The Norwegian Elkhound is the national dog of Norway. In their native land, Elkhounds have been used to pull sleds, guard home and family, perform mountain rescue, hunt big game such as elk, moose and bear, and track for long hours in all types of weather and terrain. The Elkhound's very acute senses of smell and hearing aid him in performing the functions he was originally bred for - to hunt and track large game.
Temperament in the Elkhound
Norwegian Elkhounds are loyal to their "pack" and make good family dogs. Although each dog is an individual, they generally like children (or at least tolerate them) and can be very protective of those they consider part of their pack or family. This, combined with their loud voice, makes them a good watch dog. Norwegian Elkhounds can be challenging to train because of their intelligence and deep independent streak. However, they can make good obedience, agility, and particularly tracking dogs, and they are good natured in their disobedience (for example, failing to "come" because there is something of greater interest in the other direction).
The Norwegian Elkhound loves to be with people and does require daily attention, exercise and time with the family. They will love to play and run and do best in families that are on the go and busy, but can also adjust to quieter situations with lots of opportunities for exercise and to be outside. A northern breed, they love to be outside in cold weather but may have difficulty in adjusting to very warm climates.
The breed is highly intelligent and has a hounds natural hunting ability so need to be in a fenced yard to prevent wandering and roaming. They can have a very high prey instinct and may not do well with cats and other pets unless they have been raised together since the Norwegian Elkhound was a puppy.
The Norwegian Elkhound is not a dog that will follow every command from the owner as soon as it is given. They are independent and will often be distracted by other activities they find more interesting than what the owner has in mind. They are, however, very easy to train using positive, firm training methods and lots of petting and attention for a job well done. They love to work with people and do best if considered part of the family rather than left alone.
History and Origins
For many years, the Norwegian Elkhound was considered the oldest of all dog breeds, going back further than 3,000 years. Recent DNA analysis suggests, however, that several "ancient" breeds have been "recreated in more recent times from combinations of other breeds" (Ostrander et al., 2004). The researchers found "genetic evidence for a recent origin of the Norwegian Elkhound, believed to be of ancient Scandinavian origin" . But this study only includes 85 of the world's more than 400 dog breeds, omits many primitive lineages, and clusters the breeds together into just four major groups called clades. Nevertheless, some researchers say that the Norwegian Elkhound is a descendant of the ancient "primitive" Pariah Dog that existed 3,000–5,000 years ago.
Of the four major clades that Ostrander et al. clusters together, Clade II includes dogs with the genetic haplotype D8 from two Scandinavian dog breeds: the Norwegian Elkhound and the Jämthund. This genetic sequence haplotype is closely related to two wolf haplotypes found in Italy, France, Romania, and Greece, and is also related to a wolf haplotype found in western Russia (Vila et al., 1997). Clade II appears to be only seen in Norwegian breeds and exhibits a vast amount of divergences. It is suggested that this clade illustrates an ancient and independent origin from wolves that are now extinct (Raisor, 2004). The Norwegian Elkhound evolved, at least partially, from ancestral grey wolf subspecies now found in south central Europe and western Russia and may very well be one of the most ancient of all dog breeds.
Size & Weight
Weight (M): 55 lb Height (M): 21"
Weight (F): 48 lb Height (F): 20"
Life expectancy: 10 - 12 years
Grooming Requirements
Since the breed is prone to hot spots and skin irritations regular grooming will help owners monitor these conditions as well as removing the old, dead hair and minimizing the irritants against the skin. The breed has no odor and so bathing should only be done when absolutely necessary and only with special dog shampoos and conditioners. Over bathing will strip the weather-resistant oils from the hair resulting in dry, damaged hair.
The Norwegian Elkhound has the same grooming requirements of most of the northern breeds. The coarser outer hair is rather stiff and not prone to matting however the softer inner hair can be. Brushing twice a week with a firm bristle brush, pin brush or rubber brush followed by a metal comb is the best possible grooming routine.
They are average shedders year round but have very heavy seasonal sheds when the downy undercoat is completely "blown". At these times the hair will come out in clumps, and the dead hair can mat into the outer coat if brushing is not regularly completed.
Exercise Needs
Daily strenuous exercise is vital to a Norwegian Elkhound’s physical and mental health. A long walk or stimulating game will always be greeted with a wagging tail. Norwegian Elkhounds can become destructive if not exercised sufficiently.
Health Issues
As it is not possible to produce genetically perfect humans, nor is it possible to produce genetically perfect dogs. The Elkhound is fortunate that it does not have the number of health problems present in many other breeds. Before you consider an Elkhound, be knowledgeable about the genetic defects that are most prevalent in the breed. Eye disorders (blindness), skeletal anomalies (hip dysplasia), urogenital conditions (renal disease), and skin ailments (cysts) are known to occur in the breed. It is possible to eliminate or reduce the incidence of these genetic problems by carrying out screening tests on all breeding stock.
Trivia
President Herbert Hoover owned an elkhound named "Weejie"
