Dog
Group:
Hound 
Norwegian Elkhound Champions
You must login to add your Champion Dog to this list.
Pronunciation:
nawr-wee-juhn elk-hound
Breed Description:
The Norwegian Elkhound breed of dog is a medium sized breed that should be compact and sturdy. This is a strong dog that should be athletic in appearance with ample muscles. They should have a square body, with a level top line that is equal in length to the dog's height. The head should be wedge shaped and the large triangular ears should be set high on the head and held erect. The tail should be carried over the body in a tight curl.
The coat of the Norwegian Elkhound should have a double coat. The undercoat should be short, and dense and should be soft to the touch. The top coat should also be short, only slightly longer than the undercoat and it should be soft to the touch. it should lay flat against the dog and should be very thick. The Norwegian Elkhound should have a specific color and that is light gray on the undersides and undercoat, darker gray on the top coat and the top areas should have black tiped gray. There should also be black on the ears, tip of the tail and the muzzle.
Temperament:
The Norwegian Elkhound breed of dog is known for being an intelligent and active breed of dog that is very affectionate and loyal. They are a wonderful dog with family and generally get along well within their family unit. They will fiercely protect anyone they love and they are extremely patient with children. The Norwegian Elkhound is usually reserved around strangers but with proper socialization, they can learn to accept anyone. The breed needs to be properly socialized for them to accept other dogs but they should never be trusted with smaller non-canine pets since the Norwegian Elkhound has a very strong prey drive.
Height:
The average height for a Nowegian Elkhound is between 18 to 20 inches for a female and 19 to 21 inches for a male.
Weight:
The average weight for a Norwegian Elkhound is between 40 to 55 pounds for a female and 45 to 60 pounds for a male.
Health Problems:
The Norwegian Elkhound breed of dog is a hardy breed with only a few known health problems. Special care should be given to the kidneys and some eye problems have been seen. Health problems that affect the Norwegian Elkhound are Hypothyroidism, Sebaceous Cysts, Fanconi Syndrome and Progressive Retinal Atrophy.
Living Conditions:
The Norwegian Elkhound breed of dog can do well in apartments if they are given enough exercise, however, the ideal home is one with a large fenced yard. The breed does need to have a fence since they will wander off if the opportunity presents itself.
Exercise:
The Norwegian Elkhound breed of dog is a very active breed and they require about 60 minutes of exercise each day. They are happiest when they have something to do and they can become quite destructive when they are bored.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Norwegian Elkhound breed of dog is actually very easy to groom and you should only have to brush the coat once a week, except during shedding seasons. They should be bathed only when necessary but the hair around the feet and ears may need to be trimmed to prevent matting and infection. Ears should be cleaned every week and nails should be trimmed once a month.
Origin:
The Norwegian Elkhound breed of dog is an old breed and can actually be traced back several thousand years ago. In fact, the breed is considered to be the oldest breeds alive today with archaeological artifacts dating the dogs as early as 5000 BC. Becuase of their long history, the actual origins of the Norwegian Elkhound is lost as is the breeds that went into creating it. What we do know is that they were used by Vikings for hunting large prey such as moose, herding and guarding. The Norwegian Elkhound was fairly common in Norway but they were unknown throughout the rest of the year until they appeared in a Norwegian dog show in 1877. The breed gained some notice at that time and by the early 1900's, the Norwegian Elkhound had found its way to England and the United States. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
