The Eurasier Dog temperament leads to a calm, confident member of the family bred for companionship alone. He does not tolerate being chained in the yard or left in a kennel. He is a people-pleaser and wants nothing more than to be connected to his family all the time. While he is extremely loyal to his people, he is constrained toward strangers.
Eurasier Dog Temperament
People-Pleaser
Having been bred as a companion dog, the calm Eurasier is content to be by his family’s side. Although reserved toward strangers, he is rarely aggressive. He does best in a home where there is someone there during the day. Leaving him alone can cause depression, which he may try to relieve by being destructive.
Playful
The Eurasier Dog temperament means he enjoys going for walks or car rides with you but is reticent when meeting new people. He’s probably not the best choice for going to the dog park to meet new people, but he’ll generally like playing with the other dogs, as he is not aggressive. The Eurasier Dog has little or no prey drive, although a few individuals have been seen chasing rabbits.
Guard and Friend
Around the house, the intelligent Eurasier temperament lends itself to being a watchful companion who will alert you when someone approaches, but his calm demeanor means he is not prone to noisy barking. He gets along well with other pets and children, particularly if he is raised alongside them.
Praiseworthy
In a nutshell, the Eurasier Dog temperament is calm, confident, happy and content, so long as some member of his household is in close proximity. He resists all but the most intense provocation and even then he prefers to just leave the vicinity.
History and Development
In the 1960s, Julius Wipfel, a German dog breeder, set out to create a new breed that would be a delightful companion. He wanted the Eurasier Dog temperament to be such that he would make the ideal family pet that would also have the genetic predisposition to guard.
At first, Wipfel crossed German Wolfspitzes (known in some countries as the Keeshond) and Chow Chows. Some people likened the results of the early breeding experiments to the Russian Laika (remember the dog the Russians sent into space?). Later, Wipfel added a single Samoyed to the mix to produce the Eurasier we see today.
Eurasier puppies “breed true,” meaning they pass on their traits to their own progeny, keeping the breed true to type. Now the stud books no longer allow crosses from other breeds.
At first, the breed was called Wolf-Chows until the name was changed to Eurasier in 1973. It was after that time that the Eurasier breed was recognized by national kennel clubs including the AKC (America), the UKC (Great Britain), and the VDH (Germany).
Eurasier Appearance
This beautiful, medium-sized dog comes in an almost endless array of colors. The only colors not allowed by the breed standard are liver, all white, or white patches. His thick, medium-length, double coat stands off his body like other members of the Spitz family of dogs.
Their sweet faces can have a dark mask or a reverse mask, which follows the pattern of the dark mask but is instead light. His tongue can be pink, purple, blue-black, or spotted.
The Eurasier has a well-developed, medium-boned body. His coat should not be so long that you can't discern the body proportions which are slightly longer than he is tall at the withers (shoulder).
His happily-wagging tail is carried curled over his back, and the furnishings (long hair) on his tail should match that on the backs of his legs (called breeches and feathers). The hair around his neck is slightly longer than his coat, but should not be so profuse as to be termed a mane.
Eurasier Dog Breed Standards
The Breed Standard for Eurasier Dogs is similar in both the United Kennel Club (where he is included in the Utility Group) and the American Kennel Club (where he is considered part of the Non-Sporting Group).
Eurasier Dog height is as follows:
- Males 22” at withers
- Females 20.5” at withers
- An allowance is given of 1.5” in either direction
Eurasier Dog weight is as follows:
- Males of 22” height is 57 lbs.
- Females of 20.5” height is 48 lbs.
Eurasier Dog ears are medium-sized, triangular and slightly rounded at the tips. Hanging ears is a disqualification. The eyes are oval or almond-shaped, dark in color, and surrounded by black pigmentation.
Deviation from the standard makes absolutely no difference in the Eurasier Dog temperament. So unless you plan on showing your dog in conformation classes, minor details like these really mean little when you are looking to add this wonderful dog to your family.
Eurasier Intelligence and Training
Very smart
Eurasier Dogs are very intelligent. Coupled with their desire to please their owners makes Eurasier training quite easy. They learn commands nearly effortlessly, even as young puppies, and are perfect for the first-time dog owner.
Don’t forget the praise
Lots of praise and rewards (play, toys, and treats included) make learning fun for this intelligent breed. However, they don’t respond well to harsh training methods or words. If he feels he’s being mistreated, he may conveniently “forget” how to obey your commands.
They enjoy “entertaining” their family and can be trained to do a good many tricks as well. Teaching tricks to the Eurasier is not only fun for the owner, but great fun for the dog, too.
Happy-go-lucky
The Eurasier puppy is a “happy-go-lucky” dog. Teach him general obedience skills early and socialize him so that he is used to encountering varied situations, other dogs, and people.
Be careful about letting him off lead when you are in an open, unfenced area as Eurasiers do love to run. Training the recall is the first priority and it should be especially easy since Eurasiers want to be with their people. If the local includes water, expect him to go for a swim!
High intelligence coupled with the wonderful Eurasier Dog temperament makes them ideal for dog sports that require teamwork between the dog and his person. Agility, Obedience, and Rally all are events that the Eurasier picks up quickly and enjoys doing.
