American Eskimo Dogs

These are white, very fluffy spitz-type dogs.
==History==
They originate from German Spitzes brought over to the United States by German immigrants in the 1800s. It is said that they were a common farm dog in the midwest to these German families. Then in the 1920s they became the true show dog, being popular in use to circuses, freakshows, and other places with performing animals.https://archive.org/details/americaneskimodo0000coil/page/6/mode/2up During World War I, Americans hated Germans enough to rename the dog, changing it into the American Eskimo Dog. This is in part because they resemble snow and look like they'd be warm enough up north, and possibly due to misconceptions, but it was also either named after or named by a breeding kennel in Ohio.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-eskimo-dog/ (reading and video) One source says that they were officially renamed this in 1917, but they, the United Kennel Club, recognized them in 1913. I don't know if it just became commonly accepted by then, or if there was some other official. To my knowledge they recognized them as the American Eskimo first, instead of the German Spitz that they're associated with. https://www.ukcdogs.com/american-eskimoThe American Kennel Club officially recognized them in 1995.
A famous male named Pierre worked for the Barnum and Bailey Circus in the 1930s. He is considered to be the first dog to walk a tightrope. As the dog got more popular, they began to sell American Eskimo puppies after their shows (they don't say if the puppies were ever his or not). This helped grow the breed as people got to carry American Eskimo puppies home after their trip to the circus. It's not clear whether popular demand caused the circus (or circuses) to sell them, as of course people would be so admired by the dog's skills and cuteness that they'd have to get one themselves at a later date and they told them "why not just sell them here?", or whether the circus staff just knew everyone liked their dog so they just started selling them.
==References==