Northern Inuit/British Timber Dogs

[CatchIt]

Hello!

I'm looking to see if any MNers have either of the above breeds. I'm looking to get one in 2019 when dd is nearly 8 and ds will be 3.

A bit of background, we currently have a Malamute bitch, she's 9 and is a nice dog. However, she's very much dh's dog and isn't great with other dogs out and about but is ok with other dogs of the same type like other Mals, Sibes etc. She's ok with the children and tolerates them but we're obviously careful that neither children are left alone with her.

Im a sahm and I have a horse. I want a dog that I can take hacking with me and therefore will be more trainable than a Mal.

I'd like to take the new dog gun dog training as I feel it would benefit the dog long term. Our yard (where I keep the horse) is very dog oriented and would provide the perfect opportunity for dog socialisation and we have a massive garden so I'm sure I've got all bases covered.

I've met one NI and he was gorgeous, very friendly and well behaved. His owner told me about the breeder she got him from and I'd like to start there.

Can anyone tell me if they have one and what life is like with them? I'm good with large breeds, training etc but really want to know what their trainability is like and anything else coming from someone who has one.

Many thanks!

No, not really, I suspect that not many have a Malamute either.

I realise I shouldn't have posted in a forum where the labradoodle is king.

They're amazing looking dogs. I suspect that is why you want one. Just imagine, there's you roaming on your horse while your devoted wolf like dog trots loyally at your side, what a picture, like something out of a movie...

The problem is that if they aren't a common dog you are going to have to search wide and far to find people who own them and enough owners to get a balanced view.

I know nothing of the breed but be careful of owners (or breeders) who only give 'positives' to owning them. I would expect owners/breeders to give you a balanced opinion on both the negatives and positives of any breed.

@MsGameandWatching, some people are just blessed with better things than others. Do you have a pug by any chance? 🧐

@BiteyShark, yes, I think that's an issue with an uncommon breed. I need to do much more research and get off MN

It’s nothing to do with dog superiority OP. Breeds of dogs have been bred with specific traits. For example a collie likes to round up anything that’s handy. Try rounding up sheep with a golden retriever!

When you mentioned gun dog training, my thoughts immediately turned to dogs with Retriever in their name. As you have children I also thought about safety for them.

As you want to train a dog to run off the lead, I thought about dogs that are friendly with other dogs.

To be frank OP, I think you’re barking up the wrong tree with the types of breeds you’re after!

I do not. They're a problematic breed health wise and not really suited to my life style.

See what I did there?

I earn a living by advising on the health and behaviour of cats. I don't own one though.

I don't have any experience of either of those breeds and I'm not trying to say 'get one of these instead' but I couldn't let the comment about GSDs and their backs go uncorrected. Your photograph was of a show strain GSD.

Working strain GSDs are much smaller, lighter and flat in the back, they are of an entirely different confirmation. They are highly intelligent (to a fault actually), amazing with children and trainable at whatever you want to turn your hand to really.

How entertaining that the link to the H&H forum you posted showed the chair of the NI Society stating that it was only a matter of time before the KC registered them. That was in 2006, and believe me that day is no nearer now than it was then.

My experience of this type of dog is restricted to owners who can't control them, and in most cases are clearly scared of their own dogs. If you do get one, keep the sodding thing on a lead if you can't - it is not every other dog owner's fault that you want something like this.

(I would also worry about epilepsy along with hips and elbows, due to the poor quality of stock used to form them.)

Anneka Svenska has a channel on YouTube.
She has done many clips about wolf dogs.
Very informative.
They are not dogs for the inexperienced.

I haven't met a Northern inuit lately- but there is a poster on Horse and Hound with either and Inuit or Tamaskan so might be worth posting in there all about dogs section?
I have heard very mixed reviews when it comes to the multiple Wolfalike breeds-Timber Dogs/ Tamaskan/Utongon and Northern Inuit etc. Both regards temperment- nervous fearful dogs are not uncommon and they do appear to have a massive amount of health issues considering they are still very much in the early development stages of trying to build a recognised breed. Both those things are hard no's for me personally.

If you looking for spitz/northern type dogs with a bit more trainability then a Mal have you looked into the Samoyeds or the Lapphunds?

I've a Finnish Lapphund and she would fit most of your criteria bar thats shes medium rather then large sized. The Lappies also tend to be a very healthy breed and thanks to the Scandi backround are well health tested for the few issues that are known in the breed.

Token lapphund photo attached. This is my girls mother and one of my pupper.

Tbh I think you need more specialised websites, when you're looking a dog that's quite rare. But only take into account posts from owners who can give negatives as well as positives.

