The Norwegian Buhund belongs to a large class of dogs called the Spitz type. Bred as an energetic working dog, Buhunds herd livestock and guard home and family. Today, they are also trained to aid the hearing impaired, perform some types of police work, and perform in obedience and agility trials. Their thick coat is wheaten (pale cream to bright orange) or black in color. They are self confident, alert, lively, and very affectionate with people.
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Identifying Features:
Average Height: 16 - 19 in
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The Norwegian Buhund is a dog breed native to Norway. The name Buhund stands for Bu (Homestead) and Hund (hound). This breed is likely ancestrally related to other northern Spitz-type breeds such as the Swedish Vallhund and the Norwegian Elkhound. Documented reports of Viking raids tell of small dogs accompanying the raiders on their sea voyages. Back at home, the Buhund would have been used as farm and guard dogs, based on the interpretation of bones discovered from Viking graves on farms in Norway. Although originally used for these purposes, the breed developed into an excellent herder due to its desire to please, covering a wide area on the western coast of Norway. The breed's versatility mean that it has also reportedly been used as a sniffer dog in England and in hunting elk in its native country. The breed was standardized in Norway in the early 1920s, and has recently been recognized formally by the AKC in 2009.
