This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, September 2021 issue.
Evidence has shown that the white Spitz dog was brought over to the US with some of the first settlers. The majority of dogs during the early times had to work for a living. The white Spitz was no exception. It worked the farms as a herder, guardian, vermin catcher, and sometimes it even accompanied hunting trips for the family dinner. Times were lean, and the dog occasionally was expected to supply its own source of protein. The larger dogs were kept outside as herders, guardians, and workers. The smaller dogs were brought into the home as companions and vermin catchers; but if asked to, they could perform the jobs that the larger dogs did. The breed was bred to be a multi-purpose working dog of the farm.
The breed lived in somewhat obscurity until registered with UKC just after the turn of the 20th Century. At first, the breed was just registered as “Spitz” as it was definitely a Nordic/Spitz-type dog. The name went through several changes, from American Spitz to American Eskimo Spitz, until finally, in 1926, the name was settled to American Eskimo, denoting its Nordic heritage. Populations of “Eskies,” as they were nicknamed, could be found in the Midwest and Texas. Gradually, the breed could be seen in other areas. Over the years, it lived a quiet life, without anyone seeking AKC recognition. More people began to fall in love with the American Eskimo dog that was extremely intelligent and versatile, had outstanding beauty, and was noted for its longevity. This was also a time of the rise of the many circuses.
They trained many dogs of numerous breeds and mixed-breeds to perform in various performances. The American Eskimo was trained in some circuses along with many other breeds at that time. The Eskie, however, was never “bred” to be a circus dog. It was not used any more or any less than any of the other breeds. Many of the white Spitz that were used were not purebred dogs. There were a number of “stories” of the Eskie and the Circus, but when researched, they were just that—stories. In 1969, UKC closed the stud books. The National American Eskimo Association was formed and the breed was divided into Miniatures and Standards. In 1994, the AKC recognized the American Eskimo Dog, adding “Dog” to its name. The breed was divided into three divisions; Toy, Miniature, and Standard. Today, the traits and instincts that were desired to develop the American Eskimo Dog have produced a very intelligent, versatile dog that excels in Agility, Obedience, Tracking, Lure Coursing, Barn Hunt, Farm Dog, Therapy and Service Dog work.
These are just to name a few of its talents. It is hard to find something that the American Eskimo Dog cannot be taught. When judging the American Eskimo Dog, remember what the breed was originally developed for—a farm dog. The AKC Standard for the breed states that the American Eskimo Dog is “…a picture of strength, agility, alertness and beauty.” The Eskie is a Nordic/Spitz-type dog and should give you the impression of a small-to-medium-sized “Northern” breed.
The head is that of a Nordic/Spitz type. It is wedge-shaped, has a high foreface and oval eyes that are medium-to-dark brown. Ears will balance to the size of the head. The expression is keen and intelligent. There will be good underjaw. Bite is scissors or pincer; both are equally correct. A full complement of teeth is preferred, so check the side teeth. The nose is black-to-dark brown. We also have “snownose,” which is common in many of the Nordic breeds. You can tell the difference between snownose and a dog that has a lack of pigment. With snownose, the edges of the dog’s nose are still black. A dog with a lack of pigment will have a pink nose, or a pink and black spotted nose. The pink is very distinct and bright.
Do not pass over an excellent specimen of the breed because of snownose. There is good depth to the upper jaw, and it balances with the length of the skull, or may be slightly shorter. The key here is balance. We do not want a muzzle that is too short. The muzzle must be in balance with the skull; reason being, Eskies are a cold weather dog. In very cold weather, when the dog breathes in, the muzzle length will give time for the cold air to be warmed before going to the lungs. If the muzzle is too short, air may be too cold when reaching the lungs, and may damage or freeze them. Shoulders are well-angulated, with good return of upper arm. Front legs are under the body. The dog has good forechest, and the prosternum can be easily felt. The front pasterns are strong and flexible, with a 20-degree slant. Dewclaws are not to be faulted if they have not been removed on the front. There will be no rear dewclaws. The dog will stand solid on its front and the same with the rear.
