Are Norwegian Elkhounds good family dogs?
This proud, intelligent, independent yet affectionate animal does best in a family with well-behaved older children or no children at all. Caution is in order with respect to adding a Norwegian elkhound to a family that already has smaller pets; this dog may view the smaller animals as prey.
Though they prefer spending time with family, the Norwegian Elkhound may be able to stay home alone for five to eight hours. They are natural barkers and will likely 'serenade' neighbors while you are away.
The Black Norwegian Elkhound is a small Spitz breed classified by the FCI as a hunting dog. It is very rare outside the Nordic countries of Scandinavia.
Answer: The Norwegian Elkhounds can be a decent option for the novice or first-time owners who have a fairly active lifestyle. These pooches are not that hard to train or handle, they have manageable grooming and feeding requirements and they are very friendly in nature.
Norwegian Elkhounds are very conversational. You'll find them ready for a chat at all hours of the day. They will also communicate to you when hunting to let you know when something is near.
4th Place: Norwegian Elkhound
Originally bred for hunting large game, they are athletic and strong. They can become very attached to their human family and suffer from separation anxiety sometimes as a result.
With proper training, Elkhounds can outgrow some of their stubbornness. Elkhounds are fierce watchdogs with ferociously excessive barks. Their overprotective personality is one of the reasons why they make great family pets. Owners might find it difficult at first to calm Elkhounds when they start to bark.
Between 200 and 400 PSI ⏺
Norwegian Elkhound bite force: Ordinary. Average dogs have a bite force between 200 and 400 PSI.
Norwegian Elkhounds are loyal to their "pack" and make excellent family dogs given proper attention. They are bold, playful, independent, alert, extremely intelligent, and, at times, a bit boisterous. They rank 54th in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs, being of above average working/obedience intelligence.
They Were Bred for Big Game Hunting
The Norwegian Elkhound has historically been used for hunting big game, such as moose and bears. The Vikings bred only the dogs that were the best hunters and could withstand the harsh conditions and rugged terrain of the region.
How much do Norwegian Elkhounds cost?
On average, the Norwegian Elkhound price runs between $1,200 to upwards of $6,000. Of course, if you have your heart set on a purebred Norwegian Elkhound, then you can expect the price to be at the higher end of that scale. There are many reasons why the price of a dog can vary so greatly from breeder to breeder.
Elkhounds will grow at a fairly good rate, easily reaching close to mature size in 12 months, however they will continue to grow and fill out for another full year or so.

Norwegian folklore suggests that an ancient elkhound, Bram, braved mountainous snow with his owner, Tore, but his tail became weighed down by ice. Tore curved Bram's tail over his back and secured it with a strip of leather—and this is why Norwegian elkhound dogs have high, curly tails.
These dogs get along with cats but shouldn't be trusted with smaller animals. Norwegian Elkhounds love to hunt and follow scents, but be warned — some people report that their elkhounds kill animals such as raccoons, opossums and squirrels.
Elkhounds do not have a doggy smell, due to the harshness of the coat.
These pups all thrive in the cold winter weather including the popular Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, and Norwegian Elkhound.
Their natural protective instinct makes them great watchdogs. Because of their high energy level, the Norwegian Elkhound needs a home where he will get plenty of daily exercise. These dogs are not couch potatoes and will not take kindly to being cooped up all day.
An ancient breed from Scandinavia with Nordic traits, the Norwegian Elkhound is used to hunting in the cold climate it came from. These traits have stayed with the breed and it makes a great cold weather companion.
The Elkhound is shown in conformation in a natural state, without any trimming. Most of the year he doesn't shed too much, but two or three times a year he "blows coat" and sheds like crazy. He requires weekly brushing, possibly more when shedding; but his coat is fairly easy to maintain.
The Norwegian Elkhound can be trained to pull sleds and also makes a first-class household pet. As a member of the Spitz family of dogs, it has remained essentially unchanged over thousands of years.
Are Norwegian Elkhounds playful?
