The Greenland dog is similar to the Canadian Eskimo Sleddog, but is not as heavy and slightly taller. They have a thick standoff outer coat and dense under wool, which allow them to withstand constant outdoor living in the temperatures that can reach -50 to -75 degrees Fahrenheit. They have small triangular ears, which rarely get frostbit. The head is robust, broad and wedge shaped. The jaws are extremely powerful. It has a large, bushy tail, which curls over the dogs back and protects the dogs face while it is sleeping. The legs are well feathered and the toes are thickly furred with large pads.
This Spitz-type dog has existed throughout the Arctic regions since antiquity. The ancestry of this breed can possibly be traced back to the dogs accompanying people from Siberia well over 12,000 years ago. As these people developed into Inuit of today, they may have used local wolves for father breeding. Greenland Dogs are fairly rare. Most people who acquire a Greenland Dog have imported them from Greenland or have taken one home with from a visit there, or from friends who have been there. Very few litters are born.