A Eurasier is a medium sized spitz type of dog that is also known as Eurasian and Eurasian Dog. This comparatively young breed that originated in Germany was the result of breeding Chow Chow, Samoyed and Wolfspitz. These are not working or hunting dogs as they were primarily developed to be the perfect family companions. This 50 year old breed is characterized by a well balanced body that is covered with beautiful medium length straight soft luxurious hair that comes in any color.
The Eurasier was the result of an undertaking aimed to develop a dog that will be a perfect family companion. True enough, the one that was created is a dog that was prized for its devotion and loyalty to the family. Some other companion dogs would form an attachment to a particular member of the family. This is not so with a Eurasier, as the dog would be loyal and devoted to all members of the family. Acting like human, the dog would consider itself to be a part of the family would love to be made a part of all the family activities and would generally appreciate to be near the human family night and day.
As with all other breeds, the Eurasier is not a dog for all people. In spite of the fact that this dog is easy to care for, the owner wont need to spend a lot for canine food as these are fussy eaters and tend to consume small amount of food and Eurasier puppies can be small bundles of joy, a prospective dog owner should carefully consider the decision to have a Eurasier.
Eurasiers are people dogs, meaning they would want and need to be beside the human family at all times. If you have the chance to observe a Eurasier you will notice that a dog that seems to be sleeping will be instantly on its feet to follow the master wherever he or she goes. They are completely focused on the activities and movements of the family. This fact can be a problem as the dog would suffer from separation anxiety if left in kennels or made to board. Having a Eurasier for a pet is not a good idea if you are constantly travelling unless the dog can be taken.
All dog breeds are pack oriented. They would be happiest if they know their place in the pack. The dog owner must be firm and dominant. He must be able to show the Eurasier its right place which is below the humans. If this is not done the dog would either be very confused or would try to be dominant to be the leader of the pack.
Eurasiers however, are a pleasure to own. Their happy go lucky attitude coupled with their exuberant and cheerful nature will never fail to make you smile. This breed is not known to have serious health problems and has a life expectancy of 13 years.
Images
[nggallery id=1]Appearance
A full grown male Eurasier stands 20 to 24 inches and weighs from 50 to 70 pounds and a females height is from 16 to 18 inches and tips the scale from 40 to 60 pounds. This means that the dog belongs to the medium sized class. The Eurasier has a wolf like appearance with its strong and well muscled body that is covered with a coat that comes in fawn, wolf grey, red, black and tan. This breed has a double coat. The undercoat is thick and the hair guard or top coat is of medium length, loosely lying and slightly harsh to the touch. The tail, the back of the front legs as well as the hind legs are covered with long hair. The coat on the medium length and well muscled neck is slightly longer than the coat on the dogs body.
A Eurasier has a wedge shaped head and a muzzle that tapers to the medium sized black pigmented nose leather, a strong jaw and a tight black pigmented lips. Strong and complete set of teeth conforms to the normal formation and meet either in a scissors or level bite. The slanting dark medium sized eyes have a tight fitting and black pigmented eyelids. The wolf origin of the dog is very apparent in the triangular pricked medium sized ears that have a slightly rounded tip. The round, thick and firm tail that tapers towards the end is covered with bushy hair. Tail is usually carried rolled up over the back or bent sideways. A distinctive feature of this dog is its blue tongue. Although some dogs would have pink tongues.
Personality
A Eurasier thinks that it is a member of the family. This means that the dog should be given access to the family living quarters. This means that the dog ought to be wherever the family is. Because the dog would prefer to be in close proximity with the human family it would not do to keep a Eurasier in a kennel or in a cage nor chained outside the home. Being boarded will not be appreciated by the dog. Separation from the human family even for a short period of time will depress the dog. This is why it is highly recommended to leave the dog to a family friend whom the dog already knew and like.
Eurasiers are peaceful and even tempered dogs. This breed has a high resistance to provocation. This is the reason why this dog is gentle with boisterous children and tolerant of other pets and animals. These dogs are very loyal, gentle and tolerant with the family but they can be very reserve with strangers. A Eurasier dog may show aggressiveness if touch by people introduced to them. Surprisingly other dogs would take to people introduced to them immediately. This characteristic was attributed to the temperament of its three ancestors.
As aforementioned, the dog is wary of strangers. The dog is always alert, always watching the people that come near the family. The dog rarely barks and when it does it is to alert the owner that something is amiss.
Because of the dogs loyalty to the owners, it would always want to please. This makes the dog easy to train. However, training must be done in a firm but cajoling manner. These are sensitive dogs that would react negatively to reprimands. Moreover, the exercises must not be repetitive otherwise the dog may assert its independence and go deaf if they find the training less interesting. Because they are reserved with strangers, training must be done by family members and not by strangers or handlers. These dogs may do well in apartments as they are relatively quiet and calm indoors. But this is an energetic breed that would need to be exercised at least an hour and a half everyday. This dog is lively and active outside. A home with a fenced in yard would be ideal as the dog would be given a place to play with the kids and do all sorts of activities that will burn up its excess energies.
Care
Most Eurasier owners leave grooming of the dog to professional groomers especially if the dog is shown. This is because the beautiful coat of the dog may be damaged if groomed incorrectly. Careful brushing wont hurt the dog though. A wide toothed comb would remove tangles. The dog may be bathed occasionally but be sure not to rub the hair with the towel. Use a towel to blot the water from the coat and then allow the hair to dry naturally.
History
Julius Wipfel of Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany is dubbed as the father of the Eurasier. In the mid 1950s Julius and wife Elfriede have undertaken the creation of a dog that will be open minded to tolerate other pets of the family, a dog that will be highly intelligent and sensitive that will form a close and strong bond with the family. Because the dog is primarily aimed to be a home companion it should not be a barker and should not manifest a strong hunting drive. This idea was largely influenced by a book on canine literature written by Konrad Lorenz. Moreover, the new breed would be attractive because it would have a variedly colored coat.
The breeding of Eurasier was started in 1960 when Julius mated Wolfspitz female with a Chow Chow male. With these two old breeds it was hoped that the new breed Wolf Chow would have the desired qualities. Julius Wipfel was ably helped by another dog enthusiast, Charlotte Baldamus. Julius Wipfel and his collaborators later on decided to include the Siberian Samoyed into the breeding plan.
In 1973 the new dog breed now called Eurasier was recognized by the German Kennel Club and the FCI. The ideal genetic set up has made the Eurasier a well balance dog that forms a close bond with the human family and one that has a noble reserve with strangers without giving the appearance and impression of being shy or of being afraid.