9 Most Popular Dog Breeds in Canada (Native)

Canada is a huge country where the weather is rather cold. Hence, it’s unsurprising that the number of dog breeds originating from Canada is less significant than in other countries. However, the dog breeds from this North American country are spectacular and must be celebrated just as all the other dog breeds of the world.

In the days gone by, the indigenous people of Canada kept and bred dogs for specific jobs and outdoor work. So, before you get a Canadian dog breed, consider the purpose it was bred for originally. Some of these are also native Canadian dog breeds.

1. Canadian Eskimo Dog – A Native Canadian Dog Breed

These dogs originate in the northern part of the country and happen to be a working breed. Among the indigenous breeds of North America, they are said to be one of the rarest and the oldest. They have lived in the Arctic Circle for the past four millennia, used for purposes such as sledding, hunting, and carting by the Eskimos or Inuits of Alaska and Greenland to accompany explorers during polar expeditions in the North and South. They are brave, loyal, and tough individuals.

2. Labrador Retriever 

Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dog breed in the United States, but they are actually from Canada. No matter what their name suggests, the water-retrieving breed hails from Newfoundland. They are highly popular as gundogs used for retrieving fish for fishermen or ducks for hunters but are also used a lot as general-purpose service dogs as well as guides for the blind.

They have an outstanding temperament. Hence, these dogs are suitable for various working positions and make great family companions. They are active, intelligent, and friendly individuals.

3. Landseer 

Landseers come in colors such as black and white, thus resembling the Newfoundland dogs so closely that these dogs are regarded as a variant of the same by many. They originated in the same province too. However, they are regarded as a separate breed by some kennel clubs.

They are docile and large, used as water rescue dogs and for pulling in nets for fishermen. Even now, Landseers are used for rescue operations and are so gentle that they are great companions for families. They are immensely caring, patient, and loving individuals.

4. Newfoundland – A Native Canadian Dog Breed

Also known as Newfies, this is a large breed developed here in Newfoundland, Canada, along with Labradors. Initially, they were used as general-purpose working dogs, but they show exceptional performance in water rescue operations.

Thanks to their thick coats and large bodies, they stay protected from the icy cold waters of the Arctic. Even now, they are used for rescue operations, but their primary role is that of an exceptional family companion. It is said that they originated from the dogs brought by explorers from Europe, such as Great Pyrenees and black Retrievers.

5. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever – A Native Canadian Dog Breed

 These dogs are also referred to as Toller and are a medium-sized gundog breed from Canada. As you may have guessed from their names, they were bred basically for duck tolling and retrieving. They have been used since the early parts of the 19th century.

They are intelligent and active dogs who are great family companions too. These dogs are outgoing, people-oriented, and alert individuals. They originated in the Acadian community in the Little River of Yarmouth County in Nova Scotia.

6. Labrador Husky 

They are a friendly, loyal, and loving breed created by crossing Labrador Retrievers with Huskies, but that is the wrong notion. However, this confusion is understandable. They are a breed that resembles the Spitz and came to the Labrador in 1300 AD with the Thule Inuit tribe.

Yes, they are indeed that old as a tribe. They were developed for hunting and pulling sleds. The Inuit people bred them with wolves so that they could develop strength and endurance. They may look like wolves but are smaller than Malamutes, Eskimo dogs, and wolves.

7. Seppala Siberian Sleddog

 They are smart, docile, and affectionate dogs. Their origin can be traced back to the earlier parts of the 1900s. It makes them one of the oldest dog breeds in Canada. They descended from the sled dogs used in northeastern Siberia.

Leonhard Seppala, a famous dog driver, is credited with developing the breed. Like other sled dogs, they are strong and agile and pack an amount of endurance to impress one and all. After all, this is what they needed to run continuously for many miles with all that weight.

8. Tahltan Bear Dog – A Native Canadian Dog Breed

This breed is known for its brave, kind, and affectionate members. As their name would suggest, they originated with Tahltan Indians in the Pacific Northwest of Canada. They are a primitive breed and were developed for hunting games such as bears, beavers, and big cats, to name a few.

They may be small in size. But they are rather brave and strong when in packs. They can be rather vicious to the prey they are hunting. So, they have all the qualities you need in a top hunting dog.

9. Hare Indian Dog 

They are friendly, playful, and loyal dogs. They originated back during the 18th century. At this time, they were being bred in Canada and the USA. There are many theories regarding their origin. However, in 1984 researchers examined their DNA and concluded that these are a hybrid of domesticated dogs, wolves, and coyotes.

As far as ancestors go, they look pretty similar to the animals that originated from as well as Spitz dogs. They always have pointed ears with broad bases. In that respect, they are pretty, similar to Canadian Eskimo dogs.      

Conclusion

The Canadian Kennel Club recognizes five dog breeds to be purely Canadian. However, there are one hundred and eighty-seven breeds. The unique ones are the Newfoundland dog, the Canadian Inuit Dog, the Labrador retriever, the Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, and the Tahltan bear dog. The Terra Nova and the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retrievers are the 2 most popular water dogs.

The Inuit Dog, or the Canadian Eskimo Dog, is the rarest and one of the oldest dog breeds native to Canada. It’s a working dog of North America and the Arctic, originating four thousand years.