Physical Features
Just like people, dogs come in all shapes and sizes; From the Chihuahua to the Great Dane and everything in between. The standards appointed by the A.K.C (American Kennel Club) describes what The Norwegian Elkhound should look like, determined by its size, coat, color and a couple of other features.
The Elkhound is usually a medium sized dog, with a compact muscular body, medium length limbs, broad and deep chest, and a strong neck. This pretty much means that this dog is built like a powerhouse. This dog's body suits it perfectly for its purpose; which is to hunt. The Elkhound's tail should be curled tightly over its back. Due to its hunting background, the Elkhound's coat is composed of a coarse, straight, weather resistant outer layer and a dense, wooly, insulating inner layer. The pigment of the coat is of various shades of grey with black tips on the outer ends of the fur along the saddle, muzzle, ears, and the tip of the tail.
The head of this breed is more broad at the ears, the muzzle is broad and long, and the ears are pricked (stands upright, facing forward). The eyes of the dog are slightly oval and very dark brown and the expression on its face is keen and alert, showing great courage and determination.
The Elkhound is usually a medium sized dog, with a compact muscular body, medium length limbs, broad and deep chest, and a strong neck. This pretty much means that this dog is built like a powerhouse. This dog's body suits it perfectly for its purpose; which is to hunt. The Elkhound's tail should be curled tightly over its back. Due to its hunting background, the Elkhound's coat is composed of a coarse, straight, weather resistant outer layer and a dense, wooly, insulating inner layer. The pigment of the coat is of various shades of grey with black tips on the outer ends of the fur along the saddle, muzzle, ears, and the tip of the tail.
The head of this breed is more broad at the ears, the muzzle is broad and long, and the ears are pricked (stands upright, facing forward). The eyes of the dog are slightly oval and very dark brown and the expression on its face is keen and alert, showing great courage and determination.
The standard height of these dogs differentiate only by an inch between the males and females. The male dog should stand at a height of 20.5 inches, while the female is a bit shorter standing at 19.5 inches. In regards to the weight, the males should weigh around 55 pounds and the females at 48 pounds.
Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule and with that being said, these beautiful dogs can also be seen with predominately black fur and a color most commonly referred to as 'red' fur (pictured on left).
Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule and with that being said, these beautiful dogs can also be seen with predominately black fur and a color most commonly referred to as 'red' fur (pictured on left).