Snow dogs is an unofficial collective term for those dog breeds whose favorite season is a cold, white winter.
Because not only sled dogs love it, to roll in the snow. The fur of snow dogs is accordingly well protected against up to arctic temperatures.
And some breeds are not even found in Germany – or do you know someone who holds the number 12?
1. Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky has an infallible sense of direction. He also needs it when the path is no longer visible under a thick layer of snow.
Initially for their comparative petite physique laughed at, the sled dog sport quickly recognized the advantages of agile and nimble dogs.
Many underestimate the demeanor of a Siberian Husky. He needs lots of sustained movement and a task, in addition, because of the thick fur, he does not tolerate high temperatures.
Typical for huskies: little barking, but a lot to say. They tend to howl like wolves.
2. Alaskan Husky
The Alaskan Husky is a cross between a Siberian Husky and Alaskan dogs that still bore strong resemblances to wolves.
The result is a broad-shouldered, powerful husky with high social compatibility.
The different characteristics range from dainty dogs weighing 17 kg to stately specimens weighing 50 kg.
Something special: Like the Siberian Husky, the Alaskan Husky can develop two different colored eyes!
3. Alaskan Malamute
The Alaskan Malamute is the national dog of Alaska. The name comes from the Eskimo tribe of Malemuten.
He is the oldest polar dog breed and was also the only breed of the North Arctic until the Huskies were bred.
Unlike huskies, their eyes are never blue, only brown, reddish brown, or black.
His specialty isn’t speed, it’s power. It is also considered to be the largest and strongest sled dog.
4. Norwegian Elkhound
The Norwegian Elkhound is the pride of Norway.
Its history goes back a long way. And despite being just 50 cm tall, he takes on the huge Norwegian moose.
While breeding is thriving in the Scandinavian countries, the Norwegian Elkhound is very rarely found in Germany.
Steeped in History: The breed is so old that experts suspect its appearance resembles the very first domesticated dogs.
5. Samoyede
You can quickly recognize a Samoyed by this pure white to cream colored fur.
Although the white, fluffy dog is often kept as an ornamental dog for this reason, he is a working dog by nature.
In sled dog sport, he can’t match the performance of huskies or malamutes, but he is convincing in agility.
It owes its name to the Siberian Samoyedic peoples, but it was first bred by a Briton.
He bonds with his humans and is extremely social, with low hunting instinct and little territorial behavior.
Please Smile: The Samoyed has an unusual facial expression reminiscent of a grin.
6. Newfoundland
Although the Newfoundland comes from the Canadian Newfoundland, many breeds were probably involved in its creation, which set foot on the island as ship dogs.
The already large body appears even more massive due to the dense fur. This is very water-repellent, which is why this breed excellent swimmers gives.
A notice:
Unfortunately, they are affected by a number of inherited diseases, often develop hip dysplasia like many large dogs, and do not have a long life expectancy.
7. Greenland Dog
The Greenland dog has made history: polar explorers like Roald Amundsen rely on its endurance and strength on their expeditions.
For the Inuit, he was not only a sled dog and companion, but also a helper in the hunt for seals and even polar bears. At self-consciousness the four-legged friend therefore lacks little.
He carries his bushy tail arched over his back in typical Spitz fashion.
8. St. Bernard
The fact that the St. Bernard rushes to the rescue as an avalanche search dog with a keg of brandy on its collar is a legend with no clear origin.
However, earlier specimens were actually used as avalanche dogs by the Augustinian monks on the Great St. Bernhard, who founded their breed.
Today, however, her body has become too heavy to complete the training.
He is the Swiss national dog and enjoys being cozy family dog great popularity.
A notice:
The breed’s evolution into an increasingly sluggish dog meant there was a high risk of hip dysplasia. Bone cancer is also increasing, which is why life expectancy is often only 5 to 8 years.
Therefore, in some breeding lines, the St. Bernard is considered a torment breed.
9. European sled dog
The European sled dog evolved from various Scandinavian dogs, the English Pointer and the German Shorthaired Pointer.
He is like that leggy short-haired like a greyhound and untypical of a snowhound. Nevertheless, he stoically tolerates temperatures down to – 25°.
In the European summer, however, it also copes much better with the heat than the arctic sled dog breeds.
10. Canadian Eskimo Dog
As a sled dog, the Canadian Eskimo Dog secured the postal service during the Klondike Gold Rush. For this they were immortalized on a Canadian postage stamp.
Since the invention of the snowmobile, their numbers have declined sharply and have not yet recovered.
The sports fans are easy to inspire and orientate themselves strongly towards their pack. They are in very good health.
11. Yakutian Laika
The Yakutian Laika, or Yakutskaya Laika, resembles a polar bear thanks to its round, plush ears and full moon face.
It almost went extinct in the 1990s and is very rarely bred to this day.
Characteristic of the working dogs is their incredible endurance: They are used to being out and about from dawn to dusk.
Their urge to move as a house dog is correspondingly high. At the same time they bring one strong hunting instinct with, which makes them rather unsuitable as leisure and family dogs.
12. Chukotskaya Yesdovaya
The dog with the complicated name Chukotskaya Yesdovaya comes from Siberia. It is also called “Chukchi-Laika” after the Chukchi, an indigenous people of Russia.
As an all-round utility dog, he went hunting for fish and wild boar, guarded the camp and acted as a sled dog.
The four-legged friends are their masters and mistresses very loyal and obedientbut there must be a clear hierarchy within the dog pack.
Positions of power and resources are fought over, so these dogs belong only to people with experience.