Norwegian Elkhound - Facts You Must Know Before Hiring Norwegian Elkhound

Breed Description

The Norwegian Elkhound is a medium-sized breed with a sturdy build. This handsome arctic dog has a lot of wolf-like characteristics. This compact breed weighs between 40-50 pounds, and stands around 19 inches tall at the shoulder.

Coat

The Norwegian Elkhound is a double-coated breed with a grey, straight and harsh textured top coat and black, soft and dense inner coat. Their coats insulate them from extreme temperature. The colors of this breed come in a combination of silver, gray, and black.

Activity

Highly powerful and energetic, the Norwegian Elkhound was originally bred to hunt in cold climates all day. For this reason, they will require exercise of at least 20-30 minutes' walk twice daily. To keep a Norwegian Elkhound fit and satisfied, daily brisk walks of up to 2-3 hours would be ideal.

The Norwegian Elkhound's heart is outdoors, and will require a dog owner with the ability to dominate this breed. An owner who will not be able to establish the dominance in their relationship will find this breed prone to running off any chance he gets, and ignoring any commands.

Temperament

The energetic and bold Norwegian Elkhound is outgoing and confident. They are never submissive or shy, nor totally domineering and aggressive. This friendly and alert breed makes wonderful family pet and a therapy dog who is devoted and loyal to people. The trustworthiness and dependability of this breed makes him excellent watchdog. This breed exudes the characteristic of a spitz-like dog and hounds. This playful and protective breed particularly loves being outdoors, especially during cold climates. They will gladly greet family, yet will equally be wary of strangers.

Overview

The Norwegian Elkhound is a very energetic breed. These dogs were originally bred as pack dogs, and are presently known to be excellent family dogs. They are considered independent, and can be quite a challenge to train.

Care

The Norwegian Elkhound needs minimum grooming. Brushing should be done regularly especially during shedding season, and bathing should only be done when absolutely necessary. Check their ears and trim their nails regularly are needed.

Training

Their independence and intelligence can make Norwegian Elkhounds challenging to train. But despite that, they are known to be naturally obedient, good-natured, and are able to understand training quickly. As mentioned earlier, this breed is highly intelligent and will use its intelligence in making decisions. Both sexes are fairly easy to train due to their ability to learn quickly, but obedience can be challenging. Routine training is required with sensitive teaching and positive methods of motivation. This breed generally requires firm and fair leadership for owners to gain their respect.

Character

With legendary stamina, the Norwegian Elkhound is quick, nimble, independent, and playful breed. Known to have excellent hearing, this breed is known to make a loud noise which he enjoys using.