Norwegian Elkhounds: Moosedogs! Interested or have one?

[SadieBlack]

I have one elkie mix and one purebred rescued elkhound, and have had another elkie mix. I just love these dogs! Any other moosedoggers here? Or anyone wanting to know more about the elkhound?

The most common mistake I get from people is confusing elkhounds with wolfhounds. When I say I have a Norwegian Elkhound folks invariably say, "OH, that's such a huge dog!" In reality, an elkhound is a medium-sized dog that fits quite nicely in the car.

Here's a picture of my moosedog, Ole. "Elg" , as in elghund, in Norwegian, refers to moose, not elk. And "hund" means dog. So they are moosedogs. They are moose hunting dogs and are still used in Norway. In the USA it is illegal to hunt moose with dogs.

Lest you think elkhounds attack moose, let tell you what they actually do. They track the moose, leading the hunter to it, and then run ahead and bark like mad, dancing around just out of reach of the huge moose. This distracts the moose away from the presence of the hunter and so he can get a shot.

I don't hunt, but I sure enjoy my smart dog!

 

[SummerRiot]

Hmm interesting tid bits about them

How are they to train for obedience and household mannerism though? hehe

 

[Maxy24]

I've never met one but the rescue i volunteer at just got A 6 year old Male from a WV kill shelter. I should be meeting him tomorrow assuming his foster can bring him to the event we have.

 

[SisMorphine]

I LOVE Norwegian Elkhounds! I had a client, Elska, who was just fantastic. She was so full of it, a pretty big hunting instinct, and just fascinating! If it wasn't for the hair and the size (I like my dogs BIG) I'd have one.

 

[blue]

A builder friend of mine had a hard time keeping his from actually catching moose.

Do you have a link for hunting moose with dogs being illegal in the US?

 

[SadieBlack]

Hmm interesting tid bits about them

How are they to train for obedience and household mannerism though? hehe

Lots of elkhounds do agility, rally and obedience and do very well. I have found them to be among the most biddable, gentle, trainable, most easy-going of all the dogs I've had. And very smart!

I plan to do agility and obedience with Ole.

My dog gets along with everyone and everything, from toddlers to any dog I've ever introduced him to. He's so great! I'm sure there is the normal variation within the breed, but mine is a rescue dog, not particularly well-bred, but he's a gem. All the elkie mixes I have had have been very smart and trainable, too.

 

[stevinski]

they are extremely smart!
there was two in harleys obediance class, lovely dogs

 

[SadieBlack]

If you go to good old YouTube.com and search on "elkhound moose hunt" or "elghund moose hunt" you'll come up with all kinds of video of elkhounds tracking moose (ie: running around the woods barking their heads off and basically herding moose ) in Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Don't click on any vids that have hunters with guns right in the beginning if you don't want to see a moose get shot. Most of them start in the trees, though, and are just a fellow following his dogs who are tracking the moose. It's really amazing.

Moose stomp dogs here in Alaska all the time. They really hate dogs, and think they are wolves. The Scandinavian moose are smaller than Alaska moose (all moose are smaller than Alaska moose, LOL) but still. Moose are big any way you cut it and elkhounds are only 50 lbs. MAX.

Check this one out, there are two elkhounds here: http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=-dKVaI1_Uj4

 

[mojo-rizin]

My grandmother has had two elkhounds, Bash and Relish. They were great dogs - sweet, gentle and fantastic watchdogs. When we were little we used to climb all over Bash and wrestle him, and he would just lay there. Great dogs!

 

[SadieBlack]

They are super great with kids, it's true. I took Ole to a crafts fair that was a twelve-hour long thing, the Midnight Sun Festival from noon to midnight (it's on Summer Solstice, when we have 24 hour sun) and the little kids would swarm him and he'd just stand there so patiently! The three-yr-old of a fellow vendor waited until Ole was lying down and just draped his whole body across Ole. Ole never made a peep. Of course when saw him doing that I made him get up, I don't let kids maul my dog, but I love how gentle and patient he is with them.

 

[SummerRiot]

Hmm.. thats good to know!

Thanks for the info!

They are very adorable! I see lots at the shows each time i'm out and have always wondered how they are to train.

 

[SizzleDog]

One of Ronin's handlers has an Elkhound or two - NEAT dogs... at least hers are. I've met some nasty ones, but there are bad dogs in every breed.

They are very powerful, compact dogs - a joy to look at!

 

[Psyfalcon]

Blue, I have not found a single state that allows dogs to hunt things with hooves. (Well, except boar as feral domestic species)

Its either spelled out as dogs may not harass or run deer (with or without specifying the ban during hunting season) or by specifying how you must hunt your hoofed creature, ie only by bow, shotgun of gauges XXX and rifles of caliber XX to XXX.

I want some desert gazelle Saluki for a Pronghorn

 

[Paige]

My oldest brother had one many years ago. she was actually killed my a moose.

 

[SadieBlack]

That's really sad, but as I watched all those videos I kept wondering how many dogs get stomped. There is NO WAY I'd ever let my dog go chase a moose!

 

[blue]

I allmost had to shoot a moose in my yard last winter after the Bluedawg charged it on the lead. How he saw it I have know idea, he must have smelled it as the door was being openned.

 

[SadieBlack]

I allmost had to shoot a moose in my yard last winter after the Bluedawg charged it on the lead. How he saw it I have know idea, he must have smelled it as the door was being opened.

I think moose have a fairly strong scent. If you go to my blog you can see some pics of a recent visit by a mama moose and big calf who circled around my house eating brush. I was taking pictures from the inside in low light, so of course they came out fuzzy. The dogs weren't barking, just following me around, all wide-eyed. But Sofia, my coydog, stood up on her hind legs and SNIFFED at the front door as if she could smell the moose through what little air made it through the cracks in the door.

Ole, the actual moosedog, was probably originally barking at my neighbor, not the moose. Silly dog!

 

[MicksMom]

My grandmother has had two elkhounds, Bash and Relish. They were great dogs - sweet, gentle and fantastic watchdogs. When we were little we used to climb all over Bash and wrestle him, and he would just lay there. Great dogs!

Yep, that's the way the ones we had when I was a kid were. I love Elkhounds. I'm really hoping to have another one at some point in my life.

Funny what you said about people confusing them with Wolfhounds, Gina. I got the same reaction about 20 years ago when I told someone what kind of dogs I grew up with. It took me awhile to figure out what the heck they were talking about.

 

[SadieBlack]

"Hey Sue, I'm Jean! Gina is the one with the beagles.

The thing with people confusing Norwegian Elkhounds with Irish Wolfhounds is that it shows they aren't really listening when I talk. Most elkhound owners have the same problem. Someone hears "Ethnic-name of country" "something-hound" and they all immediately jump to Irish Wolfhound.''

What I like best about Ole is that he tries so hard to understand what I'm saying (doing way cute head tilty things every time I talk to him) and tries to DO what I want him to do.

It's pretty neat. He's smart and has so far learned sit, lie down, and Dog In Back (for riding in the car). Also "dog food,"need to go pee?" and lots of other important communications.

 

[MicksMom]

"Hey Sue, I'm Jean! Gina is the one with the beagles. ...

Yeah, I knew that. Can't believe I called you Gina! :yikes: Guess I type her name so often it just "popped out of my fingers". You'd think by now I'd have learned to wait until I get home from work to try to type anything. My brain and fingers just don't seem to work so well in the morning, especially together. :lol-sign: