The Norwegian Buhund is a spitz type breed of dog that is used as a farm and herding dog and also as a trusty watchdog. The name ?Buhund? comes from the Norwegian ?bu?, whose meaning is farm, homestead or mountain shepherd hut but also livestock. The word ?hund? translates to dog. The closest relatives of this breed are the Icelandic Sheepdog and the J?mthund.
Spitz-type dogs generally have long and thick fur, often white, and have pointed ears and pointed muzzles. They have been developed for three basic purposes: hunting, herding and sled pulling.
The Norwegian Buhund, known also as Norsk Buhund, Norwegian Sheepdog or Nordiske Sitz-hunde, is a spitz type dog of medium build, with a wheaten or biscuit coat. Its coat colors can range from light to yellowish red, black and wolf-like sable. It has a smooth outer coat and a soft undercoat. Looking at its head, it has a muzzle that is of the same length as that of the skull, a black nose, dark oval-shaped eyes and erect ears. Medium sized, its ears are very mobile. It has small feet of oval shape and a curled tail. Where its health is considered, it should be said that it is prone to hip dysplasia and also that it can inherit eye problems.
Temperament-wise, this dog is known to be alert, cheerful, dynamic, full of energy, intelligent and with good attention skills. It can show great affection and enjoys snuggling and receiving affection back. It is fond of its family, including children. Given its size and attitude, it is ideal as a house dog. It is a dog whose intelligence must be encouraged to develop. It needs mental stimulation and also physical stimulation.
This dog is easy to train, being highly responsive to training activities. As it is the case with all dogs, it will perceive the family caring for it as being its pack. Therefore, a leader of the pack must exist, and that should always be the human. Being strong minded, its pack leaders must be firm and consistent in their leading, so that it doesn?t feel that the roles need or can be switched. Being a natural watchdog, it proves to be really brave.
Although vocal in its watchdog role, it is not aggressive. It will not bite or snap so long as it is not provoked or allowed to believe that it is the alpha in the pack and therefore the decision maker. Good leadership from humans is important. Obedience training is needed so that its manners are kept in control.
Where recommended living conditions are concerned, it is a proper dog for house life, but a small fenced yard is desirable to have. Since it is an active dog, having a yard where it can exercise will be great for it. It can, however, adjust to apartment life also, so long as it is taken out regularly to exercise and the apartment is large enough for it to move inside also. Long, brisk walks should be taken daily and even jogs are recommended.
All in all, the Norwegian Buhund is a wonderful dog for families, including families with children, who will appreciate it for its intelligence, energy and displays of affection.
The Norwegian Lundehund - A Puffin Hunter from Norway With Some Odd Characteristics
The Norwegian Lundehund, also known as the Lundehund, Norwegian Puffin Dog or Norsk Lundehund, is a dog breed of the Spitz type, originating from Norway. It was initially developed so that it would become good in hunting puffins and their eggs.
The Norwegian Lundehund has a long history as a breed. It was used in the hunting of puffins on the coast of Norway as far back as the 1600s. Some of the characteristics of this dog made it especially good for bird hunting in inaccessible areas. In time, new methods for hunting puffins have been developed and also a dog tax was imposed, therefore the breed lost its popularity. Around the year 1900, the breed became very rare, actually only to be found in an isolated village named Mostad. Later on, around the times of World War II, the breed almost became extinct, given that a viral disease (canine distemper) that affects dogs, among other animals, hit the region.
After a second hit of this viral disease, in 1963, a population of only six dogs from this breed survived. Careful breeding was put in place and currently the population of Norwegian Puffin Dogs reaches 1,500 to 2,000 individuals. Now, there are tests under development for using this breed to solve the problem of airplane bird strikes. The dog is used in the search of bird eggs around the airport, so that they can be disposed of.
A dog of small size, it has great mobility in its joints, therefore having the ability to fit into and out of narrow passage ways. It can also climb narrow paths on cliffs. It can bend its head backwards along its spine and is able to turn the forelegs to the side at an angle of 90 degrees, horizontal to its body.
The joints present in the nape of the neck are not common in other dog breeds. The shoulder joints are also very flexible. Another characteristic of this dog that is not met in others is the existence of six toes on each foot, two dewclaws included. Normally, dogs have four toes on each foot. The mobility of this dog and its number of toes are a great advantage, permitting it to hunt birds in places where the access is difficult, such as on cliffs and in caves. It has a rectangular body, a small, wedge-shaped head and strong legs.
Looking at the head, one will find that the erect ears, of medium size, are more mobile than it is common for dogs in general. The eyes are brown-colored and are rather deep set. The moderately muscled hindquarters ensure agility to this dog.
The tail can be carried in the shape of a ring, or a little rolled over the top line or simply hanging. The coat is short and rough and the colors specific to this dog range from reddish-brown to fallow with tips that are more or less black, or black, or gray, with white markings present in all cases, or the dog can be white with dark markings. The young canine commonly has less distinct black in the outer coat compared with the adult one. A soft undercoat is present under the rough overcoat.
Temperament-wise, this dog is very friendly and fond of people, including children. It is also friendly with other pets around the house, but must be introduced to them properly. It is not aggressive, enjoys playing and snuggling, and it can be trained for agility. Crate training is important. It is also important to teach it that the role of the leader in the pack belongs to the human, while the dog is the follower. It can develop the Small Dog Syndrome otherwise.
A great hunter on extreme terrain and possessor of unique traits among dog breeds, the Norwegian Lundehund is also an intelligent and loving family companion.
