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(We are a 501-c3 charitable non-profit organization)
Please take the time to read a little about this fascinating breed.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN ESKIMO DOG
If you have any interest in the American Eskimo Dog, you've probably read a little about the breed on websites and in dog books.
However, this description applies to an Eskimo that has been properly bred for health and temperment. Most importantly, a good breeder will socialize her puppies from day one to insure that they grow into confident, well adjusted dogs.
Welcome to reality. Most of the Eskimos in rescue come from bad breeders, pet stores, puppy mills, etc. This is NOT the eskie you've read about in the breed books and we'd like to tell you about this dog.
Eskimos are a protective breed that is wary of strangers. This translates into aggression towards strangers and anyone unfamilliar, ranging from barking and lunging to nipping and biting. A nice Eskimo can become protective over time if he/she is not constantly socialized. Socialization is like a muscle, and the "use it or lose it" principle applies.
So what is socialization? Socialization is giving your dog lots positive experinces in different situations. Hoe do you do this? Take your dog out with you. Allow him/her to interact with different kinds of people. Men, woman, kids, people wearing glasses, people wearing hats, people with loud voices, people with deep voices etc. Find a way to make these interactions enjoyable (adding food and or praise is, of course the best way to do this)and BINGO! you're socializing your dog.
If you have a friendly, younger dog and you'd like to keep the dog from becoming aggressive, he/she MUST have positive interaction with people and strangers EVERY DAY. This means going out of your way to meet people and say hello and have them pet your dog, or give him or her a treat.
If you have an older dog that is acting aggresively, you must still do this, but the progress will be slower. The aggression WILL tone itself down or even completely disappear, but it takes time.
What else? Eskies have extremely high energy levels. They need to be able to run freely off leash (they do very well off leash) and get at least an hour of heavy exercise each day. An Eskie that is not exercised and is bored will become destructive and may chew, shred, or destroy whatever is handy or get into whatever trouble they can find. This is one reason many Eskie owners have more than one.
Eskies bark and Eskies shed. These are two things that are like death and taxes. They are inevitable.
Eskies love their family. Your Eskie will want to be with you constantly. He will velcro himself to you. Your Eskie will want to sleep with you or near you, and will pay you lots of attention. Because of this, Eskies are not a breed that you can tie out in the yard. To do so is the creulest torture imaginable. Again, this is one reason people usually have more than one Eskie.
Pertaining to bad behavior, Eskies DO NOT do well if they are yelled at, punished, or forced to do anything. Rather than learn, they will become shrinking violets who resent whatever point you are trying to make. Positive training, however, works wonders with Eskies. With Positive reinforcement, an Eskie can be taught almost anything.
Eskie do not kennel well. If you plan to vacation, and you kennel your Eskie, you will most likely return to a devastated dog. Pet sitting is a much less stressful alternative.
DIET AND VACCINES
This is an extremely important section for potential adopters to read.
We would like all of our adopters to become educated about the health of their pet. Sadly we are finding that most people have been taken advantage of by greedy or ignorant animal care professionals. We would like to reeducate you with science and facts.
We reccomend that people vaccinate their dogs ONCE during their lifetime.
The recomendation that pets be revaccinated once a year is a suggestion made by the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture vaccines. This suggestion is not made based upon any scientific evidence or study.
Now that scientific research and study is finally being done, we are learning that annual revaccination is not only unnecessary, but harmful.
Studies done at ALL 27 Veterinary Universities, most notably Purdue, tell us that ONE vaccination provides a lifetime of immunity. Revaccinating is an unnecessary expense.
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, side effects of vaccination can cause onset of seizures (epilepsy), hemolytic anemia, cancer, aggression, etc.
The solution that is injected into your pet's body along with a virus ,contains aluminum and mercury along with a host of other foreign toxins that may set off an autoimmune reaction when the body fights to rid itself of this foreign material. This translates into allergies and cancer.
For detailed vaccine information, we reccomend you read WHAT VETS DON'T TELL YOU ABOUT VACCINES by Catherine O'Driscoll
BEFORE YOU APPLY TO ADOPT A DOG FROM US, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Although exceptions may be made in exceptional circumstances, the following are requirements for adopting an American Eskimo from our rescue:
* The dog's primary caretaker must be over 25 years of age
* You must own your own home
* We prefer that you have a fenced in yard
* You must have another dog in the household OR be home full time
* All family members must be aware of and in agreement on the adoption of the dog
A WORD ABOUT DIET FOR YOUR DOG
Every single dog in our care is fed a raw, natural diet, also known as a BARF diet. We would like adoptable dogs to continue to be fed this type of diet, since it is optimal to their health.
Here are some links to get you started:
An excerpt from Kymythy Schultze's Book, "Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet"
Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Frequently Asked Questions (BARF FAQ)
BARF for Beginners
What's Really in Pet Food, Animal Protection Institute