|
|
Dog Articles:
Norwegian Elkhound
The
Norwegian Elkhound is one of the wolfy-looking dogs from which the
Shepherd Dogs of middle Europe have been evolved, and is probably a
more dependable dog than any of them, having been bred for the
specific uses of hunting big game, and left free of the refinements
and stultifications demanded by the more effete market, which is
largely dependent on the whims of wealth and caprice.
The
Elkhound, in short, looks like a small, stocky, wide-faced German
Shepherd dog, standing about 22 inches instead of 26 or 27, but
wearing the same strong, rough working coat of grizzled buff and
brown, or wolf colors. He is a rare dog in the United States, but in
northern Europe plays an important part in the life of the people of
the mountainous and wooded country. He is used to some extent as a
carrying and draft animal, but is unsurpassed in the rough and
tumble of the hunt for such big game as bear, wolves, and Elk (the
‘moose’ of northern Europe), and is so keen of nose and so
tractable that he can easily be trained to the more subtle arts of
hunting the capercailzie and black grouse.
The only
one the artist ever saw was the single specimen shown in the
Westminster show of 1918, and no dog in the whole show made him more
envious of his owner. For what Mark Twain characterized as ‘the
purposes of a dog’ this strong, friendly, and primitive-looking
animal seemed a most perfect creature. He was alert, bright, and
self-reliant, but willing to extend a reserved -welcome to a new
acquaintance.
Source:
National Geographic 1919
Recommended Reading
Dog Training
Mastery - An Owners' Manual
|
|