Helpful Dog Training Resource:
For help with training your Eurasier dog take a look at The Online Dog Trainer by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan is an expert Dog Trainer based in New Zealand. His online resource contains Hundreds of Excellent Dog Training Videos that will take you step-by-step through the process of developing a healthy, happy well-behaved dog.
Eurasier Exercise
As has been mentioned, the Eurasier doesn’t require a lot of exercises, but make no mistake, he does love to run and play.
A couple of long walks every day should take care of his needs, but due to his high intelligence, he needs mental stimulation as well.
A good game of fetch will delight him and make him a happier fellow. Provide dog toys that require him to work at getting a treat from the toy to keep him mentally astute.
Eurasier Grooming
As with any double-coated dog, Eurasier shedding can be a problem. The answer is at least weekly grooming, but during the shedding season, you will need to resort to daily or even twice-daily grooming sessions. The Eurasier “blows his coat” twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. Except for the two, three-week shedding seasons, simple brushing with a slicker-type brush and an occasional bath are all he really needs.
Because of the Eurasier Dog’s temperament, he will easily adapt to a vacuum attachment meant to capture the hair as it is brushed out of his coat. Of course, you will need to trim his nails regularly, keep his ears clean, and have your vet clean his teeth on schedule, as you would with any breed. His food should be in a hard form to help keep his teeth and gums healthy.
Eurasier Health Issues
The delightful Eurasier Dog has a lifespan of 11-13 years when properly cared for. He suffers many fewer health issues than do some other purebred dogs. He is generally hardy but needs regular veterinary care as recommended by your veterinarian.
Here are the conditions your Eurasier Dog may inherit, so asking for proof of testing before buying a Eurasier puppy is a must-do.
- Hip dysplasia—ask for certificates showing that the parents are clear of this disabling condition.
- Elbow dysplasia—again, the parents should be certified free of this one, too.
- Patella luxation— slipping of the kneecap. Are the parents free of this condition?
- Eye issues
- Thyroid problems
Although these conditions can be serious, early detection can go a long way toward your Eurasier living a healthy, happy life. So as soon as you take your puppy home, immediately make an appointment to have him examined by your vet within a couple of days. Then follow his recommendations on when it is safe to introduce your puppy to other dogs.
Note: Don't let the many issues above scare you. The best way to approach health problems is to prevent them in the first place. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health is a great place to start. Get a copy to keep at home. It will help you prevent the painful health issues that can plague your lovely Canaan pet from expressing his winning personality and maximizing his life expentancy.
Buying a Eurasier Puppy
Before heading out to buy an adorable Eurasier puppy, be advised that they are usually boisterous and full of mischief. Puppy-proof your home, your garden, and your yard. Once that is done, start looking for your new companion.
Where to find a Eurasier puppy
You may have difficulty finding Eurasier puppies because the breed is so new that the kennel clubs are not registering new litters very often. However, contacting the kennel club for your country (see Sources at the end of this article) is often the best way to find breeders.
Price of a Eurasier puppy
The Eurasier cost will vary from $900 to $1350 for a registered puppy. If you can’t find a breeder with puppies for sale, ask to be put on a waiting list for new litters.
Always seek a reputable breeder
You must be aware that should you see advertisements online to sell Eurasier puppies at a low price, don’t risk it. Unscrupulous people use pictures they find online and attempt to scam people into sending money to hold the puppy until the breeder can ship it to you. Always travel to the seller’s location so that you can see pups and at least the mom together.
Non-reputable breeders recognize that people will pay a premium for these unusual dogs. So they breed indiscriminately, wearing the dam (mother dog) out by breeding too often. In the UK, the UKC only allows 4 litters during the dam’s lifetime, so reputable breeders plan each litter carefully to produce the best puppies at the appropriate time.
Reputable breeders will provide documentation that shows your puppy’s statistics, including birth date, the date of each vaccination, and the records of worming as well as test results from parents on inheritable problems.
What about a rescue?
Alternatively, you could consider a Eurasier rescue that might have an older dog that needs a home. The good thing about a Eurasier for adoption is that it is highly likely that he (or she) is already house trained and will probably have at least a nominal understanding of obedience commands. Besides, you’ll be giving a dog who loves his family a family to love.
Conclusion
The captivating Eurasier temperament makes this an ideal companion for just about anybody.
Young children (supervised, of course) can learn to train them, groom them, and care for them.
The Eurasier Dog offers teenagers a constant companion that loves to be curled up beside his person on the bed or chasing after the skateboard the teen uses for transportation.
Adults have the perfect dog that will play at the drop of a hat or content himself with lying at his master’s feet.
Even retired people enjoy a dog that guards the house and looks through almond eyes of love at his special person.
If you are fond of the looks of the Chow, the Spitz, the Keeshond, or the Samoyed, you’ll love the Eurasier Dog, too.
The Eurasier behavior is ideal for a family with members of any age.
You can expect the Eurasier to be loyal for life and to be a faithful member of the family that he knows he’s part of.
With relatively few health issues, golden temperament and high intelligence as well as adaptable exercise habits, this new breed may be the best thing since sliced bread!
Calvin is the co-founder and one of the main contributors to dogtemperament.com. He has been an avid dog lover all his life. He enjoys researching and sharing great ideas on how you can avoid common pitfalls of dog ownership and build the most loving and enjoyable relationship with your dog.