1. Do Northern Inuits get along well with other dogs, cats, or small animals?

Northern Inuits get along great with other animals as long as they are socialized from an early age.  Supervision is crucial during the first few play sessions as Northern Inuit puppies can play a little rough.  Also, keep in mind that your Northern Inuit puppy is young and will easily adapt to living with other animals while the other animal (cat, dog, etc) is likely older and set in their ways.  It is likely that it will be more difficult for them to adapt to the new puppy.

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2. Do Northern Inuits get along well with children?

Northern Inuits are not recommended for households with small children (less than 5 years old).  This is because Northern Inuits have a pack mentality and they will come to view the child as a sibling and may show them less respect than they do the adults.  Northern Inuits do better with older children as older children can establish themselves as “pack leaders”.  Regardless of the age, children should be supervised with the dog and should be taught how to properly interact with the dog and respect the dog.

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3. What are Northern Inuit’s temperaments like?

Northern Inuits have excellent temperaments.  They enjoy being active outside as much as they enjoy cuddling with you on the couch.  They are friendly, curious, and outgoing.  They get along great with older children (small children if supervised), other dogs, and small animals if socialized with them from an early age.  They are pack animals and can suffer from separation anxiety and are at their happiest when they are allowed to follow their owners everywhere they go.  Adult dogs should not be left alone for more than 5-6 hours and puppies for no more than 2-3 hours (this is also about how long a puppy can hold his bladder).  New owners must be prepared to be accommodate for those hours. If you work a standard 8 hours workday it is highly recommended that you place your fur baby in doggy day camp for mental stimulation. For more information on temperaments visit the Breed Standards page.

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4. How do Northern Inuits fare in hot climates?

Northern Inuits, as their name implies, are a northern type breed and do best in the cooler climates as they have a double coat and love snow.  However, if you have an air conditioned home that the dog can keep cool in and if you walk them early morning before the day heats up and after the sun goes down when it's cooler and if they have access to cool water at all times they can still do ok.  Even better, if you have a pool, as this breed likes water and can be really good swimmers and retrievers. This breed may also adapt better if you get the shorter fur coat type Northern Inuit.  However, owners are advised to never shave this breed's coat as you will spoil the beautiful wolfy coat markings of the outer coat. We do have dogs in FLA and CA and TX that are doing well and all owners keep dogs in AC home when it's hot and humid or over 70 degrees. Ideally 60-68 degrees in the house is good.

 

5. I need a protective dog, will a Northern Inuit guard my property?

Northern Inuits are very friendly, even to strangers, and for this reason they do not make good guard dogs.  Most also rarely bark, preferring howl-like noises which is their way of trying to talk to you.  Females tend to be more alert than males and may even patrol your property, however, it is highly unlikely that they will show aggression towards any human.

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6. Are Northern Inuits easy to train?

Northern Inuits are not recommended for the novice owner.  This is because Northern Inuits can be a little stubborn when it comes to training.  They have a “what’s in it for me” mentality and are free thinkers.  Owners must know their dog well enough to be able to properly motivate the dog to learn either with treats, praise, belly rubs, etc.  Northern Inuits are highly intelligent and therefore training should be kept fresh, short and interesting.  Early training is imperative in order to have a well-trained dog.

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7. Can you ship me my puppy?

We currently do not ship our puppies as it can be quite stressfull for a 10-week old puppy who has never been separated from his mom and littermates.  We prefer that new owners come pick up their puppy in person ideally by flying in to CO and driving back with their puppy.  We understand that this can be a hardship for some and we are willing to allow you to fly back home with your puppy if absolutely necessary (we will have all the necessary paperwork for you).  However, owners need to know that at 10 weeks of age a Northern Inuit puppy will be too large to fit under the seat in front of you and you will have to find an airline that has a pet-safe cargo area.

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8. What do Northern Inuits eat?

We strongly advise our owners to feed their puppies the same food we have been feeding them.  This is to prevent puppies from developing loose stools which can lead to weight loss and is not good for a developing puppy. Northern Inuits should eat a combination of kibble and raw food. Here is a list of what we feed our puppies.

 

After the puppy turns two years old, the owner can choose to feed the dog a less expensive brand of kibble such as IAMS and Eukanuba.  We also recommend that their diet be supplemented with raw and/cooked meat (chicken, pork, beef) for variety but not more than 3-4 times a week or you will get yourself a fussy eater.  We recommend that they occasionally snack on refrigerated large carrots (to help with teething), cracked-whole coconuts in their husks (helps clean their teeth and nourishes their coats), cooked pumpkin and sweet potatoes, and raw peas and berries.  Only feed dogs natural (raw) unsweetened peanut butter.

 

9. Are Northern Inuits escape artists and/or diggers?

Northern Inuits generally like to be near their owners and do not tend to run off and not return.  They do like to dig especially if you have underground critters in your yard.  This digging behavior can be corrected by assigning the dog a designated digging location in your yard.

 

10. Do Northern Inuits suffer from hip dysplasia or other health problems?

Northern Inuits are classified as a generally healthy breed.  However, hip dysplasia is common in all larger breed dogs.  We mitigate this by testing all our dog’s hips, elbows and eyes prior to breeding them.  We can guarantee that our dogs are hip dysplasia free for many generations back (at least 5 or more generations).   Northern Inuits do tend to suffer from separation anxiety and are at their happiest when they are allowed to follow their owners everywhere. Northern Inuits live to be anywhere between 11-13 years old.

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11. How are Northern Inuits in crowds or public settings?

Northern Inuits, if socialized properly, are great in crowded settings.  Most (especially the males), enjoy attention and you will see them trot happily when they get it.  Most importantly, the dogs take cues from their owner, a confident owner produces a confident dog.  If the owner is nervous about their dog being in public, the dog will sense that and become nervous.  

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12. Do you breed your wolf hybrids?

We occasionally breed our wolf hybrids. Visit the Hybrid Puppies page for more info.

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13. How do Northern Inuits compare to other Northern Breeds?

The main difference is that Northern Inuits were bred to be pets, therefore, they do not exhibit some of the characteristics of other Northern Breeds.  For example, Northern Inuits are not working dogs, so they do not have excessive amounts of energy like Huskies do.  They do have some working ability, such as pulling a sled, but they would not be able to do this for as long as a Husky or a Malamute.  A Northern Inuit is content with a run at the off-leash dog park and then plenty of couch cuddle time afterward.  Furthermore, Northern Inuits do not possess as much wanderlust as other Northern breeds.  It is unlikely that they will run away.

 

14. Do Northern Inuits like water?

Northern Inuits love water and some are excellent swimmers/retrievers.  Most, however, like to run around the shallow end of a creek or a lake.  It is very impressive to watch a Northern Inuit “cool off” in an icy creek when it is 20 degrees outside.  They are truly cold weather tolerant. 

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