American Eskimo Dog breed guide

American Eskimo Dogs are social animals that insist on being part of family life and may develop problem behaviors when neglected or undertrained.

AKC puts them among the most trainable of all breeds: highly intelligent, eager to please and quick to learn commands, sometimes just by watching other dogs.

The American Eskimo Dog lives 13 to 15 years. Responsible breeders test breeding dogs for hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy.

The fluffy white double coat is surprisingly easy to keep clean because the oil on the fur keeps dirt from adhering. American Eskimo Dogs shed almost constantly, so AKC recommends a thorough brushing two or three times a week to remove dead hair and prevent matting.

An active, quick and curious dog, the American Eskimo Dog needs lots of exercise and mental challenges and can quickly become destructive when left alone or underexercised. A securely fenced yard and a variety of toys help, though AKC advises against leaving it in the yard by itself all day.

Despite the name, the peoples called Eskimos had no part in founding the breed. German immigrants arriving in successive waves from the early 1800s brought a Nordic breed, the German Spitz, to the American Midwest as an all-around farm dog.

AKC calls those little white dogs the ancestors of the modern American Eskimo Dog. The breed later became a mainstay of trained-dog acts in traveling circuses, vaudeville troupes and Wild West shows.