Greenland Dog

The Greenland Dog also known as the Grøenlandshunden or Greenland husky is a large breed of husky-type dog kept as a sled dog and for hunting polar bear and seal. This is an ancient breed, thought to be directly descended from dogs brought to Greenland by the first Inuit settlers.

Greenland Dog Appearance

The Greenland Dog is a powerful, heavy-built dog. It has a broad, wedge-shaped head, slightly tilted eyes and small, triangular ears covered with thick fur that prevents frostbite. It has strong, muscular, short-haired legs. The tail is usually rolled along/across its back, but it may also hang down in a wolf like manner. When it lies down and curls up to rest, the tail often covers the nose. Its coat is of medium length and consists of two layers. The inner layer consists of short wool like fur, the outer layer of longer, coarser, water-repellant fur.

A characteristic of most Greenland Dogs is the "úlo", a triangular shaped area on the shoulders. It is named after a common woman’s-knife from Greenland which is of the same shape.

Dogs are significantly larger than bitches at between 58 and 68 cm (23-27 in) at the withers; bitches are between 51 and 61 cm (20-24 in).

Greenland Dog Temperament

In Greenland this breed exists in much the same condition as it had when originally arriving there, and are kept as chiefly as a working dog valued for its strength and speed rather than a maleable temperament. As a result of living in a pack structure very much similar to their wolf forebearers, the Greenland dog takes a very firm and confidant owner to make a good pet