The Norwegian Elkhound is one of the ancient Northern Spitz-type breed of dog and is the National Dog of Norway. The Elkhound has served as a hunter, guardian, herder, and defender. In a land of subzero temperatures, deep snow, thick forests, and rugged mountains, only the hardiest of the breeds could evolve to perform the variety of jobs at which the Elkhound excels. Its Spitz courage is probably a by-product or residue of the fact that a significant number of them were used to hunt bear and other large game, like moose. The Norwegian Elkhound was first presented at a dog exhibition in Norway in 1877. Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English, World Canine Organization), is an international Kennel Club based in Thuin, Belgium. ... The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting excellence in breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by responsible individuals across Australia. ... The Canadian Kennel Club (or C.K.C.) is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... The New Zealand Kennel Club is an organisation responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ... SPITZ (スピッツ) is a popular Japanese rock band that was formed in 1987, and consists of 4 members: Masamune Kusano (vocal, guitar, and songwriting), Tetsuya Miwa (guitar), Akihiro Tamura (bass guitar), and Tatsuo Sakiyama (drums). ... This Chihuahua mix and Great Dane show the wide range of dog breed sizes. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... In a dog show, judges familiar with specific dog breeds evaluate individual dogs for how well they conform to published breed standards, hence the more accurate term is conformation show (or, sometimes, breed show). ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The AKC breed name "Norwegian Elkhound" is a mistranslation from its original Norwegian name "Norsk Elghund," meaning "moose dog." (In Norwegian, "elg" means "moose" and "hund" means "dog.") Despite its name in America, it is not a hound dog: It does not hunt like a hound dog nor is it physically or physiologically related to hounds in any way. The breed's goal in the hunt is to hold the moose at bay — jumping in and out toward the moose — until the hunter can arrive to shoot it. The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registries of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ...

Appearance

The dog stands about 52 cm (20.5") high and weighs up to 24 kg (52 lbs). Its grey, white, and black coat is made up of two layers: an underlying dense smooth coat ranging from black at the muzzle, ears, and tip of its tail; to silvery grey on its legs, tail, and underbody; and an overlying black-tipped protective guard coat along its back. An ideal Elkhound has a tightly curled tail, as the dog shown in the photograph on this page. The Elkhound is a medium-sized dog and extremely hardy.

History and Evolution

The Norwegian Elkhound is a very ancient breed, having been developed over 6,000 years ago to help early Scandinavians hunt big game such as moose and bear. Remains of dogs remarkably similar to the modern Elkhound have been found in grave sites such as the Viste Cave in Jæren, Norway, where they were dated as far back as 4000–5000 BC. Archaeological digs in Scandinavia suggest this breed existed and was domesticated in the Stone age. At the end of the 19th century the breed came to England, and in 1901 the The Kennel Club officially recognised it. The Nordic Stone Age refers to the Stone Age of Scandinavia. ... The cave Svarthola (aka. ... Sculpture in stone of Arne Garborg, located at his home in Knudaheio Jæren is a coastal landscape stretching some 65 kilometers in the south-western part of Norway. ... Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe and includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ... Stone Age fishing hook. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ...

For many years, the Norwegian Elkhound was considered the oldest of all dog breeds, going back further than 6,000 years. Recent DNA analysis suggests, however, that the breed has been "recreated in more recent times from combinations of other breeds." But this study only includes 85 of the world's more than 400 dog breeds, omits many primitive lineages, and clusters the breeds together into just four major groups called clades (Ostrander et al., 2004). Nevertheless, some researchers say that the Norwegian Elkhound is a descendant of the ancient "primitive" Pariah Dog that existed 4,000–7,000 years ago. The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the development and function of living organisms. ... A clade is a term belonging to the discipline of cladistics. ... Kritikos Lagonikos, a. ...

The true breakdown of all dog breeds consists of 10 groups, with dogs such as the Norwegian Elkhound spawning a group called the Northern breeds: Alaskan Malamutes, Keeshonden and Samoyeds. "The first domestic dogs probably looked something like the modern Alaskan Malamute or Norwegian Elkhound" (Lynch and Madeoy, 2004, 2004a). The first of the progenitor breeds that gave rise to the 10 canine families were well-established by about 5000 BC.^{[citation needed]} The Alaskan Malamute is a large northern dog breed originally bred for use as an Alaskan sleddog and is often mistaken for a Siberian Husky. ... Common nickname Kees Country of origin The Netherlands Classification and breed standards The Keeshond (pronounced KAYZ-HOND; plural: Keeshonden) is a medium-sized dog with a plush two-layer coat of silver and black fur with a ruff and a curled tail, originating in the Netherlands. ... Samoyed may refer to: the Samoyed, an obsolete name of Nenets people of Siberia. ... An ancestor is a parent or (recursively) the parent of an ancestor. ...

