healthydogs

Originally called “Qimmiq,” by the Thule Inuit people, the Canadian Eskimo Dog is one of the rarest and oldest purebred breeds, native to North America.  Their thick, dense, double coat allows them to survive and work in freezing conditions with little effort.

Canadian Eskimo Dogs were often used as sled dogs as well as for packing, transportation, locating seal breathing holes and for protection from foxes and the mighty polar bear.  This breed was also very popular for using in Arctic and Antarctic exploration.

As time went on, the use of snowmobiles gained in popularity.  Snowmobiles required less work to tale care of and could travel faster and for a longer period of time with no rest required.  With less need for them, the population of the Canadian Eskimo Dog quickly began to decline with the numbers being over 20,000 in the 1950’s to less than 300 dogs registered today.

Although there is much being done to bring back this beautiful breed, there numbers are still struggling.