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MediumNon-Sporting Group

American Eskimo Dog

The American Eskimo Dog is a descendant of the white German Spitz brought to the US by German immigrants in the early 20th century, renamed during the anti-German sentiment of WWI.

Calculate American Eskimo Dog age
Lifespan11.3 yrrange 10–12
SizeMediumNon-Sporting Group
Weight6–35 lb2.7–15.9 kg
Senior at7 yrgeriatric at 11

Gallery (3)

About

About the American Eskimo Dog

The American Eskimo Dog is a descendant of the white German Spitz brought to the US by German immigrants in the early 20th century, renamed during the anti-German sentiment of WWI. Toy, miniature, and standard sizes are shown as one AKC breed.

Aging

How American Eskimo Dogs age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 11.3 years (n=58, very small UK sample). Patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, and progressive retinal atrophy are the defining inherited concerns on OFA screens; juvenile cataracts and dental disease are secondary.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 11.3 yr · range 10–12Senior careSenior at 7 · geriatric at 11Common health issues7 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
6–35 lb(2.7–15.9 kg)
Height
9–19 in(22.9–48.3 cm)
Coat type
Double
Colors
WhiteWhite & Biscuit
Temperament

Temperament

How American Eskimo Dogs tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

perkyaffectionateplayfulalert
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~8 yr

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    Description and veterinary guidance for Degenerative Myelopathy land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a American Eskimo Dog physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.