Hound Breeds Afghan Hound Basenji Basset Fauve de Bretagne Basset Griffon Vendeen,Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, Petit Basset Hound Beagle Bloodhound Borzoi Dachshund, Miniature Long Hair Dachshund, Miniature Wire Hair Dachshund, Miniature Smooth Hair Dachshund, Standard Long Hair Dachshund, Standard Wire Hair Dachshund, Standard Smooth Hair Deerhound Elkhound Finnish Spitz Foxhound Grand Bleu de Gascogne Greyhound Hamiltonstovare Ibizan Hound Irish Wofhound Norwegian Lundehund Otterhound Pharaoh Hound Rhodesian Ridgeback Saluki Segugio Italiano Sloughi Whippet

The Norwegian Elkhound is a member of the Spitz family, quite different to the long- legged or short-legged hounds, he stands foursquare with a deep plush coat that insulates and throws off rain and snow. The Elkhound was bred in Norway to hunt Elk, a large, antlered animal so clearly has tremendous courage.  Remains have been found of dogs dating back to the Stone Age which have a clear resemblance to the modern Norwegian Elkhound.

The Spitz breeds are all believed to have descended from an original Arctic division of the wolf and they share in common the weatherproofing coat of the rest of the Spitz family.  Survival in an inhospitable climate would have required great strength of character and this is demonstrated in the Norwegian Elkhound today.  He is fearless, bold and independent and protective of his own territory.  He can be very vocal and will certainly see off any unwelcome visitors; if you wish to minimise his barking then ground rules will have to be made clear with him at an early age.  In an increasingly anti-dog society it is important to protect the interests of all dogs by awareness of their potential to cause nuisance.

A square built dog, the Norwegian Elkhound is 52cm in height, the bitches a little smaller, with a fairly substantial weight of 23kg making him a very solid medium sized dog.  His ears are typically pricked and his tail tightly curled over his back.  The coat is in shades of grey with much of the coat tipped in black, which lends a depth of colour and gives movement to the coat.

A strong and energetic hound he is, nevertheless, very happy to take life easy and settle down with the family for a less strenuous life.  Given the opportunity The Norwegian Elkhound will live an active life but has no objection to settling for something a good deal less lazier with a full food bowl.

His coat is easy to care for with regular brushing and a comb through.  Dirt falls off him easily and the weather-resistant coat shakes off rain.  A family dog, he enjoys being part of a busy family and fully participates in their lives, however busy.

Naturally healthy dogs, breeding stock should be screened under the BVA/KC Schemes for Hip Dysplasia and PRA. 

Click here to read the Kennel Club Breed Standard for the Norwegian Elkhound.

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Norwegian Elkhound Breeders

Oseberg Norwegian Elkhound	Elkhounds in Hyde, Cheshire. Contact Jean Walter-Browne on 0161 366 7028 or email.
Torfi Norwegian Elkhounds and Swedish Vallhunds	Elkhounds and Vallhunds in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Contact Mark and Gillian Kennell on 01476 862028/07956 369890 or email.

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Norwegian Elkhound Breed Clubs

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Norwegian Elkhound Rescue and Rehoming

Elkhound Rescue Chairman Robert Graves 01384.455564 Email

They will be able to give you information about hounds requiring homes and procedures for re-homing; if you are in the unfortunate position of having to re-home your own hound, please go through breed rescue. They will not be judgmental and are best able to find the right permanent home for your Ekhound.

It is always worth considering giving a Rescue dog a home; generally they are being re-homed through no fault of their own.

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If you are looking for a puppy contact the Breed Clubs and the Breeders listed and visit the puppyfinder website where there is a great deal of information on hereditary conditions.  If you are a Breeder and wish to advertise your puppies puppyfinder is an excellent showcase.