History: Gray Elkhound of Norway

(Dr. Ross passed away in 2015. A version of her article on the history of the Norwegian Elkhound is reprinted here for the benefit of new and longtime fanciers as a tribute to her devotion to the breed.)

History: Gray Elkhound of Norway

The Norwegian Elkhound in the United States is the same breed as the Gray Elkhound of Norway, its country of origin. However, Norway’s own Norwegian Elkhound is the Black Elkhound, a smaller, lighter-built breed. Scandinavia has additional Elkhound breeds for moose hunting, including the Jamthund, Karelsk, Karelian Bear Dog, and several Laika breeds from Russia.

The history of the Gray Norwegian Elkhound dates back over six thousand years. These dogs once roamed Norway’s woods, competing with prehistoric humans in search of moose, or “elg,” for which the breed was named. “Elghund” translates to “elk dog.” In time, humans and Elkhounds began working together to hunt for food. Archaeological evidence points to migratory people known as Veidefolket, or gypsies, who searched the region for sustenance, accompanied by wild dogs believed to be the forerunners of the Norwegian Elkhound, called Torvmosehund.

The Viking Period, beginning around 793 A.D., saw fearless Norsemen journey across seas in large, well-crafted oak ships. Some of these journeys included Danes and Swedes. Viking ships needed up to sixty oarsmen, and rugged, bold dogs were highly valued by these Norse warriors. These dogs served as companions, protectors, and hunting partners, bearing physical traits akin to today’s Gray Elkhound. Viking burial ships, often laden with the dead, earthly possessions, food, horses, oxen, and dogs, were preserved for centuries by the blue clay loaded within them. Archaeologists and osteologists believe the dog bones found at burial sites resemble an Elkhound-type breed still present in Scandinavia. Artifacts from the grave at Valloby strongly indicate Elkhound-like dogs in Norway before the time of Christ. The Viking Age ended around 1066.

In more recent Norse history, a twenty-year span from 1825 to 1845 became known as the “wolf period.” Thousands of wolves ravaged Scandinavia, attacking farm livestock. The Elkhound was instrumental in helping control the wolf population with its resourcefulness and fearless nature. The wolves had decimated most of the game in Norway’s woods, leaving only a small moose herd in Osterdalen and Hedmarken. Few Elkhounds survived this period. Hunters and breeders worked to find and breed the best of these survivors, gradually re-establishing the bloodlines.

A puppy whelped in 1865, named Gamle Bamse Gram, became the model for today’s Norwegian Elkhound and appears in many of the earliest pedigrees. The Gray Elkhound was first shown in Norwegian conformation shows in 1877 at the inaugural benched show. Breeders then, as now, believed an Elkhound should be proven as a hunting dog before competing in conformation. Among the 124 hunting dogs entered in the first show, fifteen were Elkhounds. In 1880, 180 hunting dogs entered the second show, including twenty-eight Elkhounds.

In 1899, a group of Norwegian hunters and sportsmen founded the Norsk Dyrehundklub and began developing the Breed Standard for the Elkhound. The standard was completed in 1906 and revised several times, most recently in 1950, with another revision currently underway. The club changed its name in 1949 to the Norsk Elghundklub.

One of the first Elkhounds to be shown in Norway was Bamse, owned by Arne Omsted. Sara, bred by Ole Blegeberg and whelped in 1912, was Norway’s first Gray Elkhound champion, earning her title in 1916. Glitre kennels became one of Norway’s most renowned Elkhound kennels, along with others like Elgstolen, Fjeldheim, Gjetemyra, Homanskogen, Kalagerasen, Lifjell, Skromtefjell, Sokomdal, Stavsetras, Suteras, Tortasen, and Vardetoppen. Between 1930 and 1960, kennels in Norway were considered large if they had three or four breeding bitches. Today, it’s rare to have more than two, with the primary goal being to provide hunting dogs for the breeders and their hunting companions. Many kennel owners in Norway who are also breeder-judges have judged Elkhounds at specialty and point shows in America.

Several older kennels in Norway still exist, and their breeders, along with established breeders of Norwegian Elkhounds worldwide, continue to work toward preserving the Gray Elkhound’s natural beauty, intelligence, and ruggedness. This ongoing effort seeks to maintain the breed’s role as a companion, guardian, and hunter, much like its ancestors that roamed Scandinavia’s rugged terrain.

In 1913, three Elkhounds—Koik, Bimba, and Laila—were imported to the United States by Gottlieb Lechner of Idaho, becoming the first Elkhounds registered by the American Kennel Club. From 1914 to 1921, eleven Elkhounds were registered, followed by twelve more imports from Norway between 1923 and 1930. In 1934, eighty-nine Elkhounds were registered, and that number grew to one hundred fifty in 1935.

The Norwegian Elkhound Association of America (NEAA) was formed in 1934 and received AKC approval in 1936. Ch. Grimm of Lifjell, a Norwegian import, was the first Elkhound to achieve a championship in the U.S., finishing in 1926 after the breed moved from the miscellaneous class to regular classes. Early Elkhound kennels in America included Vindsval, Stonewall, Pitch Road, Narvikwood, Bjorn-Lass, and Stonylea.

The Elkhound’s temperament is best described as bold, energetic, and friendly—qualities essential for a hunting, guarding, and companion dog. Though independent and slightly reserved, the Elkhound is good-natured, obedient to its owner, calm, self-assured, intelligent, and easy to handle in the show ring, with an eagerness for hunting. Its keen eyesight and sharp sense of smell stimulate its hunting instincts, even if the target is a backyard rabbit or squirrel. While many U.S. owners may not have the chance to hunt with their Elkhounds, the breed still shines as a loyal, intelligent companion, satisfied with a simple pat on the head for a job well done.