The American Eskimo is an adorable breed, especially as a pup. All too often, individuals or families get swept up in the fantasy of raising an Eskie only to find their expectations were not based on fact or reality. This can be frustrating for the dog owner but even sadder for the Eskie who senses his or her owner's discontent. The two options for the situation is to either find a good, solid, dependable home that can entirely accommodate an Eskie or learn all about the breed in order to adapt and level the playing field. All too often, it is not the dog but the owner that is unwilling to adjust. Learning to acclimate means learning to appreciate the breed's plusses and minimize the minuses.
Many assume a high energy breed means it's neurotic. This is definitely not the case with the Eskie. While they are wary of strangers and will bark, they are not an anxious breed. A younger Eskie can be quite lively; however, training and age generally do away with jumping and barking by the end of the first year. No matter how old they get, they will still expect to be included and will always prefer going to sitting. An Eskie greatly depends on interaction in order to stay healthy. To cut down the demand for attention, owners can opt to keep two Eskies to keep each other company.
The individual who was born to be an Eskie owner is one who:
would rather be out of the house than sit around and watch TV
prefers a dog that is attentive, watchful and barks at strangers
knows how to be consistent and keep the upper hand
has time to exclusively devote their attention to play on a daily basis
doesn't mind having a dog inside and, at times, under foot
wants a traveling companion
is seeking out a breed that can learn to do tricks
does not mind shedding and has time for grooming and maintenance
is not out of the house for extended periods of time
prefers to work with their dog rather than dominate it
Those who dislike the idea of finding hair on furniture or clothes, live a quiet sedentary lifestyle, and who have neighbors that may complain about high pitched barking should probably opt for a different breed of dog. Those not willing to take charge or keep up with the breed's strong will are likely to see their Eskie take over the house. This can lead to bad behaviors, frustration, and a heartbreaking situation where the Eskie is removed from the home. A lack of good communication of what is expected and acceptable is one of the biggest commonalities of displaced dogs.
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