Pet Health And Care >> Dog Breed >> Greenland Dog

Greenland Dog Puppies, Coat, Characteristics, Information and Facts

The Greenland Dog is also called Greenland’s dog.

This dog originates in the coast of the Arctic region, especially in Northern Siberia, Canada, Alaska and Greenland. This dog has also been made popular with mentions in travel stories like that of Fridtjof Nansen. He was a successful Arctic explorer who recorded his voyages and mentioned these dogs in them.
Facts about the Greenland Dog point to a very old history with origins in the Inuit.

Carbon dating on some islands has placed the dog in 7000 BC, which makes this breed of dog one of the oldest in the world. Information about the Greenland Dog indicates it is a dog that is like a husky and is used in sledding and hunting animals like polar bear and seals. This breed belongs to the Spitz family of dogs and has a natural capacity for pulling and load bearing.

The Greenland Dog is a powerful and well-built dog.

It has a big, broad head and has tilted eyes and small ears. One of the main characteristics of the shape of this breed is that the dog’s shoulders are shaped in a triangular fashion which even gives it its characteristic name in Greenland, called ‘úlo’.

The ears are covered with fur to protect the dog from the extreme weather. The legs of the dog are strong and muscular and covered with fur. This dog also has a long tail which is usually coiled or loose depending on the dog’s state. But the tail is long enough to cover the dog’s nose when it sits down. The Greenland Dog’s coat is a dense coat with two layers. One layer is a short coat, with wool-like fur while the outer coat is coarser, longer and usually water repellant. Males in this breed grow to 27 inches while the females grow to 24 inches. This dog is even similar to the Canadian Eskimo dog.

This dog breed is mostly aloof and independent. These dogs bond with owners very well but tend to be single owner dogs. The Greenland puppy usually has muscox scraps and runs around free. Once the Greenland puppies grow up they are usually taken in to work. This breed continues to be used for the same reasons it was earlier used. They are trained to be part of a pack and are used to load-pulling and hunting activities. If you have this dog as a pet, it definitely needs exercise and will not be content to sit around the house.

Submitted on September 5, 2011