They require a daily dose of exercise to stay healthy and are often very playful. Despite its appearance the American Eskimo dog is not a descendant of the Husky, and despite its name it is not American either. This breed was however immensely popular in the U.S.A. when it did arrive there, especially during the 1930s and 1940s.
It also appeared as a circus performer as early as 1917 at the Cooper Brother's Railroad Circus, which was most defiantly not a common occupation for any dog breeds. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1994 and set the current standard for the breed.
The United Kennel Club had recognized the breed long before 1994, and there is no difference between the two breed standards except that the AKC allows the toy size and the UKC does not.
The American Eskimo Dog comes in three sizes - toy, miniature and standard. All sizes are relatively small, the biggest of them only about 15-19 inches high.
The toy size is indeed a size like any other artificial stuffed animal, and the dogs even resemble the fluffy artificially created stuffed animals you see often in shops. Their fur is always thick and profuse, and usually looks very nice.
The dog has great characteristics as well and is loving, loyal and good with children at a relatively understanding age. American Eskimo Dogs live in average between 12 and 14 years, though make it past 20 years or more. This breed is a fairly healthy breed, although close attention should be paid to its eyes and tear ducts.
They are prone to hip dysplasia, Elbow and Knee degeneration, patellar luxation, Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, epilepsy, urinary stones and allergies and especially flea allergies that can lead to acute moist dermatitis.
These terms may seem foreign to those who don't know what diseases they specify, but most of them are common disorders that appear as the dog grows older.
One thing you might want to pay particular attention to is that this breed has a tendency to develop severe allergies to fleas. One single flea on them can result in frantic scratching and gnawing on its skin, which gives painful "hot spots" and skin lesions.
Many people find the puppies of American Eskimo Dogs to be very "cute" and purchase this breed as a puppy without doing sufficient research, such as discovering the longevity and needs of this breed.
This breed can take longer to mature than other breeds, and Eskies can behave more like puppies than like adults for up to two years, when they finally start to mature and grow their adult coats.
They are also a very intelligent dog and need to be stimulated. When their intelligence is not stimulated or they are ignored, they can even develop behavior issues and start acting strangely.
