Is An American Eskimo Dog Puppy The Right Choice For Me And My Family?

The American Eskimo Dog is loving, alert, beautiful, agile, highly intelligent, friendly, social, curious and strong. She makes an excellent protective watch dog but is not threatening or aggressive. It has a white or cream straight outer coat, with dense undercoat. There is a lion appearance as the coat is longer and thicker around the chest and neck. It has a thick tail carried on the back. Blue eyes in this breed is considered a defect and a problem of ill health or bad breeding.

She will do well in an apartment as long as she can get frequent long walks. A properly fenced yard is always preferable. She was bred to be a family dog and they need plenty of family attention. She is excellent with children. Of course, never leave very young children alone with any dog for any length of time, long or short, without adult supervision.
The American Eskimo Dog is often called a Spitz in America. The Spitz refers to a group of breeds, not an individual breed. He is also nicknamed the Spitz, which again is not a breed but a group of breeds including the Pomeranian, Samoyed, Shiba Inu, Siberian Husky and Finnish Spitz.
*Approximate Adult Size. There are three sizes of the American Eskimo Dog, Toy, Miniature and Standard. The Toy runs from 9 to 12 inches to the withers (tallest point of the back), the Miniature runs 12 to 15 inches to the withers and the Standard runs 15 inches to19 inches to the withers.
*Special Health Considerations. The American Eskimo Dog, like many large dogs, are prone to hip dysplasia, flea allergies, hot spots, cataracts, epilepsy, patellar luxation, and Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease. They have no tolerance for fleas and can develop severe flea allergies which can result in painful skin lesions. Their skin is naturally dry so they should not be bathed more than one every two or three months. All dogs should have their teeth brushed once a week.
*Grooming. The thick coat is easy to groom, brush twice a week with firm bristle. They are a medium shedder, one in May or June and then again in November and December. Many owners use an undercoat rake to groom which is available online or at better stocked pet stores.
*Life Span. They can live 12 to 14 years with proper nutrition and care, although there are cases of 20 year life spans.
*History. The American Eskimo Dog derives from the ancient Spitz family. Hailing from the coastal regions Germany, these dogs were traded throughout Europe. This family dogs probably came to America with German immigrants. They were used as family pets, watch dogs and circus animals. Circuses would sell puppies after performances and this the breed was spread throughout the US. They became popular during the 1930s and 1940s. They are known as the German Spitz in Germany. They were renamed during World War I to remove their national origin since we were at war with Germany. They were recognized as a breed in 1913.
SPECIAL GOOD POINTS
Good with children.
Highly intelligent.
Very obedient.
Good watchdog.
Can be protective but rarely will bite.
Do not smell like a dog.
They groom themselves.
Easily trained, especially early.
*SPECIAL BAD POINTS
They love to bark.
Can be willful.
Prone to weight gain.
Responds very poorly to harsh treatment.
Can take long to mature, up to two years.
Must be trained early as a puppy.
Can develop bad habits if not stimulated.

Is Siberian husky Puppy a Right Choice for You?

They are square dogs, built to efficiently keep in body heat. Their double-layered coats shed out completely once or twice a year. They come in almost all colors of the canine rainbow (Harlequin is about the only color not seen – yet).

They look strong and ready to run. By nature they are gentle and liveliness. Huskies are independent, stubborn, energetic, pack animals that require specific care and training to maintain their happiness and health. Siberian Huskies, like wolves, have a pack mentality and are unhappy and bored without constant interaction with either humans or other dogs.

To train Siberian Husky Puppies is somewhat difficult as you cannot force them to obey you due to their strong will and independent thinking. Also Siberian husky puppies are easily bored with repetitive tasks. They will be happy to obey you as long as there isn’t something more interesting to distract them. To train them properly, you will require a lot of persistence and patience. Their ability to think for themselves and for the pack (or team) is a bigger drive than many to wander and explore. They can be persistent at stealing food and should never be left in the kitchen unsupervised. You must be the undisputed pack leader with this breed!

Simple skills such as toilet training, not damaging furniture and social skills with outsiders are a must for your Siberian husky puppy. Siberian husky puppies are very enthusiastic when they meet new people. This lively and mild-tempered dog simply makes a great family pet.

Regular, scheduled checkups are necessary for the healthy development of Siberian husky puppies. Husky puppies also require a healthy, well-balanced diet. Overfeeding and corresponding lack of exercise is often the cause of obesity amongst husky puppies. Instead, choose a well-balanced diet which should ideally consist of fish and white meat. Husky puppies also need fish oil in their diet in order to develop a healthy coat of fur and nails.

Make sure you bring your Siberian husky puppy for regular exercise. Exercise is not only necessary to keep your dog in good shape and preventing obesity, it is also important in familiarizing your husky puppy with its living environment. Health problems often develop in dogs that lack exercise. Introduce your Siberian husky puppy to your neighbors. This allows it to develop greater people skills which are necessary for its growth in time to come. Under ordinary circumstances this is a high energy active dog that can live a long time without problems.

Raising Siberian husky puppies require a great deal of time, effort and commitment. It is important to make the effort to provide your husky puppies with the necessary care. Ability to do so will guarantee healthy growth of your husky puppy in time to come as well as many years of satisfaction in the future.