Elo

The Elo dog of Germany is referred to as an emerging breed, with the development of the breed starting in 1987 by breeders Marita and Heinz Szobries. The pair began their program in an effort to develop a dog specifically as a family pet, selecting and breeding their dogs for their demeanor and behavioral traits rather than for their physical appearance. A German spitz-type dog known as a Eurasier was mixed with Old English Sheepdogs, often referred to in the area as Bobtails, as the original basis for the breed, however, a scarcity of Eurasier dogs lead to the inclusion of Chow Chow dogs as well as a small amount of Samoyed and Dalmatian. According to a genetic study done in Germany, the Elo dogs are approximately 48% Eurasier, 23% Bobtail/Old English Sheepdog, and 10% Chow Chow, with just fractional amounts of the other breeds. This breed is still a very rare and very regulated breed that has been trademarked by the Elo Breeding and Research Association, an institution that was created for their development. Some breeders outside of Germany have attempted to recreate these dogs in an attempt to cash in on their rare breed status, but only dogs that have been bred with the explicit permission of the founders of the breed are actually considered Elo dogs. This is an important point to remember when acquiring your canine as the original breeders were very focused on the temperament and health of the breed while those seeking to cash in may be more focused on trying to make it look like an Elo breed dog, allowing a very different temperament to develop.