Norskgra

Removed.

Ours only bark if someone is around the house.

Removed - Not worth it.

They would not be suitable to people who are not prepared to give them some training. Personally, I would be hesitant in selling a male to an elderly person, purely because the males can be very head strong as well as physically strong.

We have a HamiltonStovare and we used to have a Kelpie cross. When we lived in Sydney, we used to rescue Elkounds and Elkhound crosses. We never had a problem with any of the dogs getting on. They play with the Hamilton and would play and sometimes ignore the others. We also have a cat and we have never had a problem with them and the cat either. When they are pups, they try to play with the cat but normally they just ignore him.

I do the same. When I first introduce chicken necks, I smash them with a meat mallet first.

The thing about Elkhounds is that most people don't know what they are. A lot of people think they are a GSD cross because of their black mask. When you have them going berserk at the window, it is usually enough to stop people from coming in. Kasper, our oldest male, is great with his I mean business' bark. He sounds very aggressive. One night while I was at work, my daughter got home from work later than usual. She turned on a torch to see her way down the path. Kasper started with his special bark and sounded scarey. My daughter unlocked the door and when she went in couldn't see Kasper. A minute or two later, he peeked around the corner and then came running to my daughter for a cuddle.

Are you able to expand on this a little? What are they likely to do to a would be burglar? They will bark to let you know that someone is around but they will probably run and hide if a burglar actually gets in. When we lived in Sydney, ours actually saved us from getting broken into by their "I mean business' bark.

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) I have owned Elkies for 6 years and am also a breeder and sometimes shower. 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? One of the most ancient breeds, it is thousands of years old. These dogs have been by man's side since the time he hunted with slingshots. A skeleton similar to today's Norwegian Elkhound has been found dating from 4000 to 5000 BC although it is thought they may date back to 12,000BC. Historically, the dog was used in Scandinavia as a hunter of big game, especially moose ("Elg" in Norwegian) and elk. The dog can scent game from a distance of several Kilometres. He tracks the quarry and attracts its attention by barking. Then he holds the animal at bay until the hunter arrives to make the kill. Over the centuries, Elkhounds have also successfully hunted badger, lynx, mountain lion, bear, wolf, reindeer, elk and even rabbit. The Elkhounds is particularly well suited to badger hunting since he works better at night than in the daytime. It is also highly prized as a sled dog. In case of war, the Norwegian Defence Minister has the power to mobilise all privately owned Elkhounds. In more recent times, the friendly and reliable character of the Elkhound has helped win him a place in many homes as a cherished family pet. The breed was first exhibited in 1877 when the Norwegian Hunters Association began holding shows. In 1923, the Elkhound Club was formed and the breed was officially recognised by the British Kennel Club. The Norwegian Elkhound Association of America was recognised by the AKC in about 1930. Some of the Elkhound's talents include: hunting, tracking, herding, watch dogging, guarding, sledding, and agility. They were first introduced into Australia in 1954. 3. How common is it in Australia? They are not that common. There are approximate;y 350 - 400 Australia wide. 4. What is the average lifespan? The life expectancy is 12 - 15 years. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? The Norwegian Elkhound is fearless and friendly. Although some may be somewhat reserved with strangers, it will greet family and friends it knows with enthusiasm. They are reliable, energetic and alert companions for children and make sensible guard dogs. It is clean and docile with an outstanding character. They are affectionate and loyal, engaging and sensitive. Like other Arctic dogs, the Norwegian Elkhound has a mind of its own and is fairly independent. It may be somewhat resistant to obedience training. It is important to be firm with this dog but show affection as well. Puppies need firm but gentle discipline. Be fair when training this breed. You can upset the dog for a long time by punishing it unfairly, and it will let you know how it feels. They have been bred to hold prey at bay, barking constantly until the hunter arrives. Some Norwegian Elkhounds bark a great deal. They also have a tendency to roam. It is best to pair sled dogs in teams of one male and one female, as males have a tendency to fight if harnessed together. They may also be aggressive with same sex dogs in the household, but this tends to be the exception rather then the rule. Some sources say Elkhounds are usually good with non-canine pets, others say they shouldn't be trusted so use caution. 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? The Norwegian Elkhound is a very energetic dog that thrives on strenuous activity. It should have at least an hour of exercise a day. It will enjoy a run beside your bike or a really good run in the woods, but remember that these dogs like to roam. If it picks up an interesting scent, it may ignore you when you call it. Elkhounds are very aduptably and if you prefer to sit on the lounge, they are happy to sit with you. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Elkhounds can be very strong willed and independant. They need an owner who can be more determined. They are fine for first time owners as long as they are trained. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Yes, they can as long as they have some toys and things to keep themselves occupied. 9. How much grooming is required? The hard, coarse, weatherproof coat that is self cleaning and is easy to groom. It should be brushed regularly (maybe once a week), with extra care given while the dog is shedding its dense undercoat. When the dog is shedding, the dead hair clings to the new hair. The dead hair should be removed with a rubber brush or a wooden comb with a double row of metal teeth. Brushes and combs just for this purpose are sold in pet stores. Bathe only when necessary (no more than once a month), as it removes the natural oils in the skin. Like other Arctic dogs, they do not have the usual smell of dog hair. The coat is both water and dirt resistant. This breed is a seasonally heavy shedder. 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? Elkhounds are great family dogs and are not too boisterous for small children or infirmed but they do need to be well trained. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? The Elkhound is a very hardy breed and luckily in Australia, we do not have many hereditary problems. There have been very few cases of Renal problems and Hip Dysplasia and very occasionally Entropian. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) Health testing is not compulsory for Elkhounds. From discussions I have had with other breeders, there are only about three breeders that carry out any health tests. Elkhounds should be tested for HD, have their eyes tested and also their kidneys. There is no known test for Familian Renal problems but Elkhounds can hace their kidneys tested, preferably once a year to ensure that there is not any kidney problems. It is very hard to give an idea on what health testing results should be when only three, maybe 4 breeders actually carry out testing. Obviously, the lower the hip scores the better. I prefer to work on a maximum of 1:1.

