Eurasier Care

The Eurasier--a medium-sized breed of the Spitz type--is a jumbo companion dog, in a manner of speaking. These calm, sensitive dogs, while athletic and playful, are neither hunting nor working dogs, and they form close bonds with their human family members. Overall Eurasier care and maintenance will require a moderate amount of work, and will need to include some daily exercise and close diet monitoring--and most of all, plenty of TLC!

Below you'll find details on caring for a Eurasier including info about puppy development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more. Get answers to your questions about raising a Eurasier in the following sections!

These dogs aren't especially energetic, so Eurasier exercise requirements are only moderate. Some owners say their Eurasiers are calm almost to the point of laziness--still, they're pretty intelligent, and will need a variety of activities that both condition them physically (walking, fetch) and stimulate them mentally (games, canine sports).

Adult Eurasiers, depending on their age and overall activity levels, will need about 45 minutes of dedicated exercise each day. You can start exercising your Eurasier puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length and frequency as the pup grows.

Precautions with Eurasier exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're nine months old
• A leash is recommended when exercising in public
• Yards should be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• Highly prone to separation anxiety; exercises should be done together with people

It's important to exercise your Eurasier every day. Though not super-active, these dogs are intelligent and enthusiastic--and without consistent activity they'll become disobedient and destructive (especially if left alone). Regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few Eurasier exercise ideas:

• Walking: Two 20-minute walks per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: These dogs usually enjoy chasing a ball, stick, or Frisbee
• Hide-and-Seek: Great indoor activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Canine Sports: With proper training, Eurasiers can excel at obedience trials and other events
• Dog Park: "Pack-oriented" Eurasiers will enjoy the company of other dogs
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity

When indoors, throwing a ball or toy with your Eurasier will help the dog burn any excess energy it may have. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.

Overall maintenance needed for these dogs is moderate to frequent. Eurasier shedding is seasonal: fair for most of the year, but heavy during the twice-yearly shedding seasons. Drooling is a minor issue.

Dogs of this breed have the typical double-layered Spitz coat: a short, soft undercoat and a medium-length, fluffy outer coat. The coats shed moderately most of the time--but when they blow their undercoats in the spring and fall, the shedding will be more profuse for 2-3 weeks. Owners can brush their Eurasiers once or twice a week with a pin brush to minimize the shedding (and to keep the coats looking their best), and hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be necessary from time to time. Brushing and cleanup will obviously be required more often during shedding season.

And a Eurasier might drool a bit in anticipation of food, after drinking water, or when especially excited or nervous--but the drooling won't be heavy or frequent like that of a Saint Bernard or Bloodhound. If your Eurasier is drooling excessively, it might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

The Eurasier diet will need to include animal proteins, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids--nutrients every dog needs to maintain its health in the long term. The best Eurasier food is premium dry kibble, as it contains balanced portions of the above-listed nutrients.

Blue Buffalo, Royal Canin, and Nutro are recommended brands that carry excellent lines of premium food. Eurasiers are known for being picky eaters, so owners may need to try several different kinds to find one their dogs like.

These dogs are usually light eaters as well--so adult Eurasiers will only need about 2½ cups of dry food per day, divided into two meals. Puppies will need a bit less: depending on age, about 1¾ cups per day, divided into three meals (not two) until six months old.

For more info on feeding a Eurasier, see the following:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by mixing in adult formula with the puppy formula, in slowly increasing amounts, for one week.

Try if possible to stick to the above-listed portions. If constantly overfed (and under-exercised), these dogs might become overweight--and a fat Eurasier will have numerous health problems and a shortened lifespan. You can help control your Eurasier's weight by having consistent feeding and exercise schedules, by not feeding the dog table scraps, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time.

If you're worried your Eurasier is overweight, try this simple test: run a hand along the dog's side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise!

Eurasiers enjoy cool or cold climates as well as snow. They do fine is warm weather too, however, if it is very hot or humid they may decide to find a shady spot to hang out instead of being super active and playful.