Transporting food and mail up the mountain to the men building the Jungfrau Railway was too difficult for packhorses or mules, so sled dogs came to the rescue. In 1913 the first dogs arrived; Samoyeds. However, they were found to be too light to pull heavy loads up the mountain. So Raold Amundsen�s advice was sought (the Norwegian explorer who beat Captain Scott to the South Pole) and he arranged for six North Greenland dogs to be imported. One of the Nordic breeds, Greenlands are often lumped under the description of �huskies�, although they are a different breed. Weighing around 40 - 50 kilos, they were larger, heavier and stronger than the Samoyeds, and were a great success.

This Greenland 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 breeding. These dogs are extremely rare. Most are either broght home from a visit to Greenland or given as gifts from those in the country.

They have a thick double coat consisting of an impenetrable undercoat 1-2 inches long, uniform over body, with well protruding outer coat of coarser longer hair, which is quite straight. Outer coat at its longest on neck and withers, breeches and underside of tail. Underbelly also well covered. Hair on head and legs rather short. All known dog colors, or combinations of these colors.

Males should be 23-27 inches tall and weigh 75-105 pounds. Females should be 20-24 inches tall and weigh 60-90 pounds.

These dogs are happiest in very cold temperatures and do not like the excessive heat.

There aren't any known health concerns for the breed.