Also your assumption that people on this forum want poodle crosses and pugs is rather hilarious actually. Threads about poodle crosses and pugs get very heated and they are looked at very negatively on here as they are "fashion" dogs not often bred responsibly or with thought for their health.

I think your ideas about gun dog training are rather flawed. Gun dog training revolves around gun dog breeds mental attributes. The training would not work anywhere near as well as a dog bred with different mental attributes. Gun dog trainers also tend not to have as much experience training non-gun dog breeds. (Auto correct was determindly trying to make that say non-human dog breeds )

The reason so many people are suggesting retriever types is because the breed profiles fits what you wanted far more than the breed profiles of the dogs you suggested. The car analogy up thread is what people feel reading your posts.

As a breeder of Northern inuits and Timber Dogs i can assure you that both breeds carry wolf content. I have had most of mine DNA tested and their break down is, for one of the Northern Inuits bred by me 40.1GSD, 21.9% Siberian Husky,21.8% Malamute, 11.6% Grey Wolf and 4.6% Samoyed. And the reason that we bred Timbers is that the Inuit gene pool is too small we moved to these as we can add other well balanced healthy breeds we choose to improve looks health and more importantly Temperament. They make exceedingly good pets. However training is key. You only get out what your prepared to put in. They do carry a pray drive but with good training can be taught to over come it. They are highly intelligent and quick to learn although bore easily. So sort periods of training is best. We own between my daughter and i 8 made up of inuits timbers and 1 Tamaskan. All breeds are similar but have their own quirks. All these dogs are hip and elbow scored DM tested also OSD3 tested and mostly Embark DNA tested for 164 genetic diseases and breed breakdown details etc. Health testing is very important and taken very seriously by many. No health issues from any founder breeds are in ours. Feel free to ask for more info. www.shimaonidasolfdogs.co.uk

How do you add pics to messages please

Sorry misspelled web address www.shimaonidawolfdogs.co.uk

If you’re only capable of teaching a sit and a 3 second wait I think you need to look for a far easier breed.

@Shima I think your website has crashed under the mighty weight of MN . Shame though as I'd love to see your dogs. There is a NI in our local pet food shop and he is simply divine, though I don't think he plays well with others as we are not encouraged to bring our dogs in.

I would honestly say one of your main issues will be if you're set on a dog. Your bitch will rule the roost, and if you can't contain her then it's probable the dog will follow her lead. I'd suggest you work intensely with the mal leading up to potentially getting a pup in 2019 or you may find yourself with a big problem on your hands.

I know someone who had one. It was a lovely dog but suffered from very selective 'deafness'. It was sweet tempered generally, but training was a nightmare.
I have hacked with many dogs (collies, labs, Yorkies etc), but the one thing they all had in common was very good recall, and the desire to please their human companion overtook any tendency to set off on their own course. There is nothing worse than hacking with a dog you can't trust to do as it's told, and I think that might be your biggest problem.

If you type Shima Onida in on Google our website will come up and you will be able to see our dogs

The first dog our Labrador puppy played with off lead was a NI. Gorgeous huge dog with impeccable manners.

Walked with the owner while they played and asked about it as I hadn't even heard of an NI before. They got the dog at 18 months from a rescue, she said it was a nightmare when they first got her and she wasn't dog friendly, poorly trained. The owner doesn't work, does obedience work with her daily/goes to competitions with her and runs with her several miles at day (she runs marathons as a hobby).

If you are going for a challenging dog like a NI you need to be ready to give that level of commitment.

I would recommend trying to concentrate on training your Mal with that level of commitment and renewed focus, attend classes, get a behaviourist in, join a club, up the level of exercise and see if enjoy doing this for a year to produce a well mannered/trained dog without the novelty wearing off before considering adding another challenging dog to your home.

@WeAllHaveWings
The best advice on this thread by miles.

I've just spent ages typing a long reply for it to be lost accidentally hokay, trying again...

We have one, she will be 15 this year. I might split this answer up into a few posts in case I lose it again!
Ours is technically a Utonagan. I'll give some history first:
It started off with Northern Inuits. They are a type not a breed as not recognised by KC and the main crosses were husky, malamute and GSD. There should not be any Wolf content, that was the point of the type (some may have since crossed sarloos or Czech Wolf dogs into them but you do NOT want that!). NI then split as disagreements over breed standards and one group went off and begat The Utonagan. There was another split and the Tamaskan was created. I've not heard of the other type you've mentioned but I guess it is the same - I've been out of it for a while.
The types are all fairly similar, my personal experience is the Tamaskan is a little more flitty and nervous generally but maybe that's just the ones I've met.
I have dealt with and met loads of different dogs both through my work and my own dog. My experiences are as follows (I'm going to post a few times sorry so as not to lose it...):