Content
- Norwegian Elkhound Origin
- Norwegian Elkhound Features
- Norwegian Elkhound Personality
- Norwegian Elkhound Care
- Norwegian Elkhound Training
- Norwegian Elkhound Health
If you want to meet one of the dog breeds that accompanied the famous and experienced Vikings, is in luck. In this article we present you the Norwegian Elkhound or Elk Hunter, a dog with surprising characteristics and qualities. These old dogs are affectionate, loyal and, at the same time, brave and excellent hunters. Standing out for its excellent sense of smell, endurance and tenacity, as well as a beautiful appearance, it is not surprising that there are so many people in love with this breed. Here at PeritoAnimal, we'll show you the details about these beautiful dogs and explain everything you need to know about Norwegian Elkhound, keep reading!
Source- Europe
- Norway
- Group V
- Rustic
- muscular
- provided
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
- 8-10
- 10-12
- 12-14
- 15-20
- Low
- Average
- High
- Strong
- Sociable
- very faithful
- Intelligent
- Active
- Tender
- Kids
- Houses
- Hunting
- Surveillance
- Sport
- Cold
- Warm
- Moderate
- Medium
- Long
- Smooth
- Hard
- thick
Norwegian Elkhound Origin
Norwegian Moose Hunters are dogs that belong to the Nordic Spitz category and are traditionally considered hunting dogs. They are very common in the mountains of Norway, where they probably originated. They also receive the name of Elkhound, being likely to be part of the descendants of the ancient bog dogs, that is, the first dogs that lived in the villages of Europe in prehistoric times.
Due to archaeological remains found in deposits, where the remains of Viking ships and villages were found and where skeletons of dogs virtually identical to those of the current Elkhound were also found, it is assumed that they were dogs that accompanied the vikings on his long and exciting journeys.
Traditionally, Norwegian Elkhounds or Elk Hunters were employed, as you can guess from their name, as hunting dogs. This is not an accident, as these dogs have an incredibly developed sense of smell, as well as a great resistance to chasing prey, usually elk and bears from the Norwegian mountains.
Norwegian Elkhound Features
These puppies are considered a medium to large breed, with a height in the males between 45 and 55 centimeters at the withers and a weight that varies between 23 and 27 kg. In females, the size is a little smaller, although not exaggeratedly, as they weigh between 18 and 25 kg and their height varies between 45 and 50 centimeters. Differences between the sexes are sometimes insignificant.
Continuing with the characteristics of the Norwegian Elkhound, its body has a square shape and is very solid and stout, with a high-set tail curled over the back and covered in a dense, long layer of hair. The head of the Elkhound is wedge-shaped, narrowing as it approaches the black nose and presenting a sensitive but not abrupt stop. The eyes are usually dark brown in color and not very large or prominent. The ears, erect and set high, like the tail, are pointed and long.
the coat of the Norwegian Elkhound it has two layers, an upper that is relatively long, dense, smooth and thicker, and an undercoat that is shaggy, very soft and also dense. This two-layer structure guarantees a great insulating capacity against the cold, which prevails in the places where the Elkhound originated. THE grayscale range it is the only one accepted in the pattern, usually with a lighter shade on the belly, chest and legs, with black tips in the hairs of the surface layer determining how light or dark the gray is. The front of the muzzle and ears form a dark mask and usually have a harness-shaped mark, characterized by hair in the area from the withers to the elbows and from the withers to the chest, forming a line of about 5-6 centimeters. width; this brand does not have the same black-tipped hairs that are present on the rest of the body.
Norwegian Elkhound Personality
Elkhounds are very attentive dogs, and have a very active personality, always alert, so they are excellent guard dogs, warning of any potential danger with their barking. For this reason, they are quite suspicious and reluctant to deal with strangers, although they are not usually aggressive.
Elkhounds, on the other hand, are dogs very affectionate and sociable, especially with people, because with other dogs or other animals they can be really bad. They are very suitable puppies for children, as they are especially patient and considerate with them, taking care of them and ensuring that nothing happens to them. So they make excellent babysitters.
Another characteristic of the Norwegian Elkhound's temperament is that it is a dog. very independent, so you need to give him room to move and be comfortable. Also, he is a very playful and active dog, so he needs a lot of exercise to stay calm.
Finally, it is worth noting that we are talking about an extremely greedy dog, which facilitates its training with prizes, which we will talk about in the following sections.
Norwegian Elkhound Care
As we said before, within the care of the Norwegian Elkhound, the high dose of physical activity it needs is highlighted. This dog has a high energy level, so need to exercise daily, otherwise, you will be nervous and may have disruptive or abnormal behavior. A minimum of 1 hour of high intensity exercise per day is recommended. In addition to unbalancing them, a sedentary lifestyle can cause them to develop obesity or, at the very least, overweight, which will have several negative consequences for their health.
As for the care with your coat, she needs a minimum of 2 to 3 brushings per week to be in good condition, although bathing has to be limited to only when necessary, as Elkhounds have rather delicate skin and can suffer from various dermatological conditions.
As they are very greedy puppies, in addition to subjecting them to different physical activities, it will be essential to offer them an adequate diet, consisting mainly of meat and fish, with fewer fruits and vegetables. If you want to offer feed, it is very important to choose a quality one, made with natural ingredients and suitable for human consumption. To establish a homemade diet, we recommend consulting this article: "BARF diet for puppies".
If, instead of an adult individual, you've adopted an Elkhound puppy, and also if this is the first dog you've been around, you should add a comfortable bed to sleep in, assorted toys (especially biters) to the care list. food and water bowls
Norwegian Elkhound Training
the elkhounds are strong personality dogs, which is why, to get good results in terms of your training, it is recommended to start at a very young age and be very consistent. Otherwise they will be very reticent and it will be impossible to make them learn anything.
As we mentioned, this breed is extremely greedy, so the prizes are a good motivation for them to learn, being a great incentive when they receive a treat for doing something right. You can also take advantage of your good sense of smell and exercise it based on sniffing and tracking games, which will stimulate you physically and mentally.
To get good results in Elkhound training, some general recommendations are: exercise before sessions, use rewards and use training techniques based on reinforcement and respect. The use of punishments, screams or violence will not bring positive results for anyone, on the contrary, it will cause the development of fear, insecurity and anxiety in the dog, which can translate into an aggressive attitude if he feels attacked. For all these reasons, it is advisable to reinforce good behavior and motivate the dog to continue learning with words of encouragement and affection. A dog that is properly stimulated and motivated will not only learn faster, but also be happier.
Finally, and taking up the initial advice, to achieve the expected results it is essential to educate the Elkhound in a consistent and patient manner. Some breeds are able to internalize certain commands or coexistence habits even with less rigorous training; however, with this breed it is necessary to work every day using the aforementioned techniques. Of course, you should never exceed 15 minutes per session, as excessive time will make the animal bored or nervous.
Norwegian Elkhound Health
The Elkhound can pride itself on having iron health without serious congenital or hereditary illnesses. He just seems to have a certain propensity to suffer from diseases that affect the skin, such as dermatitis or fungal infections.
In order for your dog to maintain good general health, it is recommended to make regular visits to the veterinarian. During these visits, in addition to vaccinating and carrying out internal and external deworming, the dog must undergo diagnostic tests to check its health status and be able to detect the onset or presence of diseases as soon as possible.
If you offer all the necessary care and make regular visits to the veterinarian, the Elkhound can accompany you for 12 to 15 years.