Of the four major clades that Ostrander et al. clusters together, Clade II includes dogs with the genetic haplotype D8 from two Scandinavian dog breeds: the Norwegian Elkhound and the Jämthund [note: a haplotype is a group of alleles of different genes on a single chromosome that are linked close enough together to be inherited as a single unit]. This genetic sequence haplotype is closely related to two wolf haplotypes found in Italy, France, Romania, and Greece, and is also related to a wolf haplotype found in western Russia (Vila et al., 1997). Clade II appears to be only seen in Norwegian breeds and exhibits a vast amount of divergences. It is suggested that this clade illustrates an ancient and independent origin from wolves that are now extinct (Raisor, 2004). The Norwegian Elkhound evolved, at least partially, from ancestral grey wolf subspecies now found in south central Europe and western Russia and may very well be one of the most ancient of all dog breeds. Look up Genetic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A haplotype is the genetic constitution of an individual chromosome. ... Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe and includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ... The Jämthund, also called the Swedish Elkhound, is a member of the Spitz dog breeds that are found in Northern Europe. ... For the hard rock band, see Allele (band). ... For a non-technical introduction to the topic, see Introduction to Genetics. ... Figure 1: A representation of a condensed eukaryotic chromosome, as seen during cell division. ... Heredity (the adjective is hereditary) is the transfer of characteristics from parent to offspring through their genes, or the transfer of a title, style or social status through the social convention known as inheritance (for example, a Hereditary Title may be passed down according to relevant customs and/or laws). ... Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call...

Temperament

Norwegian Elkhounds are bred for hunting large game, such as wolf, bear and moose. The Elkhound has a very strong drive and it is not unheard of for an Elkhound to go through a plate-glass window when motivated by its quarry. Although the breed is strong and hardy, the dogs typically have an inseparable bond with their masters and are quite loyal. All Elkhounds have a sharp loud bark which makes them suitable as guard-dogs. Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map The moose (so named in North America, derived from Eastern Abenaki moz)[1] or elk (in Europe), Alces alces, is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from the others by the palmate antlers of its males. ...

Norwegian Elkhounds are loyal to their "pack" and make good family dogs. It is bold, playful, independent, alert, boisterous, and protective. This is a dog ready for adventure and is happiest if that adventure takes place outdoors in cold weather. It needs daily exercise, lest it become frustrated or even destructive. It is friendly with strangers but may quarrel with strange dogs. It tends to pull when on leash unless trained, and it may bark a lot. Although each dog is an individual, they generally like children and can be very protective of those they consider part of their pack or family. This, combined with their loud bark, makes them a good watch dog. A watchdog originally referred to a dogs job, but now has been used in additional contexts with the same implication of watching or safeguarding: For the dogs job, see guard dog. ...

Norwegian Elkhounds can be challenging to train because of their intelligence and deep independent streak. They are good obedience dogs and are good-natured in their disobedience — for example, failing to "come" because there is something of greater interest in the other direction. They can be wonderful in agility and are particularly good tracking dogs.

Grooming

Norwegian Elkhound's thick coats are well suited to Norwegian weather, and provide protection from the elements in two main ways. Their outer coats shed rain, snow, and sleet easily, while their under coats keep them warm in low temperatures. Because their coat is so thick, they moult twice a year, producing copious amounts of fur — in some rural regions of Norway, this fur is used to make sweaters. A dogs coat is its fur. ... Guard hairs are the longest, thickest hairs in a mammals coat, forming the topcoat (or outer coat). ... Down hairs, also called the undercoat or ground hairs, are the very fine, fluffy hairs closest to the skin on some mammals. ... In animals, moulting (Commonwealth English) or molting (American English) is the routine shedding off old feathers in birds, or of old skin in reptiles, or of old hairs in mammals (see also coat (dog)). In arthropods, such as insects, arachnids and crustaceans, moulting describes the shedding of its exoskeleton (which...

Elkhounds tend to remain clean because their coat sheds most dirt and because they seem to keep themselves clean instinctively. However, elkhounds require regular brushing especially when they moult to avoid their oil glands becoming plugged and to help them stay cool in summer.

Walking

Elkhounds are truly an outside dog at heart and need to have an owner with confidence, due to running off and sometimes tracking down varieties of game. They may decide to ignore any calls or commands. Elkhounds were bred to track down game but not attack it, but it is not unheard of for the Elkhound to kill game.

