Northern Inuit Dog
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| Northern Inuit Dog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 A Northern Inuit Dog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common nicknames | NI dog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Breed status | Not recognized as a breed by any major kennel club. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Northern Inuit Dog is an unrecognized crossbred dog that originated the late 1980's, in an attempt to create a domestic dog breed more closely resembling the wolf. It currently recognized by its own independent breed club, but by no other major kennel clubs. The dog originates from crosses among German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, and a variety of Inuit breeds.[1] Although the original stock is Canadian in origin, the breed was developed in the UK.
Description
Appearance
The Northern Inuit Dog is of Medium build, athletic but never racy. Females should be between 23-28 inches (58-71 cm) tall and weigh around 55-84 pounds (25-38 kg), while males should be between 25-30 inches (58-81 cm) tall and weigh 79-110 pounds (36-48 kg). The dog should have a double coat and a straight tail - curly tails are considered a fault.
Temperament and Health
The Northern Inuit dog is totally non aggressive. They are the most versatile of dogs, but they are not for the novice owner as they can be very stubborn and are very quick-witted. The owner of an Northern Inuit must show themselves to be the Alpha member of the pack or be prepared to be the underdog, and be taken advantage of. A firm hand is most definitely needed.
They are intelligent, independent dogs, which can make them more difficult to train than other, more biddable breed. They are not recommended for inexperienced owners. They are good with children, but as with all dogs should not be left alone with them. They are very loyal and pack-oriented, forming close bonds with their owner and family. Separation anxiety may arise when they are left alone and unsupervised too long, leading to destructive and sometimes self-mutilating behaviours. Training from the onset is a must for this breed. Often, they will do better with another dog for company. Socialization should begin early.
Some genetic problems have become apparent in Northern Inuit lines, such as hereditary cataracts, hip dysplasia, and epilepsy, all of which should be tested for prior to breeding by responsible breeders.
History
There are two stories regarding the history of the Northern Inuit Dog. In the late 1980s, the founder of the breed, Eddie Harrison, bred several mixed-breed rescue dogs of unknown origin or heritage with Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, and German Shepherds to produce the early Northern Inuit dogs. The breed's intent was to create a dog that closely resembled a wolf in appearance while possessing the gentler, more trainable character of the domesticated dog.
The other story relating to this breed is that a few Canadian Eskimo Dogs or Labrador Huskys were brought into the UK from the USA in the late 70's or early 80's and crossed bred with Alaskan Malamutes and German Shepherds.
Over the years various groups have split from the original Northern Inuit Society to form their own breed groups. These have included The Inuit Dog Association, The British Timber dog, Anglo Wulfdog, The British Inuit Dog Club, and The Utonagan Society; the latter has also now splintered into different groups. None of these clubs have been accepted by larger organizations such as the British Kennel Club.
In 2011 Northern Inuit dogs were cast as the direwolves in the first season of the HBO TV series Game of Thrones based on the book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin.[2]
Similar breeds
Other domestic dog breeds selectively bred to resemble wolves include the Utonagan and Tamaskan Dog, and the hybridized Saarlooswolfhond, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Kunming Wolf-dog and Lupo Italiano.
External links
References
- ^ Cusdin, P.A. "The Keeping Of Wolf-Hybrid Dogs In Great Britian" (PDF). Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ^ "Northern Inuits double as direwolves". Winter Is Coming.Net. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
Dogs originating in Canada | ||
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| Extant |  | |
| Extinct | ||