Canadian Eskimo

The Canadian Eskimo Dog is a breed that has an unclear origin although it is thought to be first descendant of spitz-type canines and is also thought to be related to the Greenland Dog. Most commonly found in the Arctic, the breed dates back as far as 4000 years ago among the Eskimo people of Greenland and Alaska. They are a popular choice for Arctic explorers in both the North and South poles and can also be found among the Inuit people, who call these dogs Qimmiq. Years ago, the Inuits would use the frozen urine of the Canadian Eskimo Dog as an ingredient in medicine, and their fur was also very valuable. During famines, they would sometimes use the dogs as food. They were skilled sled dogs who were capable of pulling sleds with a heavy weight from one point to another over lengthy distance. The Canadian Eskimo Dog was also used for hunting. The need for these dogs decreased as snowmobiles became more popular, and the numbers also decreased from 1950 through 1970 when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police would kill the sled dogs. Reasons for these actions are debated, with an investigation saying it was for health reasons and the Inuits claiming it was a way to intimidate them. However, the breed was saved from extinction with a breeding program established in the late 1980s between the Canadian Eskimo Dog Research Foundation, the Canadian Kennel Club, and the Canadian Government.  In the 2000s, when the Inuit people in Greenland found a renewed interest in their heritage and culture, the dogs became more known, although they are still considered to be a rare breed.