The Norwegian Elkhound, although an uncommon breed and rarely seen in India, is an overall pretty decent fit for the country. These dogs are quite adaptable in nature, possess good tolerance to both hot and cold climatic conditions, adjust well to apartment life and are easy and fun to live with. They have a bold and confident personality and would be a great choice for anyone residing in India, or any other place, who is looking to raise a pooch as a pet.
The Norwegian Elkhound is a medium-sized, compactly built canine who is filled to the brim with a great amount of stamina, strength, and endurance. The official standards for these dogs are as follows:
The average height of the Norwegian Elkhounds is around 19-21 inches (at the shoulders). The male Elkhounds are slightly more tall and heavier than their female counterparts. The average weight of these canines lies somewhere between 21-25 Kilograms.
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GENDER |
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
MALE |
Around 25 kg |
20-21 inch |
|
FEMALE |
Around 21 kg |
19-20 inch |
They have a hard, thick, smooth-lying coat which is resistant to various kinds of weather conditions. They have a woolly, dense and soft undercoat and a coarse and straight exterior coat.
The Norwegian Elkhounds have a close coupled, well-balanced overall body. Their neck is of medium length, quite muscular and is well set on their shoulders. The Chest area is deep and moderately broad and the Back region is fairly straight and strong. The tail is tightly curled, set high and is reasonably thick and well-furnished. The forelegs and hind legs are medium in length, well-muscled and are quite sturdy.
They have a wedge-shaped head which is a little broad at the ears. Their eyes are oval, medium in size and are of dark brown color. The ears are a bit small, firm and erect and are set quite high on the head.
They have a well-built jaw region with their teeth firmly placed inside their mouth which closes in a scissors bite. Their overall muzzle is fairly thick at the base and it evenly tapers without being pointed.
The Norwegian Elkhound is an immensely bold and athletic canine who loves to go on adventures with its owners and loved ones. These dogs have a playful and spirited personality and are happy to play numerous games with their family members. But, because they are highly intelligent, strong-willed and are known to be an independent thinker, they can be a little challenging to handle, especially if a novice dog owner is involved. They generally mix very well with others and are warm and affectionate with them. They are happy to be around kids and are quite careful and gentle with them. They remain alert and aware of their surrounding for most of the time and are quite protective of their owners. They are capable of being decent watchdogs and can efficiently alert their housemates in case of any intruders or external harm. The temperament traits of the Norwegian Elkhounds are listed below:
The Norwegian Elkhound is a substantially built spitz-like canine whose place of origin is hidden in its name. This pooch has a thick, dense and smooth coat which protects it from various kinds of harsh weather conditions (hot, cold etc.).
The Elkhounds are famous for their immense stamina and endurance. These dogs are fond of spending their energy on some kind of task or activity. They remain contented if they are receiving a sufficient amount of exercise and work, but may become frustrated and sad if left idle for long periods of time.
They are considered to be pretty decent house pets. They are highly adaptable in nature, are loyal and faithful towards their owners, are happy to make new friends and can act as great watch/guard dogs. Also, they are friendly and kind to small kids, are fine with sharing the house with other animals and are highly intelligent and smart which lets them learn a lot of new skills and tricks from their owners/trainers. They sometimes can be a little noisy and boisterous but it can be controlled with proper training. These pooches prefer to be in a colder environment as their tolerance to low temperatures is exceptional but due to their awesome coat, they can thrive quite comfortably in a hotter region as well.
The Norwegian Elkhounds are divided into different types on the basis of the several color combinations which their coat can be found in. These different colors are:
|
Adaptability |
***** |
Sensitivity Level |
**** |
|
Affection Level |
***** |
Potential for mouthiness |
*** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
*** |
Drooling Potential |
* |
|
Barking Tendencies |
**** |
Energy Level |
***** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
*** |
Health Issues |
*** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
*** |
Intelligence |
**** |
|
Child Friendly |
***** |
Playfulness |
**** |
|
Exercise Needs |
**** |
Shedding Level |
**** |
|
Grooming Needs |
*** |
Social Needs |
*** |
|
Good for novice owners |
*** |
Stranger Friendly |
*** |
|
Trainability |
*** |
Watchdog Ability |
***** |
|
Tolerates Heat |
*** |
Tolerates Cold |
***** |
The Norwegian Elkhounds do quite well on a good-quality dog food which can be either prepared at home or purchased from a pet store. The diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age. Some dogs might get overweight if fed loosely and in unnecessary amounts. Hence, the owners must keep an eye on the weight and health of their dogs.
They need regular exercise and work to remain fit and healthy. Long strolls in a park, daily running or jogging sessions, a brief amount of regular play time either inside or outside the house is highly crucial for these canines. The Elkhounds remain happy and satisfied if they are receiving the right amount of exercise on a daily basis.
It is very important to begin their obedience training at an early age as it is much easier to train a young Elkhound than to train a mature one. These dogs are generally fine and responsive while getting trained but they are independent thinkers and are known to lose interest if the training sessions are repetitive. Also, first-time dog owners may find these canines a bit hard to train.
These dogs do shed quite heavily and that too on a regular basis. They require a good amount of grooming as well to remain neat and tidy. Brushing their coat at least once or twice a week is absolutely necessary for them. Their nails should be trimmed regularly. They do not require a lot of baths and usually bathing them once every 60 days is fine. Their teeth can be brushed whenever it is necessary.
Health-related problems which are commonly seen in the Norwegian Elkhounds are as follows:
Frequent visits to a vet’s clinic are not required for the Elkhounds because they tend to remain fit and fine throughout their life-span.
The true origin of the Norwegian Elkhounds is not very clear, but many believe they came into existence a very long time ago, around 5000 BC. They hail from Norway and were possibly used by the Vikings for various purposes such as hunt, guard etc. or as travel companions.
These dogs were exclusively used to hunt large games such as elks, moose, bears et cetera. They were excellent at tracking down their preys and then alerting their owners by continuously barking at the animals so that the hunters could come towards it and hunt them.
Today, the Norwegian Elkhounds are mostly seen as house pets and companions. They are widely appreciated for their bold and confident personality and for their loyalty towards their owners. These dogs were recognized by the AKC in the year 1913. When properly trained, these pooches do well in a lot of different activities such as tracking, herding, guarding, sledding, search-and-rescue et cetera and because of this, they are still used for several work-related purposes in various parts of the world.
