Black Norwegian Elkhound

The Black Norwegian Elkhound is a dog with a balanced character. Bold, energetic, and very willful. Agile, cheerful, hardy, and fast as the wind. Friendly and loyal, suitable for families with children. Can bark a lot; aggression is directed exclusively during the hunt for a beast.

Breed Photos

Origin History

An ancient breed, national pride, and symbol of Norway! The Black Norwegian Elkhound is called the younger brother of the Grey Elkhound. The Black Norwegian Elkhound variety was bred only at the end of the nineteenth century. Black and gray elkhounds differ from each other not only by color but also by size. The dogs are designed for hunting Scandinavian moose in harsh winters. The word “elkhound” from Norwegian translates as a moose dog.

Appearance

The Black Norwegian Elkhound grows up to 50 cm at the withers and can weigh 25 kilograms, bitches a little less. It resembles a typical husky, so it also has another name – Black Norwegian Elkhound. The muzzle is a pretty, rounded head with movable triangular ears. The paws’ structure allows overcoming long distances and snow cover with ease: classic sickle tail, broad chest, light athletic build. The coat is blue-black.

Character

The Black Norwegian Elkhound is a dog with a balanced character. Bold, energetic, and very willful. Agile, cheerful, hardy, and fast as the wind. Friendly and loyal, suitable for families with children. Can bark a lot; aggression is directed exclusively during the hunt for a beast.

Care

A pleasant habitat for the Black Norwegian Elkhound is sub-zero temperatures, and countries of cool regions are suitable for this. Living in an apartment is categorically not welcome. At most, it is a private house with a very spacious aviary. The enclosure should always be dry and clean; they do not tolerate unpleasant odors.

To make a black thick coat shine and amaze everyone around, it should be carefully cared for, combed out once a day, take five minutes of your time, and you will be surprised by the results.

The black elk’s weak spot is considered the eyes. Cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal atrophy are not unknown to owners of this breed. Regular examinations at the vet will save you from your pet’s health problems. Your dog is naturally self-cleaning, and you should only bathe him when he gets dirty.

Training

All Black Norwegian Elkhounds are very independent creatures; their self-esteem is off the charts. The learning process is like a game for him, and he wants to play by his own rules. You must be able to use this to your advantage and try to outplay the dog. Anticipating the desires and aspirations of a black moose dog will move the training process forward. Patience and persistence will help you cope with an intelligent and willful pet.

Common Diseases

Common hereditary diseases of the Black Norwegian Elkhound include hip dysplasia, cataracts, glaucoma, retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism, sebaceous cysts, Fanconi syndrome, dwarfism, and kidney failure. On average, the Black Norwegian Elkhound will be able to enjoy the northern lights for 15 years.

Nutrition

The Black Norwegian Elkhound is an active breed and expends a lot of energy, so it is worth increasing the amount of meat in the diet to fifty percent. The rest of the food is porridge with water from buckwheat, oatmeal, millet, and rice cereals.

Veterinarians advise giving up barley completely because it is almost impossible to digest, and from peas, from which only bloating of the stomach and no benefit. Milk is also not the best product in the diet; it can cause diarrhea.

Buns and other sweets should be permanently excluded from a black elk’s life for his good; because of them, the pet is gaining a lot of weight. You can stop at the dry food of premium class; you should not save on pet food. Do not forget to monitor the availability of fresh water in the bowl constantly.