Dog breed · England
Tamaskan dogs are a dog breed from Finland that have been selectively bred to resemble a wolf or wolfdog. Although their exact origins are uncertain, these mixed breed dogs were primarily arctic breed crosses of Alaskan husky, Alaskan Malamute, Canadian Eskimo dog, German shepherd, Labrador husky, and Siberian husky. Tamaskans are not recognized as a breed by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale but are recognized as a breed by the American Rare Breed Association.
Description: Tamaskan are large, athletic dogs, and slightly taller than German Shepherds. With regard to build, they are larger than typical sled dogs but smaller than the Alaskan Malamute.
On average, Tamaskan adults measure around 24-28 inches (60–70 cm) tall at the shoulder and typically weigh between 55-88 pounds (25–[dose — ask your vet])–the heaviest recorded Tamaskan males (to date) weigh just under [dose — ask your vet]. Females are usually slightly smaller and lighter than males, with a distinct feminine appearance. Males are more heavyset with broader heads and a heavier bone structure. Tamaskan have a lupine appearance with a straight bushy tail and thick double coat that comes in three main colors: wolf gray, red gray, and black gray. Each guard hair is agouti banded along its length. The almond-shaped eyes range from yellow through to amber and brown, with lighter colored eyes being very rare. Blue eyes are not acceptable, nor are mismatched eyes.
Genetic testing has identified a color variant linked to partial recessive red traits that at least 50% of northern Inuit and tamaskan dogs carry. Initially detected in DNA samples from prehistoric dogs dating back 10,000 years, this variant was identified as one of the earliest mutations discovered in domestic canines.
Health: Overall, the Tamaskan variety is healthy; only a few notable health issues affect a small percentage of the bloodlines to date. Roughly 10% of males suffer from cryptorchidism: undescended testes. With these cases, usually only one testicle fully descends within the scrotum, while the other testicle remains "hidden" up within the abdominal cavity. Epilepsy has been diagnosed in five dogs, affecting about 1 out of every 100 registered Tamaskan worldwide. Several dogs have been found to be carriers of degenerative myelopathy. As with all large breed dogs, hip dysplasia is a risk.
History: In the 1980s, five dogs of Siberian Husky origin were imported into the United Kingdom from the United States. These dogs were then bred to Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies and German Shepherds to create a dog with a wolf like phenotype, but with a good temperament. In the ’80s, these dogs were labelled as wolf dogs or simply wolf lookalikes. Poor records were kept during this era and therefore the ancestry of most of these dogs is unknown.
Breed founders Lynn Hardey and Jennie Peacock were committee members of the British and International Utonagan Society, but believed the dogs were becoming too related to each other and decided to look for genetic diversity abroad. In Finland they found working husky crosses and purchased several to add to their lines. However, the majority of Utonagan breeders were not interested in the new additions and so the founders left to start the Tamaskan Dog Register in 2006.
