“With one paw in the past and one in the modern world this breed has survived as one of Canada’s oldest indigenous dog breeds for over 4000 years……”
The Canadian Eskimo Dog or Canadian Inuit Dog as it is also known has a zest for life, they have a gentle disposition, curious, alert and very intelligent. To the outdoor-minded person, the CED/CID is a good companion whether it be backpacking or mushing. He is quite easy to train and once commands are mastered he does not forget. In spite of their ruggedness, strength and stamina, the breed on the whole is playful and submissive. Owing to their original environment, they take pure delight in cold weather, often preferring to sleep outside in cold climates.
CED/CID’s need a large amount of exercise, at least 2 long walks a day plus they also need mental/physical stimulation and really enjoy dog sports, such as dry land mushing, sledding, skijoring, canicross, bikejorring and weight pull. They far surpass other spitz breeds for their drive and endurance. The CED/CID can pull at least twice his weight and cover at least 70 miles a day in the most rugged terrain.
They were also used as hunting dogs, they would help to locate seal breathing holes and would also attack and hold at bay Musk Ox and Polar Bears for their masters, the Inuit hunters. Because of this some dogs may have a prey drive.
The CED/CID should always be powerfully built, athletic and imposing in appearance. He should be of “powerful physique giving the impression that he is not built for speed but rather for hard work.” He has erect, triangular ears and a heavily feathered tail that is carried over his back. Males should be distinctly more masculine than females, who are finer boned, smaller and often have a slightly shorter coat. The coat is very thick and dense, with a soft undercoat and stiff, coarse guard hairs. They are fairly easy to care for of the year, needing brushing only one or two times a week. However when he sheds (which happens once a year, or more depending on the climate) he will need grooming every day. They have a mane of thicker fur around the neck, which is quite impressive in the males and adds an illusion of additional size.
CED/CID’s can be almost any colour and no one colour or colour pattern should dominate. Solid white dogs are often seen, as well as white dogs with patches of another colour on the head or both body and head. Solid liver or black coloured dogs are common as well. Many of the solid coloured dogs have white mask-like markings on the face, sometimes with spots over the eyes. Others might have white socks and nose stripes with no eye spots or mask.
The natural voice is a howl, not a bark. When in a group the dogs often give voice in a chorus of strangely woven tones, one of the most thrilling tones of the Arctic.
‘To hear the wolfish singing of an Eskimo Dog, is to be drawn to him for life.’ Quoted by Brian Ladoon (1988)