What Is the Difference Between a Spitz & an American Eskimo?

The term "spitz" refers a family of Nordic dog breeds from which the American Eskimo breed is descended. All of the breeds of the spitz family have certain similarities, including the German spitz, the Italian spitz and the Japanese spitz. The American Eskimo dog is a unique breed that is recognized by the American Kennel Club separate from that of his ancestors in the spitz family.

  1. American Eskimo History

    • Descended from the spitz family of dog breeds, the American Eskimo has many types of these Nordic breeds in his background. These include the white German spitz, from which he gets most of his characteristics, the keeshond, the white Pomeranian, the white Italian spitz and the Japanese spitz. The breed is sometimes referred to as an "Eskie" and was first brought to the United States by German immigrants in the 1800s. Originally named the American spitz, the name was changed in 1917 to the American Eskimo dog, in honor of the large Nordic-breed dogs developed by the Native American tribes of the north. In 1995, the American Eskimo breed was accepted by the AKC as part of its Non-Sporting Group.

    The German Spitz

    • The German spitz, which is the closest relative to the American Eskimo, is one of the oldest breeds of dog, dating back to the spitz dogs of the Stone Age in Europe and later the Samoyed. The German spitz, with his pointed ears and fluffy coat, slightly resembles a fox. Currently, unlike the American Eskimo, the German spitz is not eligible to register with the AKC. The AKC recognizes the German Spitz only as part of its Foundation Stock Service to maintain the records of the breed and monitor its development. These dogs can, however, compete in AKC Companion Events.

    Characteristics

    • The American Eskimo dog is bright white or white with biscuit or cream markings. He has black points consisting of his nose, lips, eye rims and paw pads. The dog resembles a miniature Samoyed with his double coat, thicker around the neck and chest, and plumed tail. The Spitz family of dogs has a similar look to the American Eskimo dog, with the German spitz sharing the Eskie's coat-type and size, from small to medium. The German spitz, unlike the Eskie, comes in a variety of colors and color patterns, including cream, brown, orange, sable, gold and blue. The coat, which is medium to long in length, can be bicolored, with patches of color on white or parti-color, with patches of color on a black-and-tan background.

    Considerations

    • The American Eskimo breed, while it resembles other types of Spitz breeds, is a separate breed. It is the only primarily white Spitz to be recognized by the AKC. Of breeds with "spitz" in the name, the AKC recognizes only the Finnish spitz, a red-coated dog. While the German spitz is the closest relative of the Eskie, the two differ primarily in terms of coat color. Both the Japanese and Italian spitz dogs resemble the Eskie, but they are not recognized by the AKC, although the Japanese spitz is recognized by the United Kingdom's Kennel Club. In terms of health issues, the German spitz can suffer from patella luxation and the Eskie may suffer from hip dysplasia and eye issues including progressive retinal atrophy.