Eurasier

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Size

Medium

Life span

13 Years

Weight

32 Kg

Group

Utility Dogs

Eurasier Overview

The Eurasier is a spitz-type medium size dog that typically weighs 32kg. It is a fairly modern breed developed only during the 1940s by a German professor as a companion dog. It has a wedge-shaped head with a tapering muzzle, black nose, dark oval eyes, medium size triangular ears with slightly rounded tips and carried pricked and teeth and jaws that form a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite. It has well-muscled forequarters with straight and parallel legs, with a body longer than tall in profile with evenly muscled hindquarters. The tail is set high and tapers towards the tip, carried forward, curved or curled over the back or the side when the dog is in motion or excited. It is carried hanging down up to the hocks when the dog is at rest. The double coat is made of a dense soft undercoat and medium length harsh loose lying guard hairs all over the body but shorter on the muzzle, face, ears and front of the legs. The tail and the back of the front legs have featherings of long hair  while the back legs have breeches of long hair. The coat on the neck is also slightly longer than the coat on the body but without forming a mane. The coat comes in a variety of colour combination except pure white, liver or merle or white patches on the body.                     

A typical male Eurasier is between 52-60cm in height while a female Eurasier is between 48-56cm in height. Average weight is between 23-32kg for dogs and 18-26kg for bitches.

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Eurasier Characteristics

Size InformationIntelligence
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Size InformationExercise Needs
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Size InformationDogs Health
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Size InformationChild Friendly
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Size InformationApartment
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Size InformationShedding
  • 4
Size InformationGrooming Needs
  • 4
Size InformationBarking
  • 3
Size InformationAlone
  • 3
Size InformationTrainability
  • 4
Size InformationEnergy Levels
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Size InformationDog friendly
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History & Origin

The Eurasier is one of the modern breeds of dogs developed by humans. There is no known single ancient Eurasian spitz breed or landrace animal for that matter, that might prove as descendants of spitz-type dogs. This breed was developed in the 1960s by a German professor named Julius Wipfel who wanted an ideal family companion after taking in a dog that had been accompanying Canadian troops during the Second World War which he aptly named “Canadian”. When this dog died, Wipfel wanted a similar size dog that is not only intensely loyal, protective and intelligent but also one that can command respect, calm, and even-tempered, so he set out to develop one. He purchased a German Wolfspitz bitch and mated her with an early type Chow Chow (not the same type as modern Chows). The resulting type was aptly named “wolf-chow” and tried to register the breed but encountered fierce criticisms from Chow and Wolfspitz enthusiasts. During the course of the breed’s development, Wipfel had many collaborators and fellow enthusiasts. After several years of in-breeding, he was advised to add new blood to the breed. Then in 1972, Wipfel chose the Samoyed dog as the outcross and the resulting breed became very popular in Germany as a family pet. It was recognised by the German Kennel Club and the FCI in 1973 and was aptly renamed the “Eurasier”, having the best of both European and Asian dogs’ qualities.

Eurasier Temperament

This breed is curious, energetic and intelligent. It is self-assured, docile and even-tempered. Being an all-around family companion, it thrives on human companionship and forms a strong bond with its family. It is typically aloof with strangers but is never aggressive. It is a combination of the best qualities of the Chow Chow, the German Wolfspitz, and the Samoyed dog. Bred solely to be a companion dog, the Eurasier will not thrive in a kennel environment nor in a working environment. It is best suited to live with the family inside the house. Seclusion or confinement will result to depression which can be harmful to the breed. As a companion dog, the Eurasier makes a wonderful therapy dog for patients and elder people. It enjoys getting involved in all family-related activities. It is typically quiet indoors but jumps into action when it is outside. It rarely barks but has a very good reason when it does.

Eurasier Training

Training is on the moderate side and starts with a strong bond with the Eurasier as soon as the dog is brought home. Build a strong, caring, loving relationship with the puppy in order to win his heart. A Eurasier that feels secured and loved will respond better to training. Early socialisation is also key to raising a well-balanced breed. Take the Eurasier out in the open and let it experience as many people, places, and events as possible. Training should be gentle but firm and never treat the dog harshly when it fails to follow a command. Patience and persistence have its rewards.

Grooming

The breed’s double coat is made of medium and long hairs with a dense undercoat. It is a heavy but seasonal shedder that usually blows its coat twice a year, particularly during seasonal changes. On a normal day, use a pin brush for general purpose day to day brushing. A slicker brush will make wonders when fluffing up the tail or a puppy’s coat and is also a good tool to remove anything stuck or caught in the fur. During heavy shedding, use a rake to pull some of the loose undercoat and a metal comb to back skim through the undercoat. Matts should be cut off or shaved before combing, particularly those that form behind the ears. Inspect and clean the ears when necessary.

Health

The Eurasier is generally a healthy dog, although a small gene pool in the early years of the breed’s history has led to some genetically inherited diseases including canine hip dysplasia (CHD), patellar luxation, and hypothyroidism. Eye problems such as distichiae, entropion and ectropion are also seen in some Eurasiers. The average life span of the Eurasier is 12 to 14 years.

Eurasier Exercise Needs

Exercise is on the low end of the scale. The Eurasier is a low activity dog, having been developed solely as a companion dog. It is typically calm and quiet inside the house with very little exercise needs. It makes a wonderful pet for people with inactive lifestyles. It will do well in an apartment setting or condominium life as it does in a large home with a good size yard. Nevertheless, it is still best for the breed to have a daily walk to stimulate a healthy blood flow.

Children and other pets

The Eurasier is an excellent family dog and is a naturally wonderful companion with kids. Older children will do best with the breed, but younger children need adult supervision when playing with the Eurasier. Besides training the dog to become a wonderful family pet, children should also be taught how to handle a dog properly. Teach them not to disturb the dog when it is eating or not snatching his favourite toy when he is playing with it. The Eurasier will get along quite well with other dogs and cats in the house especially if it is raised with them from puppyhood.