Not the Perfect Dog for Everyone

Inuit dogs in fan hitch. Click for bigger.

From the latest issue of The Fan Hitch comes this piece by Mark Hamilton entitled Why Inuit Dogs?:

The Inuit Sled Dog as a working animal was and is shaped by the harsh requirements of life in the polar region. It has evolved into a breed that enthusiastically works in all arctic weather conditions. It seems to be genetically programmed to survive even in conditions of privation. The dogs are intelligent and clever. They express enjoyment in their work and their lives. I've found them to be brave, reliable, honest and to have seemingly boundless enthusiasm for everything they do. I love this breed and frankly find it difficult to imagine myself with any other breed of dog.

But reality is that most of the Inuit Dog's finest attributes are of little or no value when living the easy life this far south of the tree line. The Inuit Dog's legendary endurance under difficult circumstances goes largely unchallenged at 41.78º north here in Connecticut. We don't have polar bears down here, which pretty much obviates our need for keeping a bear dog close at hand. Yes, we have black bears, but generally they can be chased off if you just bang a couple of pot lids together.

On the other hand, the Inuit Dog's equally legendary enjoyment of a good brawl among themselves and their ability to take advantage of humans incapable of projecting a leadership aura is not diminished in any way by living so far south of the tree line. What becomes apparent as a result of the dogs being here are the number of people living close at hand who are incapable of understanding the breed's behavior (i.e. we live among people who have embraced a Disney-like world view).

Read the whole thing.

The point here is simple: Working dogs are not for everyone and often come with real liabilties. If you are looking for a lap dog or simple suburban pet, an Inuit Dog is not for you!

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