# Black Norwegian Elkhound



## Rick LaBruno (May 15, 2015)

I grew up with a grey Elkhound and it was a magnificent dog.Living in a suburb I would get up at daylight on Saturday travel by bike three miles with the dog,explore the woods and return home.We never knew what a leash was.The dog loved to hunt,had great stamina and not a single health issue in 15 years.
I see they have a new version now,the black Norwegian Elkhound.Suppose to have a even more desire to hunt and better endurance.
Has anyone on here ever had or worked with one?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Anything I find on the internet says the Black Elkhounds are a "modern" version of the typicla grey dogs although black and grey is an acceptable color according to AKC standards.

More then likely, as in the White GSD, it's a breed fad and breeding for color over ability is a money grab at best. 

I could be dead wrong on this of course. :wink:


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## Rick LaBruno (May 15, 2015)

Bob Scott said:


> Anything I find on the internet says the Black Elkhounds are a "modern" version of the typicla grey dogs although black and grey is an acceptable color according to AKC standards.
> 
> More then likely, as in the White GSD, it's a breed fad and breeding for color over ability is a money grab at best.
> 
> I could be dead wrong on this of course. :wink:


Sorry about the huge picture.I find out they are one of the favorite squirrel dogs in the Appalachians.Nobody seems to know how the blacks got here as there great grandpa hunted with them and on down the line. .One squirrel hunter in W. Virginia says there all they use around his area. It's tough to find a pure pup because they crossed them with greys,Fiests and Cur dogs.


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## Meg O'Donovan (Aug 20, 2012)

That looks like a large Schipperke with natural tail, instead of docked and maybe muzzle is broader? Interesting. How much do these Black Elkhounds weigh on average?


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## Rick LaBruno (May 15, 2015)

Meg O'Donovan said:


> That looks like a large Schipperke with natural tail, instead of docked and maybe muzzle is broader? Interesting. How much do these Black Elkhounds weigh on average?


Hmmm.Wonder if these crossed a Elkhound with a Schipperke. I think the males average 45 to 50 pounds.My female grey Elkhound weighed 55 to 60 in good shape.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Rick LaBruno said:


> Sorry about the huge picture.I find out they are one of the favorite squirrel dogs in the Appalachians.Nobody seems to know how the blacks got here as there great grandpa hunted with them and on down the line. .One squirrel hunter in W. Virginia says there all they use around his area. It's tough to find a pure pup because they crossed them with greys,Fiests and Cur dogs.


That sounds like a good possibility though finding any pure hunting pup in the Fiest and Cur category could be hard to do.

Other then straight family lines those breeds are a lot like working terriers. 

Put a little lakeland in them for a bit more fire or put a little Border in them to bring the brains back. 

Either way you don't stray far from you own breeding lines.

That 45-50 lbs sounds like a lot of dog to be crossing into the Fiest though.


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## Rick LaBruno (May 15, 2015)

I found a lot of Info on this breed at the Norske Elghundklubbers Forbund sight. Links to breeders, hunting pictures and videos.
It's a Band dog, hunts on lead and takes the hunter to the elk silently. The thing I like about it is it moves forward at a pace the hunter can walk silently also. All dogs registered to breed have to complete a successful hunt and also blood trailing. Said to have originated from dogs on the Norwegian/Swedish border. Just about bet they won't send one to the US.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

If they do send one here the show folks are sure to make it "pretty" and loose all that instinct. ](*,)


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## Rick LaBruno (May 15, 2015)

Bob Scott said:


> If they do send one here the show folks are sure to make it "pretty" and loose all that instinct. ](*,)


That's the truth.
I'm thinking later on as I get older one would be nice.These wolfdogs are good but can pull like a locomotive and the long legged versions take one step to my three. My doctor thinks I got tennis elbow from sawing wood but I know it's from holding on to dogs.I have to train like a armwrestler.It's illegal to hunt deer with my dog on lead so I just photograph them as I enjoy the dogs more than the final result of hunting.Would love to take Zena to Norway for some hunting though


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

When I was heavy into the earth dogs Great Brittan was the mecca for terrier work.

I had numerous invitations to hunt there from terrier men that came over here to judge working terrier trials and hunt with us. The LOVED the variety of critters we worked in the earth. 

Family and work kept me from excepting the invites.

Fox only over there and I believe that is extremely restricted now. 

Most of the Euro countries have big restrictions on hunting with dogs or otherwise. Most hunting is done in game farms and such. and you need to have some pretty good connections or lots of dollars to do it now. 

Terriers were/are used for flushing deer and other quarry but not sure about some of the other breeds.


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## Rick LaBruno (May 15, 2015)

Out of curiosity I researched the possibility of travel to Norway with a dog to hunt. Not a problem. Here in the states you can't hunt elk or moose with a dog.There you WILL have a dog.You can choose state owned land or contact a private owner.No treestands,no vehicles you will be humpin the mountains with a dog.The Swedes use a elkhound that looks exactly likes dogs I produced.Tall,long, and the markings are identical.They claim it just came from breeding the larger elkhounds.Uh huh.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

That sounds cool!

As to breeding just the larger Elkhounds.

Always a possibility but probably the same as a lot of Euro Mals having crosses in them. 

Of course you'll rarely hear what and when.

I personally have no real issue breeding worker to worker even if it entails a breed cross in order to bring something else in. 

There are more then a few GSD x Mals. 

8-[ Did I say that with my out loud voice? :lol:


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