Tamaskan Dog - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Not a wolfdog
Unlike the Czechoslovakian or Saarloos wolfdogs, Tamaskans do not have any wolf blood in them, they just resemble them. And it is no coincidence. Tamaskans were selectively bred in order to create this type of appearance and even though the ancestors are uncertain, the origins can be traced back to a group of five Husky-type dogs that were imported into the United States from Finland during the 1980s that were later crossed with Canadian Eskimo dogs, Alaskan Malamute and German Shepherds.

2) Personality
Because of their wild appearance you might expect that this is dominant and maybe agressive dog. But in reality, this is extremely gentle and affectionate breed. These dogs tend to create very strong bond with their owners and family and they hate to be left alone, actually they do suffer from separation anxiety quite often when they are left alone for long periods of time often.

3) Colors

The Tamaskans have very dense thick double coat which is quite fluffy to touch, similar to the coat of Siberian Husky. They can be actually find in four color variations, red grey, wolf grey, black grey and white.

4) Great health
This is usually very healthy dog, with amazing lifespan between 14-15 years. This is really long lifespan for a dog of this size. Of course, they can still suffer from some health issues, most commonly from hip dysplasia and cryptorchidism.

5) Not a guard
Because of their extremely friendly and social temperament, these dogs are not good at protecting and guarding. They would probably invite the burglar into your house, rather then trying to guard it. This is extroverted and trustful animal.

6) Size
Of course, Tamaskan is not even close to the size of an adult grey wolf, but they are still large dogs with athletic appearance. They tend to be taller than German Shepherds and their average height is between 61-84 cm which is 24-33 inch and weight between 25-43 kg. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males.

7) Exercise
Tamaskans are not for everyone, but if are an active person, they might be a good fit for you. Because of their athletic body and intelligent mind, they need a lot of daily physical and mental exercise to stay healthy and be happy. They were developed from working breeds, so they need some kind of a job in their life. Regular training sessions or task oriented playtime can be a good alternative to a real jobs, just as some dog sport, like agility, pulling, mushing or flyball.

8) Maintenance

Tamaskans are considered a low maintenance breed. They do shed, actually quite heavily during the shedding seasons, so regular brusing is needed to minimize the shedding. But other than that, they dont need much other help and they generally keep themselves clean. Just like with all dogs you should regularly check their eyes ears and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.

9) Popularity
For a long time, Tamaskans were extremely rare, almost unknown dogs. But since the 2000s, they were featured in some movies and music videos where they were presented as actual wolves. Thanks to that, people started noticing this awesome dog, and especially in USA, Canada, France or Germany their popularity is raising very quickly now.

10) No blue eyes
Since the main Tamaskan ancestor is a Siberian Husky you might be expecting, that they will often time have blue eyes or eyes in different colors. But according to their breed standard, blue eyes or mismatched eyes are not acceptable for a pedigree dog. They should have almond shaped eyes in hazel, brown or amber color.