Breeds / Small
Norwegian Lundehund puppies
Alert, playful and distinctly independent, a small Norwegian cliff climbing spitz with unusual anatomy and a mind of its own.
The facts
- Size class Small
- Country of origin Norway
- Adult weight 5.4 to 8.2 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 12 to 18 lb
- Adult height 30 to 38 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short double
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
About the Norwegian Lundehund
The Lundehund was bred on the islands off northern Norway to climb sea cliffs and pull puffins from crevices, and its anatomy is unlike any other dog: at least six toes on each foot, shoulders that let the front legs extend sideways, and a neck flexible enough to bend back over the spine. It is a small spitz of 30 to 38 cm and 5.4 to 8.2 kg with a short double coat and pricked ears it can fold shut. It is alert, playful and notably independent minded.
Exercise is moderate, a brisk half hour walk or a couple of play sessions a day, and the coat needs only a weekly brush. Training is where owners struggle, because the breed is easily distracted and house training in particular takes patience. It is a climber and a natural escape artist, so fences and gates need checking. Ratings with children and other pets are moderate, so supervise and socialise early. The thing to research hardest before buying is the digestive disorder that runs through the breed.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Norwegian Lundehund 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 small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get it socialised before the vaccination course finishes. It will still need four meals a day. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. 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.
- Lundehund syndrome, a group of digestive disorders causing protein loss, investigated by blood protein testing and intestinal biopsy
- Patellar luxation, graded on veterinary orthopaedic examination
- Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist examination
- Loss of genetic diversity from a very small founding population, managed by checking the inbreeding coefficient before mating
From Norwegian Lundehund breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/norwegian-lundehund/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Norwegian Lundehund puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Norwegian Lundehund.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 5.4 to 8.2 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other small breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.