Personality and Temperament
The independent, alert, bold, playful, and boisterous Norwegian Elkhound dog combines qualities of spitz-like dogs and hounds. Always in search of an adventure, it is happiest playing outdoors in cold climates. Although it barks a lot, it is amicable with strangers.
This confident, friendly breed was bred to withstand cold weather and to hunt or work for days at a time. Norwegian Elkhounds are spitz-type dogs that look and act very similar to Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.
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.In Medieval times it was known as a dyrehund, meaning "animal-dog" in Norwegian, and was highly prized as a hunting ...
The Norwegian Elkhound breed has black ears that are pointed and erect, although they may go back when relaxed. Their eyes are medium ovals and dark brown in color.
Moose on the cover of Entertainment Weekly | |
---|---|
Species | Canis familiaris |
Breed | Jack Russell Terrier |
Sex | Male |
Born | December 24, 1990 Florida, United States |
They Were Bred for Big Game Hunting
The Norwegian Elkhound has historically been used for hunting big game, such as moose and bears. The Vikings bred only the dogs that were the best hunters and could withstand the harsh conditions and rugged terrain of the region.
Elkhounds do not have a doggy smell, due to the harshness of the coat.
With proper training, Elkhounds can outgrow some of their stubbornness. Elkhounds are fierce watchdogs with ferociously excessive barks. Their overprotective personality is one of the reasons why they make great family pets. Owners might find it difficult at first to calm Elkhounds when they start to bark.
Norwegian Elkhounds are loyal to their "pack" and make excellent family dogs given proper attention. They are bold, playful, independent, alert, extremely intelligent, and, at times, a bit boisterous. They rank 54th in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs, being of above average working/obedience intelligence.
On average, the Norwegian Elkhound price runs between $1,200 to upwards of $6,000. Of course, if you have your heart set on a purebred Norwegian Elkhound, then you can expect the price to be at the higher end of that scale. There are many reasons why the price of a dog can vary so greatly from breeder to breeder.
Do Elkhounds like snow?
These pups all thrive in the cold winter weather including the popular Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, and Norwegian Elkhound.
Most Popular Breeds
These dogs get along with cats but shouldn't be trusted with smaller animals. Norwegian Elkhounds love to hunt and follow scents, but be warned — some people report that their elkhounds kill animals such as raccoons, opossums and squirrels.
The Norwegian Elkhound can be trained to pull sleds and also makes a first-class household pet. As a member of the Spitz family of dogs, it has remained essentially unchanged over thousands of years.
Their natural protective instinct makes them great watchdogs. Because of their high energy level, the Norwegian Elkhound needs a home where he will get plenty of daily exercise. These dogs are not couch potatoes and will not take kindly to being cooped up all day.
Elkhounds will grow at a fairly good rate, easily reaching close to mature size in 12 months, however they will continue to grow and fill out for another full year or so.
Personality and Temperament
The independent, alert, bold, playful, and boisterous Norwegian Elkhound dog combines qualities of spitz-like dogs and hounds. Always in search of an adventure, it is happiest playing outdoors in cold climates. Although it barks a lot, it is amicable with strangers.
This confident, friendly breed was bred to withstand cold weather and to hunt or work for days at a time. Norwegian Elkhounds are spitz-type dogs that look and act very similar to Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.
An ancient breed from Scandinavia with Nordic traits, the Norwegian Elkhound is used to hunting in the cold climate it came from. These traits have stayed with the breed and it makes a great cold weather companion.
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.In Medieval times it was known as a dyrehund, meaning "animal-dog" in Norwegian, and was highly prized as a hunting ...
As you can see, the Norwegian Elkhound breed is a truly special and gorgeous dog. Much like other northern spitz breeds like the Husky, these dogs are still closely related to their wolf ancestors but they've also been domesticated enough to be excellent family pets.
How many Norwegian Elkhounds are there in the world?
There are about 4000 Norwegian Elkhounds left in the world. In the olden days, Norwegian Elkhounds were used for hunting big game bears, wolves, and moose in Norway.