The Northern Inuit Dog is of medium to large build, athletic but never racy. Females should be between 23 and 28 inches (58–71 cm) tall and weigh around 55–84 pounds (25–38 kg), while males should be between 25 and 30 inches (58–81 cm) tall and weigh 79–110 pounds (36–48 kg). The dog should have a double coat and a straight tail – curly tails are considered a fault.

The Northern Inuit Dog is not for the novice owner as they can be very stubborn and are very quick-witted. The owner of a Northern Inuit must show themselves to be a strong leader or be prepared to be the underdog, and be taken advantage of. They are more difficult to train than other, more biddable breeds. Separation anxiety may arise when they are left alone and unsupervised too long, leading to destructive behaviours but training to be left from a young age will rectify this. Training from the onset is a must for this breed. Often, they will do better with another dog for company. Socialization should begin when vaccinated and throughout as their play can be very rough and misinterpreted.