 The
American Eskimo is an elegant, solid-white dog who boasts classic
northern type, prick ears, a curled tail, thick double coat and
wedge-shaped skull. The breed occurs in three sizes: the
standard, miniature, and the toy American Eskimo. The toy
variety is less common than the larger two. The body is strong
and compactly built, with a strong, somewhat broad chest and a
straight level back. The front legs should be parallel and
straight and the hind well developed with good angulation. The
eyes are slightly oval, not slanted, and the ears are slightly
rounded at the tips. The muzzle is medium in length, as is the neck,
which must blend into the shoulders gracefully and carry the head
proudly. The tail should be carried over the back, but is not
tightly curled or double hooked. The coat should be full,
though quality is more important than quantity, and has a noticeably
thicker ruff around the neck. Standards stand 15 to 19 inches;
miniatures stand 12 to 15 inches and toys less than 12 inches
tall. Females are always an inch
less.
Sweet natured and mild
mannered, the American Eskimo is a great family dog of medium size,
not fragile but not so large he'll plow over the kids. Do not
choose a shy puppy as this can be a difficult dog to work
with. Although he is almost intuitive, the Eskie needs patient
and firm training. When an Eskie wants to learn, he can do so
in minutes, the trainer's job most of the time is convincing him
that obedience is fun and worthwhile. These are high activity
dogs, inside and out. Like other spitz breeds, they are
boundless in snow and cold. Commit much time and love to your
American Eskimo, although the breed tends to be high strung and
independent, only if ignored and bored will the dog become barky and
hyper.
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