Plate 170 · Continental Europe
Norwegian Elkhound
挪威猎鹿犬
“Norway's elk-hunting national dog.”
- Origin
- Norway
- Country of origin
- Norway's national dog; the marker is the country's reference point. The AKC's claims of an origin around 5000 BC rest on archaeological dog remains and are not adopted here as the breed's age.
- The point is a reference position in the country of origin.
- Era
- Old hunting type; first shown 1877
- Today
- Hunting dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Norway
A grey Nordic spitz that tracks elk (moose) and holds them at bay by barking.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Tracking elk and holding them at bay, barking until the hunter arrives; also used on a lead in silence.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Elkhound-type dogs appear in Norse lore; the breed was first shown in Norway in 1877.
04 · Today
Hunting dog · Companion
A hunting dog in Scandinavia and a companion abroad.
Personality
- Friendly
- Confident
- Dependable
- Independent
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Bred to trot for miles: plenty of daily exercise.
- Grooming
- Brush regularly; expect 'tumbleweeds' of undercoat when it sheds.
- Training
- Learns fast but gets bored with repetition; independent.
Living with one
- Size
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
- Coat
- Dense silver-grey coat
Field note
It holds an elk at bay by dancing in and out and barking loudly.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Hound Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (as Norwegian Elkhound Grey, Group 5, standard 242), The Kennel Club (UK)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Hound Group, recognized 1913.
The national dog of Norway and its most common spitz breed. AKC registrations: ranked 128 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Norwegian Elkhound — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/norwegian-elkhound/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Norwegian Elkhound — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Elkhound
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · National dog of Norway, elk-hunting method, first show (1877), Kennel Club recognition (1901), kinship with the Jämthund.
- Norwegian Elkhound Grey — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/NORWEGIAN-ELKHOUND-GREY-242.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Norway; Group 5, section "Nordic Hunting Dogs"; accepted 1963; the FCI treats the black elkhound as a separate breed.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Norway's national dog; the marker is the country's reference point. The AKC's claims of an origin around 5000 BC rest on archaeological dog remains and are not adopted here as the breed's age.