Thanks BB but I sort of hope not.

We may have an ooops litter due on 26th December. Two of our Elkies that were in boarding kennels mated. Tyra wasn't showing signs of being in season but one of our boys managed to tie with her.

Thanks everyone. I don't think I will be too disappointed if they don't happen but i do love puppy breath. Tyra would be due on 26th December and Kari will be due on 12th January, if they are in whelp.

Thanks everyone. I probably wouldn't have bred Tyra again after what she has been through. I hadn't decided on who to use on Kari as I was going to mate her daughter Prada first. The boy who mated with Kari is a younger full brother of Prada's sire and she has turned out nicely. If Kari is in whelp, this will probably be her last litter. It will definately be Tyra's last one but the dog who mated with her, I used on her daughter, Angel, and they produced some very nice pups. I am going to let nature take its course. It is just a matter of waiting to see if they are in whelp. Tyra would be about 18 days, if she is in whelp, and is showing a couple of signs. I guess I could be busy and broke around Christmas and New Year.

If both of them are in whelp, there will be two litters two weeks apart. Both dams have required c-sections previously and both have problems with their progesterone dropping!

I have just received a phone call from the friends that are looking after Kari. She is day 21 of her season and had completely dried up. Their males had not been showing any interest in her. He let her out with one of the males and he didn't show the slightest interest in her. They were supervised the whole time. Their phone rang and he went into answer it and when he came out, they were tied! The mating is not too bad and if she is in whelp it would basically be a repeat of our Prada. This male is the younger brother of Prada's sire. The next litter I had planned was going to be Prada but she may have to wait this time!

Shouldn't you be careful about excessive fat content? I mean, I know some would most likely be good and beneficial seeing as she is light on, but couldn't overloading her diet with it cause some stress to the pancreas (or whatever else it is that has to do the work to process the fat)? Normally, I feed lean meat. For Miss Skinny, I meant that I am giving her meat with a bit more fat on it. Normally we would take all of the fat off the chicken necks etc, but we are leaving some on for her.

Thanks everyone. I know she will never be fat because of her lines and that she is still growing. I have never had an Elkhound this thin before. I have changed what I am feeding her and she is given the fattiest chicken necks, etc that are in the pack, bag. I will be getting her more higher fat meat when I go shopping on the weekend. I have tried her on Eagle Pack Power, Artemis Power, Nutro, Royal Canine etc and noe of these have put any weight on her. Her eyes are clear and shiney and she runs around like an idiot when ever she gets the chance. It is a bit hard to get a shiney coat on an Elkie but she does have a good coat. ;)

At the moment, she looks like a Whippet with a coat. I will try feeding her just before she goes to bed and see if that helps.

She doesn't have any covering over her ribs. I always like to keep the dogs on the lean side but she is actually skinny. Her health and energy levels are great. Well maybe she has too much energy. :p She is never still. She is intact as we intend gettting back into showing and would like to breed her if she continues to go the way she is. She is due anytime for her first season so I know that will have an impact on her weight. Her sire, grand sire and uncle are still really lean and I can't keep weight on her sire or uncle either. I am sure that particular line has a fast metablolism.

Thanks WP. She does have a good coat, although she has just gone through a coat drop. She is very bright and bubbly and always on the go. She is the sweetest girl who the others dote on. I will start giving her smaller meals more often and see how she goes. She will quite often not even eat a biscuit for breakfast so I take it off her.

Thanks everyone. I have tried her on puupy as well as power dry food. She can also be fussy with raw. They all get full fat yoghurt I will give the banana and porridge a try. I wish Mooch will eat a bit more, it might make it easier. It is really annoying trying to get weight on them and then keeping it on. Luckily they have nice thick coats otherwise I would probably be reported to the RSPCA. :p

I hear you and feel your pain! :p My first husband was a chef. A VERY skinny chef, skinnier than whippet-thin chef. Needless to say, I should have listened to the old saying "never trust a skinny chef"!!!! This might sound really stupid, but you know how they tell we humans that we shouldn't eat after a certain time because it won't burn off if you don't exercise it and that we should eat little and often to lose weight etc etc? Well maybe look at the "perfect" weight loss rules and do the opposite. Does that make sense? Yes, it does make sense. I will try that. Moochie, deided that she only wants one meal a day but I will try her on a few smaller meals.

No, there is no medical reason. They have had a full body work up and there was nothing that showed up everything came back normal, including thyroid. I guess they are just like humans. Some humans can't put on weight and some are just normally skinny. Others like myself, just have to look at food and put on weight.

Normally with Elkhounds, you need to watch what they eat because they put weight on very easily. I have 3 or 4 here that I just can't get weight on. Our 8 1/2 month old girl, Moochie is skinny. You can really feel her ribs. Her sire is very lean and so is his sire. Moochie's uncle is also very lean. His parents were lean when they were younger but eventually filled out. Her dam is also on the thin side but not as bad as the others. They are normally eat raw but occasionally they are given dry. She will only eat up to a certain amount and leave the rest. She has been to the vets and has been given the all clear health wise. Since we moved to Adelaide, she has been running aorund a lot more than she used to and is burning off her food. How can I get the weight onto her? I don't want to feed her satin balls permanently. Is it possible to put on the weight and keep it there for a gentically thin dog?

We will be at the next one with 2 of our girls as long as it is not as hot as they predict.