Northern Inuit Dog

Also called Northern Inuit, NI

CrossbreedShort profile

From England, 1980s. Developed from dogs imported from North America crossed with Alaskan Malamutes, German Shepherds and Siberian Huskies.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Weight, male36 to 50 kg1

Weight, female25 to 38 kg1

Height, male58 to 81 cm1

Height, female58 to 71 cm1

Lifespan12 to 14 years1

Sizelarge

Figures from a secondary breed database; there is no kennel-club standard.

striking wolf-like looks

friendly and playful with its family

clever and trainable

1 2

Coat and looks how to spot one

thick double coat

A large, athletic dog bred to look like a wolf, with a dense weatherproof double coat, upright ears and a long, straight tail.1 2

Colourswhiteblacksable shades, with or without a white face mask1

Personality what they are like

Bred to pair a wolf-like appearance with a companion-dog nature, it is usually friendly, bright and playful, and calm at home once its exercise needs are met.1 2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

High. Needs a long, brisk daily walk or jog and room to move.1

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Brush and comb regularly, more often during shedding; bathe only when needed to protect the coat's natural oils.1

Home where they are happiest

Suits an active home with adequate space; a large dog that does best with room indoors and a secure garden.1

The story where it all began

Breeders in England began the Northern Inuit in the 1980s, crossing dogs imported from North America with Malamutes, German Shepherds and Huskies to create a wolf-like family dog. Disagreements among breeders later led to offshoots such as the Utonagan and, from those, the Tamaskan.1 2 3

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
Northern Inuit dogs played the direwolves in the early seasons of the TV series Game of Thrones.2
2
The breed is a direct ancestor of the Utonagan and the Tamaskan Dog.3
3
It was deliberately bred to look like a wolf while having the temperament of a companion dog.2

Recognised by the official bits

Dog Registry of America (DRA): Listed by the DRA; not a breed recognised by the FCI, The Royal Kennel Club or the AKC.1

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Northern Inuit Dog. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

BrushingDaily during heavy sheddingevery 3 days
Double coats insulate against cold and heat, so shaving is not recommended
Bathevery 10 weeks
Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
Ear checkevery 2 weeks
Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year

Start a free diary

Tamaskan Dog

Siberian Husky

Alaskan Malamute

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

Dog Breed Info Center: Northern Inuit Dog dogbreedinfo.comused for origin, size, weight, lifespan, colours, care
Wikipedia: Utonagan en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, ancestry, breeding aim, Game of Thrones
Wikipedia: Tamaskan Dog en.wikipedia.orgused for related breeds and descendants

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.