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Norwegian Elkhound Mobile

Norwegian Elkhound

A medium to large spitz dog (with a thick coat, prick ears and tail curled over the back), the Norwegian Elkhound dog is a powerful hound with a squarish shape and compact body. Adult male dogs stand at 52cm and weigh around 23kg and females are 49cm tall and weigh 20kg. The thick, profuse coat comes in shades of grey with the hair of the topcoat tipped black.

The need-to-know
  • Dog suitable for owners with some experience
  • Some training required
  • Enjoys active walks
  • Enjoys walking an hour a day
  • Medium dog
  • Heavy drool
  • Requires grooming daily
  • Non hypoallergenic breed
  • Very vocal dog
  • Guard dog. Barks and alerts
  • May require training to live with other pets
  • May require training to live with kids

Personality

A friendly, confident dog, the Norwegian Elkhound is energetic and hardy. A natural watchdog, he is vocal and will need early training to bark on command. A good family dog, he is independent but does enjoy the company of his loved ones. The houseproud should note that the coat does shed profusely.

History and Origins

An ancient breed, with archaeologists unearthing the skeletons of a similar dog dating back to 4,000-5,000BC, the Norwegian Elkhound dog breed is a spitz breed used for hunting elk. He would track down the elk and bark and keep it in one place until the hunter came to shoot it. He was first exhibited at a dog show in Norway in 1877 and is still used for hunting in Scandinavia.

Dog with red collar looking out the window
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