Wheaton: This ranges from light to yellowish red. There can be dark tipped hairs and a mask. Black: Can contain white blaze, white markings on chest and ring on neck and legs.
Short
Medium
Moderate Shed
17-18 1/2 inches
31-40 pounds
16-17 1/2 inches
26 1/2-35 1/2 pounds
The Norwegian Buhund does best living in a certain environment. They prefer a large fenced yard where they can spend much of their time outside. They need plenty of exercise and should live in an environment that is conducive to that. However, they will do just fine in an apartment if the owner has the capabilities to put in the effort to ensure that the dog is receiving plenty of time to exercise and run outside.
Description
The Norwegian Buhund is a typical Spitz dog of medium build. They are squarely built with a short compact body. The head is wedge shaped with erect pointed ears. The muzzle is about the same length as the skull with a stop that is well defined but not too pronounced. The lips should be black and tightly closed and the teeth should meet and have perfect dentition. The tail is carried curled over the back.
The Norwegian Buhund is a very energetic and intelligent dog. They are typically herding dogs however the Norwegian Buhund is a breed known for its ability to perform as police dogs and as aids for the hearing impaired. As a companion, they have an innate desire to please their masters as well as a quick and eager aptitude for learning. However, since the breed is energetic and intelligent, consistent training is needed for Norwegian Buhunds from the time they are puppies. They are also a vocal breed and do communicate by barking. Owners of Norwegian Bohunds may find that consistent training is needed in order to implement appropriate manners. Regardless of their highly energetic personalities and dispositions, they are an affectionate breed that is content to curl up at your feet at the end of the day. They are extremely lovable and form strong bonds with their master and family. Although they are working dogs, they demand play time with their owners and can be very stubborn if neglected. On the other hand, they also have a high sense of independence at times and need to be left alone to explore or rest as needed. IT is difficult to accommodate both sides of their personalities as they do experience separation anxiety if left alone for long periods of time; this can result in destructive behavior. Appropriate and consistent training is required and will result in a well-mannered and affectionate Norwegian Buhund.
The Norwegian Buhund has two coats. There is an outer coat that is thick and rich but lies smoothly. The under coat is soft, dense, and wooly. The coat is shorter on the head and legs but longer on the chest and neck. The males will typically have a slightly longer coat than the females. They are naturally clean dogs and are basically odorless even when wet.
History
In the year 900 during the Gokstad Norway excavation a Viking grave was excavated and the skeletal remains of six dogs were found. These remains are representative of modern day Buhunds. Vikings were buried with their most valuable possessions and their dogs were responsible for the herding of cattle and sheep and protecting of farms (bu). The dogs were expected to continue these duties in the afterlife. It has been mentioned that the Vikings took the dogs on their many journeys on sea and on land. However, the more refined Buhunds that are seen today were raised on the coasts of Norway. There they herded sheep and guarded farms.
Temperament
The Norwegian Buhund is a highly cheerful and active breed. They do not tire easily and require extensive exercise on a daily basis. The Norwegian Buhund needs to expel its energy and become destructive and ill-mannered if ignored or made to stay still frequently. In conjunction with their high level of activity and energy, they are also extremely lovable and are known for their love of children. However, due to their high level of energy and need for intensive training, Norwegian Buhunds should always be supervised, especially around children and the elderly. This breed loves to cuddle and give kisses to their masters and families. They form strong bonds with their owners and therefore are natural watch dogs. This can result in aloof behavior and wariness around strangers. However, the Norwegian Buhund is highly intelligent. They are communicative and brave, but rarely will snap or bite without provocation. However, not all dogs of this breed are steady; they are sometimes found to be nervous dogs. They can even have a suspicious nature about them. New owners may find this problematic, since the Norwegian Buhund may bark at each new alarming noise or movement.
This breed is also extremely headstrong and demonstrates an intense desire to be taught and to learn new things. If appropriate stimulus is not made available, the breed may resort to destructive or inappropriate behavior. The Buhund breed does become bored easily and is known to become restless. A constant state of activity is required, attention, praise and new information. This breed is ideal for owners who can dedicate time to exercise and training. With this desire for activity and learning combined with a high level of energy, the Norwegian Buhund makes an excellent obedience and agility dog. People who live active lifestyles, or are seeking a dog with which they can become involved in dog sports, will appreciate the personality of the Norwegian Buhund. It is also an ideal dog for people who are athletic and desire a dog to go running, hiking or biking with. This breed makes an excellent companion for a sports enthusiast.
