Greenland Dog Breed

The Greenland Dog is primarily a sledding dog, but they are also used to hunt seals and bears. They are very hard working dogs that are not good for people with no, little or perhaps even moderate experience with dogs. They demand one master and will be good with that master's "approved" family and friends. They are extremely suspicious toward strangers, and they are certainly not to be trusted around children or non-canine pets.

Here are some things you should know if you are thinking of adopting a Greenland Dog:

PROS

• Amazingly smart
• Waterproof coat
• Very fast runner
• Remarkably tough
• Great sledding dog
• Astounding strength
• Excellent team worker
• Can subsist on little food
• Very high tolerance to extremely cold climates

CONS

• Very territorial
• Needs a lot of grooming
• Not good for apartment life
• May eat small, non-canine pets
• Very low tolerance to hot weather
• Dangerous around very small children
• Tendency to eat most anything semi-edible
• Requires an immense amount of daily exercise
• Needs training and socialization at a very early age

The Greenland Dog looks just like a Siberian Husky, but they act much differently. They are energetic, territorial and strong. They can be volatile in their moods. These dogs prefer to have one person as both master and trainer, and that person must be a very confident alpha. Males and females are markedly different from each other.

These dogs are extremely intelligent. They are independent in that they tend to do as they please apart from people, but they do work closely as a pack — save for the matter of food. This is where their intelligence shines and where they are prone to fend for themselves. Greenland Dogs know how to remain clear-headed under severe duress and in very harsh arctic conditions.

When these dogs sleep, they curl their bushy tail around their head. They have double coats that have an impenetrable undercoat made of hair that is 1 to 2 inches long. The coats are waterproof and can keep these dogs warm and dry when humans are experiencing frostbite under their own clothes.

There are few other dog breeds that require as much exercise as the Greenland Dog. These dogs can go for a few days on a single meal, and when well-fed and properly cared for, they can have endless energy. If they aren't being used for a Greenland dog sledding adventure, then they need several long daily walks as well as a great amount of space to run.

A handful of genetic issues affects the Greenland Dog, usually regarding their eyes. The biting cold of their native lands tends to kill off anything that might cause transmissible diseases. And then there are injuries due to the dog's work. Overall, these are healthy dogs whose resilience requires they be so. Still, they do need to be tested for certain things so as to not pass on any problems. In the wild, they eat as they need, and in captivity, their diets must be very closely supervised.

Here are some of the health concerns you should know about Greenland Dogs:

• Bloat
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Hip dysplasia
• Ear infections
• Elbow dysplasia
• Primary Lens Luxation (PLL)
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

The Greenland Dog has an average lifespan of 10 to 14 years.