A solid, sturdy hunter of elk, bear and other wild animals, the Norwegian Elkhound has a temperament that is dignified, independent and generally, friendly. A hardy silver-grey dog with distinctive saddle markings and medium in size and substance, the Norwegian Elkhound is not only know for its hunting ability but also for its versatility and stamina, which in rugged terrains remains unparalleled.
- Comrade to the Vikings, guardian of lonely farms, herder of flocks and defender from wolves and bear, a hunter always and roamer with hardy men,
- The Norwegian Elkhound comes down to us through more than six millennia with all his Nordic traits untainted, a fearless dog and friendly, devoted to man and the chase.
- Selected and bred for his ability to accomplish a definite purpose, the Elkhound achieved his distinctive type by natural methods. No form was imposed upon him; he was not squeezed into a preconceived standard; his structure and rare beauty, like those of the thoroughbred horse, were evolved from the tests of performance.
- Every physical characteristic is the expression of a need. His compactness, his muscled robustness, his squareness, his width and depth are true expression of nature’s requirements for a dog that would hunt day after day, all day long, in rugged country, where stamina rather than extreme speed is called for.
- The Elkhound is an exceedingly versatile dog developed through constant contact with man in the pursuit of game. It was not until 1877 that he began to be considered from an exhibition point of view. In that year the Norwegian Hunters Association held its first show.
- Shortly thereafter, pedigrees, which had been handed down, were checked and traced as far back as feasible, a stud book (Norsk Hundestambak) was published and a standard drawn up.
- When the Norwegian Kennel Club (Norsk Kennelklub) inaugurated its annual shows at Oslo, the Elkhound came into his own as Norway’s great contribution to dogdom.
- Since then he has been exported in ever-increasing numbers and has gained in popularity based on his comradely character rather than on his unsurpassed abilities as a hunting dog.
The above text and image © 2017 American Kennel Club.