There are some negative aspects of the temperament of the Norwegian Buhund. Those considering the breed should be aware that they can experience severe separation anxiety. If left alone for several hours they are known to destructively chew things and bark, often destroying furnishings and disrupting neighbors. Therefore, it is important for the owners of these dogs to be able to be home often enough so that this does not happen and to properly exercise their dog for two hours or so on a daily basis. The Norwegian Buhund is a working dog and will require a lot of time and attention, whether he intended to herd livestock or live a life of leisure as a family bet.
Health Problems
Hip Dysplasia: A very common Degenerative Joint Disease that affects many breeds. It is the abnormal development of the hip joint in the young dog. If there are no carriers of dysplasia in the dog's lineage then the dog will not develop hip dysplasia. It is important to research the breeder's and the lineage before purchasing the dog and to use a reputable breeder whenever possible. Eye problems: Some eye problems have been mentioned, but typically Norwegian Buhunds are very Health dogs.
Grooming
The Norwegian Buhund has a short very easy care coat that does not tangle or mat when the dog sheds. This dog is a seasonal shedder and does need extra grooming during shedding season. This makes the grooming of the Norwegian Buhund very manageable. However, because of their shedding they do need to be brushed regularly and this of course would increase during the two shedding seasons. They should be brushed at a minimum of twice a week and that is not during the shedding seasons.
In addition to the coat, there are other regular grooming requirements for the dog as well. The toenails of the dog should be trimmed regularly. The nails should be trimmed below the quick. The quick is the pinkish looking protrusion on light colored nails. If the nails are dark colored only cut the end of the nail and do not cut if the dog wants to jerk away when you apply pressure. The nails should be cut at a 90 degree angle. Proper trimming of nails is important because it can be painful to the dog by causing welts and can also scratch furniture and humans.
The dog should also be bathed regularly. Regularly typically means about once a month. The dog should be bathed using a gentle tearless dog shampoo. These shampoos can be diluted when used as well. People shampoo or liquid soap is much too harsh for the dog's coat and skin. Because the Norwegian Buhund is a medium sized dog, it should be easy enough to bathe the dog in the bathtub at home. Before the dog even hits the water it is very important to brush the dog and get rid of all of loose hair. When bathing the dog, it is important to wash the body first, and then save the face, neck, and ears for last. Then rinse the dog several times to ensure that all the soap is out of the coat. Any soap residue left on the dog can cause skin irritation and problems. After the bath, the dog should be wrapped in a towel to absorb the excess water and prevent the dog from shaking the water everywhere. The dog should be towel dried well and then finished with a hair dryer. Make sure that the dryer is set to a reasonable setting and is not too hot for the dog. After the dog is dry, it should be brushed thoroughly again.
Exercise
The Norwegian Buhund is a working dog and therefore requires a lot of exercise. They need to be exercised daily. They love to play sports and go for long walks. Exercise needs to include mental stimulation as well. The dogs do love to run, but it is also important to incorporate games and tricks into the exercise routine as well. Off leash dog parks are an excellent place to allow the dog to socialize with other animals as well as to run and get rid of some energy. Norwegian Buhunds should have one hour of exercise at least twice daily.
Training
The Norwegian Buhund needs intensive and constant training from the time it is a puppy continued throughout its life. They are known to be somewhat sensitive dogs and therefore positive training techniques such as clicker training or food reinforcement training work best for this breed. The puppies should be introduced into training when they are about eight to twelve weeks of age. Having the puppy on a predictable schedule will make them feel more relaxed and loved. Proper crate training can also be useful. It is important to teach the puppy about keeping quiet in its crate at night as well as during the day time when there is no interaction.
Between the ages of three and six months the dog should be learning to sit, lie down, stop barking when asked, walk well on a leash, and come when called. It is also helpful for the dog to learn to play games such as "find it" and "bring it" Games like these can be very useful with a Norwegian Buhund because it will keep the occupied while in the home.
Between the ages of six and ten months the dog should be able to walk nicely on the leash, give you full attention when necessary, stay sitting when you walk away, play hide and seek with family members, and acknowledge names of family members. Simple tricks like "roll over" and "shake a paw" and many others can be taught during this age as well. The Norwegian Buhund does learn quickly and gets bored with repetition so keep teaching the dog new things when it is ready.
It is also important for the dog to be socialized with people and other animals during its puppy stages so that it can learn to interact appropriately with both. The Norwegian Buhund needs to become familiar with interaction with people and animals so that it lessens the suspicion and likelihood of the dog reacting vocally to new stimuli.
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Ratings and Attributes
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