorter
coat.
Coat and colour: The coat is very thick and dense,
with a slightly soft undercoat, and stiff, hard guard hairs.
It has a mane of fur around its neck, which is smaller in
females. They can be almost any colour, except brindle, solid
fawn, or only black. White with patches of another colour on
the head is the most common colour. Its coat may be pure
white, but cannot be albino.
Temperament: The Canadian Eskimo Dog's temperament
reflects its original work and environment. It is tough,
intelligent, and alert. It is affectionate and gentle, and
developes a deep bond with its owner and is intensely loyal.
Canadian Eskimo Dogs are best suited as companions for adults,
rather than children, as it is can be over-excitable. Owing to
their original environment, they take pure delight in cold
weather, often preferring to sleep outside in cold climates.
Like most spitz breeds they can be very vocal.
Care: Canadian Eskimo Dogs need a very large amount
of exercise. They cannot just be walked, they need higher
intensity work, requiring more exercise than many dog owners
can give. This need for work and stimulation also makes them
well suited for dog sports, such as carting, mushing, and
skijoring. They are very trainable and submissive, unlike many
spitz breeds, as well as intelligent. The Canadian Eskimo Dog
is best kept in a cold climate, and is prone to heatstroke.
Its coat is fairly easy to care for most times of the year,
needing brushing only one or two times a week. However when it
sheds (which happens once a year) it will need grooming every
day.
History: The Canadian Eskimo Dog is generally
considered to be a very old dog breed, possibly as old as over
1000 years. It was first bred by the Thule people. Therefore
it is related to the Greenland Dog, so much so that some
authorities consider them the same breed. It was, and still is
(to a very limited extent), used by the Canadian Inuit as
multi-purpose dogs, often put to work hunting seals and other
arctic game, and hauling supplies and people.
In the 1800s and early 1900s this breed was in demand for
polar expeditions. When snowmobiles came into use the
population numbers started rapidly declining, because
snowmobiles are faster and need less care. In the 1950s there
were approximately 20,000 dogs living in the Canadian Arctic,
and had been accepted for showing by both the AKC and CKC,
however in 1959 the AKC dropped the breed from its registry
because of extremely low numbers.
By 1963 there was supposedly only one dog registered with
the CKC, and when this dog died there were still no others
registered. It probably would have gone extinct if not for the
Eskimo Dog Research Foundation (EDRF). The EDRF was founded in
1972 by William Carpenter and John McGrath and was largely
funded by the Canadian Government and the Northwest
Territories, with some support from the CKC. The EDRF
purchased dogs from the small (about 200 dogs) population
remaining in the Canadian arctic from remote Inuit camps on
Baffin Island, Boothia Peninsula, and Melville Peninsula.
The EDRF then began breeding dogs in order to increase
numbers. The Canadian Eskimo Dog is still very rare, however
it is becoming more popular in arctic tourism, with an
increasing number of sled dog teams that serve tourists. This
newfound popularity is because tourists often enjoy seeing the
dogs in their natural environment doing what they are meant
for. In 2001 the Canadian Eskimo Dog became the official
provincial dog for Nunavut.
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