The Eskie foot is oval, and pads are deeply cushioned. We do not have a cat foot. The neck is of medium length and is carried in a graceful arch. Note that when the dog is moving, the head will be dropped slightly to keep with the forward momentum of the dog. The back is strong and firm, loins are short and powerful. There is a 30-degree lay of the pelvis. The hindquarters are well angulated, upper thighs well-developed, and hocks are short and are well let down. The dog will stand with the hocks behind him/her, not underneath the dog. The American Eskimo Dog is a single-tracking breed, and is, thus, clean coming and going. The dog should be able to single track in an easy trot, down and back. The side gait will show excellent reach of the forequarters matched by a strong driving rear. The legs will only be lifted high enough to clear the ground; there is no wasted action.
There will be the same distance between the front two legs as there is between the rear, and the feet will meet under the body. The American Eskimo Dog is not a square dog. To be able to move as the Standard describes, and to be structured to carry the reach and drive defined, the dog is slightly longer than tall, measured from the point of shoulder to the point of buttocks (1.1 to 1). The girls have a tendency to be slightly longer; easier to whelp. Do not fault a bitch for this. The length comes from the ribcage, rather than the loin. The dog will measure the same distance from the top of the withers to the elbow as it does from the elbow to the ground. When the dog comes into the ring, he/she will give you the impression that it could trot all day without tiring. Movement is effortless, tireless. The back will remain strong and level.
There will be no up-and-down movement of the back. There will be spring in the movement. The American Eskimo Dog is white or white with biscuit, or cream. The Eskie has a typical Nordic double coat. It has a short wooly undercoat and a longer guard hair that grows through it. It is a weather-resistant coat. The coat has a distinct pattern. Note that the Standard states that the breeches will come to the hock. The ruff is more noticeable on the dogs than on the bitches. The bitches will also have a somewhat softer coat, but it is still weather-resistant. The guard hair will stand off from the body and will differ in length from dog to dog. Remember, the girls will not carry the coat of the boys, and they should not be penalized for this. The quality of the coat is more important than the quantity. The tail is profusely coated and carried over the back, either to the left, the right, or centered; all are equally correct.
There is to be NO trimming of the body coat, and such trimming WILL be severely penalized. We do not want a sculpted dog. Temperament is important. The American Eskimo Dog is a very intelligent dog. He/she is very willing to learn whatever is being taught. They are not a “needy” dog. They, like most Nordic breeds, must have pack order. Someone must be the pack leader or the dog will assume this position. They get along well with children, if raised properly with them. They get along with other dogs in their pack. They do have prey drive… so to small running animals or objects they will give chase.
They have a natural protective instinct, but will easily learn what is appropriate to sound a warning to—and what is not. Eskie mothers are some of the best mothers in the dog world. They are easy breeders, on the whole, though there are always exceptions to the rule. But, generally, bitches breed very well. They also whelp very well, and prefer to do it all themselves. Even first-time mothers are known to whelp an entire litter of six without issue. Of course, there are always the exceptions, as stated earlier, but on the whole, they are great in the whelping box. They are great, attentive mothers, and if left with their puppies, will usually wean puppies themselves by eight weeks. The boys are also easy breeders, even their first time, and it is not unusual for older sires to breed naturally.
All in all, the American Eskimo Dog is a breed that is well-balanced, sound-structured, a good trotting dog, intelligent, with a strong natural desire to please without being needy. They are a relatively healthy breed, living well into their teens. They are one of the “primitive” breeds, so many natural instincts are keen. There are downsides, however, as there are with all breeds. I would say that their biggest downside is their desire to have “pack order,” though I feel their good outweighs this shortcoming. They love humans, in general, and are loyal to “their” humans, as their owners are to them.
