Ten Best Dog Breeds for Cold Weather
The best sort of dog for cold weather is a strong animal with a dense, woolly undercoat protected with coarse guard hairs. These coats must be carefully and regularly tended to by the dog's owner. These dogs were originally bred in the mountains, or areas that experience harsh winters like Sweden, Finland, Russia or the Arctic Circle.
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Alaskan Malamute, Eskimo Dog
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The Alaskan Malamute has a dense, double-layered coat that protects it from the cold. The coat has coarse outer guard hairs, and the undercoat is thick, woolly and oily. The dog is probably named after the Malhemut tribe, an Inuit people who lived in Northwest Alaska. The malamute is 23 to 28 inches high at the shoulder and weighs from 85 to 125 lbs. The Eskimo dog originated in the Arctic. It has the curly tail that is characteristic of spitz-type dogs and again possesses the dense coat of a dog that works best in the cold. It's 20 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weighs from 60 to 105 lbs. Spitz-type dogs are characterized by the tail that curls over the back, long, thick fur and pointed muzzles and ears. Some biologists believe spitzes are the oldest type of dog.
Samoyed, Siberian Husky, Laika
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A Samoyed, bred in the Arctic, is also a good cold-weather dog. The Samoyed was developed by the Samoyede people, who lived in the Arctic. It has a full, fluffy overcoat that stands away from its body and a dense undercoat. It's 18 to 22 inches high at the shoulder and can weigh 50 to 65 lbs. The Siberian Husky is used as a sled dog in the north. Like other cold weather dogs, it has a dense, woolly undercoat covered with tough guard hairs. It looks very much like a small wolf, being 20 to 23.5 inches high at the shoulder and weighing from 35 to 60 lbs. Laika is the Russian word for dog, and there are several breeds. They are spitz-like dogs and were first bred in Siberia and along Russia's border with Finland. They are used to pull sleds, and hunt bears, elk and reindeer. Laikas stand about 23 inches high at the shoulder and weight around 45 pounds.
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Newfoundland, Greenland Dog
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The Newfoundland's coat is so dark and unusually dense that its puppies resemble bear cubs. It originated in northwestern Canada and once helped fishermen haul their nets. It's about 26 to 28 inches high at the shoulder and may weigh up to 150 lbs. The Greenland dog is smaller than the Eskimo dog, at 22 to 25 inches high, but both dogs are judged by the same standards in some countries. Some people believe the Greenland dog was descended from Arctic wolves, and it does have a decidedly wolfish face. It's used to track the breathing holes of seals in the ice.
Norwegian Buhund, Swedish Lapphund, Pyrenean Mountain dog
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The Norwegian Buhund has a curly spitz-like tail and can weigh 53 to 58 lbs. The Swedish Lapphund also has the spitz-like tail that curls over the back and a foxy face. It has a dense double coat that protects it from the Swedish winter. A solid-colored coat is preferred by experts. It's 17.5 to 19.5 inches high at the shoulder and weighs about 44 lbs. The Pyrenean Mountain dog can weigh up to 125 lbs. and can take four years to reach adulthood. It's of French origin and worked in the Pyrenees mountains. Its coarse coat helped it to withstand the conditions there.
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References
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