Health

Norwegian Elkhounds sometimes carry a genetic predisposition to suffer from progressive retinal atrophy, or, like many medium and large breeds, hip dysplasia, renal problems and cysts, particularly in later life. Overall, however, they are a hearty breed with few health problems. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with bandaged foot. ... Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a genetic disease of the retina that occurs bilaterally and is seen in certain breeds of dogs. ... This article covers Hip dysplasia, a condition affecting the hip joint, which occurs in humans but is more commonly associated with animals, especially dogs (Canine hip dysplasia). ... Kidneys viewed from behind with spine removed The kidneys are bean-shaped excretory organs in vertebrates. ... A cyst is a closed sac having a distinct membrane and developing abnormally in a cavity or structure of the body. ...

Elkhounds are very powerful animals, bred to hunt all day in cold climates, so they require plenty of exercise to feel satisfied and stay healthy. A 20–30 minute walk twice a day is recommended by many breeders.

Elkhounds are prone to rapid weight gain and must not be overfed. Obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissue of humans and other mammals, is increased to a point where it is associated with certain health conditions or increased mortality. ...

They have a lifespan of 12–15 years.

Famous Norwegian Elkhounds

President Herbert Hoover's "Weejie" Herbert Clark Hoover, (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964), the 31st President of the United States (1929–1933), was a world-famous mining engineer and humanitarian administrator. ... This is a list of pets belonging to various US Presidents and their families, while serving their term(s) in office. ...

References

• Lynch, Deborah and Jenny Madeoy. 2004 "Man's best research guide: Breeds hold key to shared ailments." presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science by Deborah Lynch of the Canine Studies Institute in Aurora, Ohio and Jenny Madeoy of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in Seattle. [1]

• Lynch, Deborah and Jenny Madeoy. 2004a “How top dogs took lead 7,000 years ago.” presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Seattle by Deborah Lynch of the Canine Studies Institute in Aurora, Ohio and Jenny Madeoy of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in Seattle. [2]

• Ostrander et al. 2004. ”Genetic Structure of the Purebred Domestic Dog.” Science, vol. 304, pp. 1160-1164.

• Raisor, Michelle Jeanette. 2004. ”Determining the Antiquity of Dog Origins: Canine Domestication as a Model for the Consilience Between Molecular Genetics and Archaeology.” Dissertation, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University. [3]

• Vila, Caries, et al. 1997. ”Multiple and Ancient Origins of the Domestic Dog.” Science, vol. 276. [4]

See also

• Karelian Bear Dog
• Norwegian Buhund
• Norwegian Lundehund
• Norwegian Elkhound Black
• Swedish Jamthund
• Swedish Lapphund
• Swedish Vallhund
• Tahltan Bear Dog (extinct)

The Karelian Bear Dog is a Finnish or Karelian breed of dog,where it is regarded as a national treasure. ... Country of origin Norway Classification and breed standards Notes The AKCs Foundation Stock Service is for breeds working towards full recognition. ... The Norwegian Lundehund (Norwegian: Norsk Lundehund (from Norsk (Norwegian), lunde (puffin) and hund (dog)) is a small dog breed originating from Norway and originally bred for hunting puffins. ... The Swedish Lapphund is the Swedish counterpart of the Finnish Lapphund, a reindeer-herding dog, today more often found as a great companion dog. ... The Swedish Vallhund are a breed of dog. ... The Tahltan Bear Dog was a breed of dog that was indigenous to Canada. ...

Resources

• Books
  • Norwegian Elkhound (Comprehensive Owner's Guide), 2005.
  • Norwegian Elkhounds by Anna Katherine Nicholas. TFH, 1997.
  • The Norwegian Elkhound (Pure Bred) by Nina P. Ross, PhD. Doral, 1995.
  • The Elkhound in the British Isles by Anne Roslin-Williams. Witherby & Co., 1993.
  • My 60 Years with Norwegian Elkhounds by Olav P. Campbell, 1988.
  • The New Complete Norwegian Elkhound, revised edition, by Olav Wallo. Howell, 1987.
  • Norwegian Elkhounds by Anna Katherine Nicholas. TFH, 1983.
  • Great Gray Dogs: The Norwegian Elkhound Factbook, 2nd edition. Great Gray Dogs, 1980.
  • Your Norwegian Elkhound by Helen E. Franciose and Nancy C. Swanson. Denlinger, 1974.
  • How to Raise and Train a Norwegian Elkhound by Glenna Clark Crafts. TFH, 1973. Reprint of the 1964 book with a different cover.

• Magazine Articles
  • Dearth, Kim D.R. "The Norwegian Elkhound" Dog World September 1999, Vol. 84 Issue 9, p12-17.
  • "Dog of the Vikings" Dog Fancy. April 1998.
  • "Norwegian Elkhound". Dog World. July 1997, Vol. 82 Issue 7. p86.

External links

• Norwegian Elkhound Association of America
• Norwegian Elkhound Club of Great Britain