Eurasier

• ExerciseModerate

  A daily walk plus some playtime hits the spot.

• GroomingBrush a few times a week

  Brushing several times a week prevents mats.

• Living spaceHouse with room

  Does best with room to move and a yard.

• Owner experienceFor experienced owners

  Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• Commitment12–14 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Hip dysplasia · Elbow dysplasia · Hypothyroidism

The Eurasier is one of the few breeds created deliberately and recently for a single purpose: to be an ideal family companion. Julius Wipfel began the programme in Germany in 1960, crossing the Wolfspitz with the Chow Chow and later the Samoyed, aiming for a calm, healthy, moderate dog with strong family attachment. The FCI recognised it in 1973, and breeding is still tightly controlled by breed clubs that focus on temperament and health. The result is unusual among spitz breeds. A Eurasier is calm and quiet indoors, rarely barks, is not destructive, and is neither hyperactive nor aggressive. It is reserved with strangers without being fearful or suspicious, and it forms an exceptionally close bond with its own family, to the extent that it genuinely does not cope with being kennelled, rehomed or left alone for long periods. It is sensitive: harsh words affect it deeply, and training must be gentle and consistent. Exercise needs are moderate, around an hour of walking daily, and the breed enjoys hiking. The thick double coat sheds heavily twice a year and needs brushing two or three times a week, more during the moult; it does not need trimming or frequent bathing. Because breed clubs have selected for health from the start, inherited disease rates are relatively low, but responsible breeders still screen hips, elbows, patellas and eyes, and hypothyroidism and distichiasis are documented. Expect twelve to fourteen years.

• How much exercise does a Eurasier need?

  Moderate. A daily walk plus some playtime hits the spot.

• How much grooming does a Eurasier need?

  Brush a few times a week. Brushing several times a week prevents mats.

• Is a Eurasier suited to apartment living?

  House with room. Does best with room to move and a yard.

• Is a Eurasier a good fit for first-time owners?

  For experienced owners. Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• How long do Eurasier live?

  12–14 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Eurasier?

  Keep an eye out for Hip dysplasia, Elbow dysplasia, Hypothyroidism. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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