American Eskimo Dogs

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While there is some degree of confusion about the origin and name of this breed, the historical record is actually very clear.  The German Spitz breed was brought to the U.S, and Canada in the late 1800's, and fanciers in the Southern regions of Canada and upper mid western regions of the U'S. took to the smaller and medium sized varieties of the breed particularly, as well as to the dogs that were white in colour. (German Spitz are bred in all colours and five different size varieties).  Fanciers began to breed these dogs, and quickly developed their own strain of small and medium sized white German Spitz, which they sought to register as a separate breed.  Because of the geographical location of these breeder-fanciers, being in the vicinity of the Michigan headquarters of the United Kennel Club (UKC), it was with that particular registry that they sought recognition.  The UKC agreed to register the breed in two size varieties;  Standard and Miniature, and determined that, despite a choice of  breed names suggested, they preferred to use the kennel name of one of the breeders.  Thus these little white fluffy dogs became "American Eskimo Dogs", officially recognized by the UKC in 1913.  Dog fanciers from Japan took notice of the breed early on, and exported a number of them to their own country. During those early years, relations between the American and Japanese countries broke down, and the fanciers in Japan decided to rename the breed there as "Japanese Spitz". To this day there is ardent denial on the part of many Japanese Spitz breeders that the two breeds are even related, much less "one and the same", but the historical record is well documented nonetheless.