Norwegian Elkhound

Hound

The Norwegian Elkhound is an ancient Scandinavian breed dating to 4000-5000 BC. They were sled, guard and hunting dogs, used as both big and small game tracking dogs for elk, bear, reindeer, moose, mountain lion, lynx, rabbit and badger.

Medium, 18-21” at the shoulders, weighing anywhere from 40-60 pounds with a sturdy body and deep, wide chest. The overcoat is gray with black tips with a lighter gray undercoat, black muzzle, ears and tip of the tail. This breed’s puppies are born black and turn grey as their coat develops around 7 days old. Their paws are small with thick pads, and tightly curled tail that sits high over their back.

The Norwegian Elkhound has a life expectancy of 12-15 years. This breed is also prone to hip dysplasia, pyotraumatic dermatitis, kidney disease, and progressive retinal atrophy.

The Norwegian Elkhound is affectionate and trustworthy with family members, and good with children. Be sure, though, to socialize this breed to babies and toddlers because of their guarding instincts. They can be reserved with people they don’t know, but comfortable and friendly with familiar people. This breed needs a confident and humane leader who teaches and sets consistent rules. All snow dogs, including the Norwegian Elkhound, are independent and require patient communication and humane, positive training techniques. Otherwise they will ignore your attempts to train. This breed has natural instincts to hold their prey at bay and bark until their human hunting companion arrives. So they naturally roam and bark. They require plenty of mental and physical stimulation or other behavior issues will result.

 Grooming Requirements:   Double coat should be brushed regularly. Bathe only when necessary because it removes the natural oils in the dirt-resistant and weatherproof coat.  Coat: Short and coarse.  Shedding: Seasonal heavy shedding.  Hypoallergenic: No, due to shedding.  Apartment Living: Suitable for an apartment only if given daily exercise in an open area or large yard.  Lap Dog: No  Good With Children: Great with older children, needs proper socialization with babies and toddlers.  Good With Other Pets: Generally friendly with other dogs when introduced properly; exercise caution with other pets, such as hamsters and guinea pigs, pet rats and mice. Generally good with cats when introduced properly.

Shipmate of the Vikings, guardian of remote farms, herder of flocks and defender from wolves and bear, a sometime hauler and a hunter always, and a companion to restless wandering men, the Norwegian Elkhound has survived more than six millennia with all his Nordic traits intact, a fearless and friendly dog, devoted to humankind. The Elkhound looms in Norse history and myth. We read of him in the epic sagas of ancient times, we find his remains aside his Viking master along with the Viking’s sword and shield, proof of the high regard in which he was held; and in the Viste Cave at Jaeren, in western Norway, his skeleton was found among the stone tools in stratum dating from 4000 to 5000 b.c. Among the many oft-told tales associated with the breed is one from the 12th century, in which an Elkhound was named king in the land of Throndhjem. The name Elkhound acknowledges the breed’s age-old quarry, the giant elk, or moose. Elkhounds specialized in following the scent trail of these magnificent and dangerous creatures over a distance and holding them at bay while dodging attack until the trailing huntsmen arrived. Elkhounds look nothing like the droopy-eared, sleek-coated scenthounds developed in warmer climes, but they are classified as hounds by virtue of their job description: trailing and holding warm-blooded quarry.

The Norwegian Elkhound is a hardy gray hunting dog. In appearance, a typical northern dog of medium size and substance, square in profile, close coupled and balanced in proportions. The head is broad with prick ears, and the tail is tightly curled and carried over the back. The distinctive gray coat is dense and smooth lying. As a hunter, the Norwegian Elkhound has the courage, agility and stamina to hold moose and other big game at bay by barking and dodging attack, and the endurance to track for long hours in all weather over rough and varied terrain.

The Norwegian Elkhound should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Most Elkhounds are “food hounds,” not picky eaters, and will develop pitiful faces in order to weaken their humans into giving them as many treats as can be mustered! A key to assessing whether the Elkhound is in good weight is to watch them when they eat. The area just behind the end of the ribcage should sink in when they eat. Another indication of an overweight dog is a rolling motion on the dog’s back or sides when he trots. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

The Norwegian Elkhound has a “two-ply” coat, with a top coat and an undercoat. Elkhound breeders warn potential puppy buyers of the inevitable—that during shedding season they will have “tumbleweeds” of silver undercoat rolling around their house. The outer coat will shed as well, but not to the degree that the undercoat will. A slicker brush will help you keep the fur storm under control. Five minutes a day of “back-brushing” (brushing in the opposite direction to which the coat lies) will take care of the problem for most of the year. Daily maintenance of just two minutes a day at other times will keep the coat beautiful, and will give your vacuum a new lease on life! Elkhounds do not have a doggy smell, due to the harshness of the coat. A bath two to three times a year for the family pet is perfect and helps the dead coat to fall out and new, healthy hair to grow in.

These are hunting dogs in their native Norway. They track and follow moose, ranging far ahead of the hunter, and they must be able to trot many miles for several days if necessary. Because they must make their own decisions when hunting, and by virtue of the way they hunt, they are independent and lovers of the woods and their freedom. For that reason, when exercising their Norwegian Elkhounds, owners should resist the temptation to allow them to roam the neighborhood or the park off lead. The instinct to travel and to inspect the world is intrinsic to the breed. Most love swimming (a required moose-trailing activity), and many enjoy agility as well as herding trials.

This breed does not tend to be a star performer in the obedience ring. The Elkhound learns very quickly, being highly intelligent, but after this learning process it becomes, “Didn’t we already do this 12 times?” The other difficulty in training this breed for activities is their independent nature, inspired by their hunting traits. As far as simple house manners, they are very clean and quickly respond to correctly managed housebreaking.

By and large this is a very healthy breed. The average life span is 12–14 years, with most owners losing their dogs due to cancer or heart issues. Negligible incidences of PRA have been found but can be traced to foreign dogs. hip dysplasia occurs, but by and large dogs that are checked usually get a “good” or “fair” evaluation from OFA, with many rating “excellent.” There have been some bouts of renal (kidney) issues, but this seems to have been put out of the breed’s current state of health.