Norwegian Lundehund

The Norwegian Lundehund originated with the Vikings in what is now western Norway. This breed is a small but powerful dog of the ancient Spitz type.The word "lunde"� means "puffin"�and "hund"� means "hound"�. These little dogs were used to hunt puffins in the rocky cliffs of the islands off the Norwegian coastline. It is also called the "Norwegian Puffin Dog."� The Norwegian Lundehund is a very agile breed, and its joints have a great range of motion. As do all the breeds of the Spitz type, this breed has prick ears and a tail which is held high and curled over its back. The ears are capable of bending forward and closing, to keep out debris. The Norwegian Lundehund is capable of bending its neck so that its head touches its spine. This was to better spot the puffins in the crevices of the cliffs. This dog is polydactyl that is, it has six toes on each foot rather than the usual four in canines. None of its toes is residual; they are all completely formed and well-muscled. It is believed that these developed over time to five the dog more grip and dexterity on the dangerous terrain of the cliffs. Its rear foot pads are elongated to also provide more gripping ability. This dog is able to turn its forelegs outward at a 90-degree angle, and even lay them flat to the shoulders, somewhat like the human arm. It is believed that this allowed the animal to lay flat against the cliff face as it worked. The double coat of the Norwegian Lundehund is thick and dense, with a woolly undercoat for warmth and an outer coat to repel wet weather. Documentation for the existence of this unusual breed goes back to the 16th century, when it was already being used to hunt puffins in the cliffs. Puffins were an important source of meat and feathers; the meat was pickled and used to get the coastal population through the darkest times of winter. The feathers were used to stuff bed linens. Over the centuries its population declined due to taxation laws and to advanced technology which rendered it less useful in hunting the birds. By the turn of the 20th century, the huntingof the puffin had become outlawed and the Norwegian Lundehund could be found only in the isolated island village of Mostad in the Loften archipelago in northern Norway. Distemper struck the area in the 1940's and again in the early 1960's. Fanciers of the breed, fearful that the breed was extinct, spend some years tracking down remaining individuals. Six were located, five of these being siblings. With government sponsorship, stict, careful breeding programs were begun to save the breed from extinction. Today there are an estimated 1500 to 2000 Norwegian Lundehund. Some 1100 of those are in its native Norway, and around 350 are in the United States. The Norwegian Lundehund was first listed with the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service in 1996. Wheels are in motion for the breed to reach full recognition with the AKC in 2011, a goal for which the Norwegian Lundehund Club of America is diligently working to attain. The Norwegian Lundehund is very intelligent and needs plenty of mental stimulation as well as an enormous amount of physical activity. It will do best in an active family. Life in a small house or apartment will be difficult without the owner's making a special effort to provide adequate daily exercise outdoors. Brisk daily walks are recommended for the Norwegian Lundehund. This breed can make an excellent jogging partner. It is helpful and cheerfully obedient as a farm worker. It can be given to frequent barking as it works. It will also show a desire to protect and is a good watchdog. The coat of the Norwegian Lundehund is easy to care for and is not prone to matting. It should be brushed a least once weekly to remove dead hairs and debris, keep skin healthy, and discourage matting. This breed sheds heavily in spring and fall; with diligent brushing shedding can be minimal at other times of the year. This breed does not display some of the more common canine inherited disorders. However, it commonly presents with a disorder specific to the breed: Lundehund gastroenteropathy. This is a condition in which the intestine fails to absorb necessary nutrients from food. The dog can starve to death in severe cases. There is no known cure for this disorder, but it can be adequately managed in individual cases. This breed is wary with strangers, loves children, and gets along well with other dogs. It has a strong pack instinct and enjoys the company of other dogs, but individuals can be dominant. This breed tends to see smaller household animals as prey, and should never be housed with a bird. The Norwegian Lundehund is generally cheerful, active, fearless, and possesses self-assurance and some independence, while at the same time being extremely affectionate with its owners. The Norwegian Lundehund displays many behaviors considered "primitive"� meaning that they are present in a wild dog as well. For example, the Lundehund is prone to digging and hiding objects. It likes to mark its territory and so sometimes housebreaking can be a challenge with certain individuals. This breed is very suspicious and sensitive to sounds outside its normal domain, and it will bark at any perceived sound. This dog is therefore not suited to life in an apartment. The Norwegian Lundehund will climb onto tables, countertops, and many other places that the normal canine would not be able to go. The owner will find that they must "dog-proof"� the home environment extensively, as they would for young children.The Norwegian Lundehund bonds very closely with its human pack, and needs adequate playtime and attention or it can develop behavioral problems. This breed is by nature very suspicious of stangers, but is rarely if ever aggressive toward humans. It can be challenging to train, and headstrong. The handler must establish a strong leadership position and gain the respect of this dog, in order for training to be successful. The Norwegian Lundehund presents some challenges, but it is certain to be one of the most interesting breeds a person will ever have the pleasure of owning.

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