Norwegian Elkhound puppies

About the Norwegian Elkhound

The Norwegian Elkhound is an ancient Nordic spitz used to track moose over long distances, hold them at bay and bark until the hunter arrived. It is a compact, square dog of 50 to 52 cm and 21.8 to 24.9 kg, grey with black tipping, a dense double coat and a tightly curled tail. It is bold and friendly with people, confident to the point of stubbornness, and independent by design, since the job required it to make decisions far away from any handler.

The coat is the first thing owners notice, because the silver undercoat comes out in quantity twice a year. Five minutes of brushing against the lie of the coat each day keeps it manageable, and the breed needs very few baths. Exercise means long walks and swimming, always on lead or in a secure space, because the urge to range is strong. Ratings with children and other pets are moderate, so supervise and socialise. The recurring mistake is free running one and expecting a reliable return.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Norwegian Elkhound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed and scored for
• Progressive retinal atrophy, detectable by DNA test and eye screening
• Kidney disease, monitored by blood and urine testing
• Hypothyroidism, diagnosed by a blood thyroid panel

From Norwegian Elkhound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/norwegian-elkhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Norwegian Elkhound puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Norwegian Elkhound.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 21.8 to 24.9 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other medium breeds

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