FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE (AISBL) SECRETARIAT GENERAL: 13, Place Albert 1er B – 6530 Thuin (Belgique)

06.09.2022/EN

FCI-Standard N° 274

GRØNLANDSHUND/ QIMMEQ QIMUTTOQ
(Greenland Dog)

© M. Davidson / NKU Picture Library

TRANSLATION: DKK Standard Committee. Revised by Renée Sporre-Willes. Official language (EN).

ORIGIN: Greenland.

PATRONAGE: Denmark.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID STANDARD: 30/03/2022.

UTILIZATION: Sledge dog.

FCI-CLASSIFICATION:
Group 5 Spitz and primitive types.
Section 1 Nordic Sledge Dogs.
With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:

The Greenland Dog is one of the world’s oldest breeds and has since ancient times been the Inuits’ only sledge dog.
Selection of specimens for breeding has been based mainly upon qualities like sturdy strength, hardiness and endurance,
but an attractive appearance has also been kept in view. With its robust nature the Greenland Dog is especially a dog
for people enjoying open-air life. He is an excellent companion for people who likes strolling in woods or mountains
with their dog pulling or carrying their gear.

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
A very strong polar spitz, built for endurance and strenuous work as a sledge dog under arctic conditions. Some
variation in size is allowed, assuming working ability and harmony are not affected.

The body, head, limbs and tail are covered with coarse, long, thick and shaggy coat which creates a deceptive impression
of clumsiness and heaviness but in fact the South Russian Shepherd Dog is a quick and agile dog.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:
The body is short rectangular with the ratio of height at withers to body length as 10 to 11. Females are allowed a
slightly longer body.

BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT:
The predominant temperamental qualities of the Greenland Dog are energy, mental strength and boldness. He is a
passionate and tireless sledge dog. To people – also strangers – he is friendly, and while acting as sledge dog not
closely attached to any particular person and therefore not suitable as a guard dog. On hunting seal and polar bear
he will show a strong hunting instinct.

HEAD: The head is elongated, wedge-shaped narrowing towards the nose.

CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: The skull is broad and slightly arched, broadest between the ears.

Stop: Definite, but not strongly marked.

FACIAL REGION:

Nose: Big and dark, corresponding to coat colour, always liverbrown in dogs with red or brown coat and always dark in
dogs with sable coat. May turn pink during winter (”winter-nose”).

Muzzle: Broad at base and tapering towards the nose, but not pointed.

Lips: Thin and tight, lying close to the very powerful teeth.

Jaws/Teeth: Powerful jaws with regular, sound and strong teeth. Scissors-bite.

Eyes: Dark eyes are preferred, but colour should be according to coat colour. They are slightly slanted
and neither deep set nor protruding. Expression is frank and bold. The eye-rims are closely fitting.

Ears: Rather small, triangular, with rounded tips, carried firmly erect. The ears are very mobile and
expressive.

NECK: Very powerful and rather short.

BODY: Strong and rather compact, just slightly longer than the height at the withers.

Topline: Level or only slightly sloping.

Back: Straight.

Loin: Broad.

Croup: Slightly sloping.

Chest: Deep and broad, but not barrel-shaped.

Underline and belly: Following the line of the brisket. A slight tuck up accepted.

TAIL:
Set on high, thick and bushy. Carried in a curve or lightly curled over back.

LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS:

General appearance: Seen from the front the forelegs are perfectly straight, with powerful muscles and heavy bone.

Shoulder: Moderately laid back.

Upper arm: Straight and strong, somewhat longer than the shoulder-blade.

Elbow: Fitting close to the body, but able to move freely.

Forearm: Straight and strong.

Carpus (Wrist): Strong and flexible.

Metacarpus (Pastern: Strong and elastic, only slightly sloping.

Forefeet: Rather big, powerful and rounded, with strong nails and pads.

HINDQUARTERS:

General appearance: Seen from behind the hindlegs are perfectly straight. Very muscular hindquarters with powerful bone
and moderate angulations.

Thigh: Powerful and very muscular.

Hock joint: Broad and strong, moderately angulated.

Hind feet: Rather big, powerful and rounded, with strong nails and pads.

GAINT / MOVEMENT:
An efficient, harmonious, fluent and tireless trot is most essential to a sledge dog. In the ring the dog should be
shown on a loose lead in a moderate trot to display good reach in front and good drive from behind.

Seen from front when walking, a Greenland Dog does not single track, but as the speed increases, the legs will gradually
converge inward until the feet follow the center line.

SKIN: Taut, supple, without any folds and saggings.
Any pigmentation of the skin is allowed, except for the nose, eye and lip rims which must be pigmented black.

COAT:

Hair: Double coat, i.e. a soft, dense undercoat and an outer coat of dense, straight and coarse hair, without curl or
wave. On the head and the legs the hair is rather short, on the body it is longer and more pronounced. The coat is
longer on the underside of the tail, giving it a bushy appearance.

Colour: Any colour – solid or parti-coloured – is permitted, except albinos and dogs with merle-markings which should be
disqualified.

SIZE AND WEIGHT:
Height at the withers:
Males 60 cm and upwards,
Females 55 cm and upwards.

FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be
regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its
ability to perform its traditional work.

• Light in bone.
• Short legs, body low set.
• Timid temperament.

SEVERE FAULTS:
• Condition which affects the dog’s soundness in a negative way.
• Coat long and soft.
• Ears not carried firmly erect.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
• Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities.
• Albinism.
• Merle markings
• Eyes of different colour.
• Blue eyes.

N.B.:
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, should be used for breeding.

The latest amendments are in bold characters.

SURFACE ANATOMY