EURASIAN

COUNTRY: Germany

WEIGHT: 40-70 pounds

HEIGHT: 19¹/2-24 inches

COAT: Long, straight, abundant spitz type

COLOR: Red, fawn, wolfgray, black, or black with limited marks; white and pinto are not yet allowed for breeding

OTHER NAMES: Eurasier

Group:Northern



The Eurasian is a modern breed developed in the 1960s. Julius Wipfel of Weinheim, Germany, wished to develop a large and distinctive spitz type of dog with all the beautiful colors plus a mellower character for modern times. He crossed Chow Chow males with large German Wolfspitz bitches. From the resulting puppies, he eliminated the Chowlike and more wild wolf-like types, keeping the intermediate, imposing spitz-type whelps. He called the new breed the "Wolf-chow." Later he crossed the Wolf-chow bitches with one Samoyed male, and that was the end of the crossbreeding. Good selection since that time has come to establish the breed, known since 1973 as the Eurasian, combining the best of the European and Asian spitz dogs to create a new one.

The Eurasian tends to bond very strongly with his owner and/or family. These dogs need to be with their people, and pine if chained or secluded away from family life or left in a boarding kennel. European owners advise that training should be done by the owner, not a hired trainer, as they respect only their own master. Even changing homes as an adult may be traumatic, if the binding ties are too strong.

Because of the bonding or pack instinct, the Eurasian is very reserved and even distrustful of strangers, making a natural watchdog. When he barks he has a reason to do so. Although friendly and quiet with his family and other dogs in his pack, he can become quite fierce if necessary. He will not hesitate to attack someone threatening his people with harm, and is also quite capable of handling himself in a fight, even with larger dogs. Owners warn he must make up to new friends at his own pace, and thus strangers should not pet or handle him until he indicates he has accepted them.

Nevertheless, he is a sensitive dog that wants to please. He is an excellent lady's dog as he responds well to a light hand. Once he has his "pack," he is not a dog that requires constant reminders of who is the alpha animal. Any discord or arguing among his family members makes him truly uneasy, and he may run from one to another, whining and indicating that everyone should calm down and stop their bickering! Upon his family members' returning from even a short time away, the Eurasian will greet them with enthusiasm, dancing on his hind feet in great joy.

The Eurasian is a handsome and imposing spitz dog, gaining in favor all over Europe. They are recognized and shown throughout the Continent, and there are a few specimens in the United States.