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Norwegian Elkhound Information
Norwegian Elkhound Facts
Size |
Medium |
Male Max Weight |
55 lb |
Female Max Weight |
48 lb |
Life Span |
10-12 years |
Energy Level |
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Ease of Training |
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Grooming |
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Shedding |
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Exercise Requirements |
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Playfulness |
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Affection Level |
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Good With Dogs |
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Good With Pets |
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Good With Strangers |
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Watchdog Ability |
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Protection Ability |
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Cold Tolerance |
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Heat Tolerance |
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Norwegian Elkhound Temperament
The breed of the Norwegian Elkhound is quite similar to that of
the Spitz family of canines. They are very alive and fun dogs with a love for colder
climates. They do have a lot of energy and will adore using their adventurous sprits to
get into a game with their families and can be well mannered with little ones. Strangers
will not scare this dog and they may be even friendly toward them, however, around
strange dogs they do not know they can be a tad aggressive and unruly around. They do
just fine around other family pets and love being a watchdog and protector of their
families. It is very important to train this breed as pups so they can learn to walk on a
leash without any challenges as trying to train them to do so at a later time in their
lives, may cause a
struggle.
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Norwegian Elkhound Upkeep
The Norwegian Elkhound is a natural born hunter. They do bode a
great deal of energy which those needs can be met by playing outdoors for awhile, through
a long walk on a leash or even running with their owners. With their thick fur coats,
they can easily adapt to colder climates and eve reside in them, but it is most
comfortable when it can live indoors and play outside as its leisure. Their fur will need
grooming a few times per week by a simple brushing to keep it from becoming matted. When
the shedding season begins, it will need a bit more grooming to rid of lose, dead
hairs.
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Norwegian Elkhound Health Concerns
As far as major health issues that the Norwegian Elkhound can
develop, the most commonly seen ailment is CHD. Some minor ailments can be hot spots,
kidney disease or renal Dysplasia and sebaceous cysts. In rare occasions, they can be
seen for PRA, patellar luxation, Fanconi syndrome and intracutaneous cornifying
epithelioma. The vet many recommend screening for their eyesight, hips and urine testing.
The average lifespan for a Norwegian Elkhound is from ten to twelve years long in good
health. They generally weigh forty eight to fifty five pounds as full grown dogs, with
the males being slightly larger in
size.
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Norwegian Elkhound History
The Norwegian Elkhound resembles the other canines in the Spitz
family, but it has exceptional hunting abilities that make it stand out from the rest of
the scent hounds. Most scent hounds can hunt small game and trail easily, while this
breed can hunt much larger game such as moose and even bear. They have been popular as
very useful hunting dogs dating all the back to Viking ages. This breed is also notorious
for being able to survive in the coldest of climates and still provide herding and
hunting duties with ease. The Elkhounds come in two variations with the bandhund being
skilled at tracking scents alongside their hunter owners and the loshund being the animal
that can track in front of their hunter owners. They alert the hunter by barking when a
moose is nearby and has the ability to completely avoid any injuries by the antlers of
the moose prey. They have been used in dog shows in America and are still a popular pet
there and in
Scandinavia.
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Norwegian Elkhound Pictures
Puppies
Middle
Aged
Older
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Norwegian Elkhound Videos
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