Conrick Elkhounds

Elkhounds make wonderful pets. They are friendly, sociable dogs that adapt well to family life and get on well with children, cats and other dogs. They will enjoy joining you on days out and holidays, where their good looks and friendly nature will attract a good deal of attention. They are intuitive and sensitive to their owners' moods. They will alert you to the presence of strangers by barking, but will welcome invited visitors quite happily as long as you are glad to see them too!

There are some things to think about though. Elkhounds have been bred to bark over many thousands of years. You will need to discourage this natural instinct from the very first firmly and consistently.

Another thing to consider is hair. Most elkhounds have two good moults a year; so much hair comes out that some people call it 'tumble elk'! If you are very houseproud, then this is not the breed for you.

It is possible to train an elkhound, even to obedience level, but some elkhounds can be a bit stubborn. They are very intelligent and quick to learn, but sometimes that intelligence can be problematical, as they may try to outwit you! If they come across the scent of a rabbit or other game they seem to go 'selectively deaf', the hunting instinct is so strong. You must be consistently firm with your elkhound, but never harsh. An elkhound does not respond well to shouting and blows, but a quiet insistence on obedience works wonders, particularly if you have a treat in your hand! Your elkhound will want to please you, so use lots of praise when he is doing as he is told.

Will there be someone at home for most of the time? Elkhounds love the company of people, and it would be unfair to deprive them of it. If you will be out all day at work, will you be able to get home during the day to let the dog out? Or will you hire a dogwalker? An elkhound needs a minimum of an hour's exercise (and more if they can get it) every day to keep in lean, hard condition, some of which should be off the lead. Do you have the time and somewhere safe to run free? A well fenced garden is important for house training a puppy.

Elkhounds don't need to eat a lot to put on weight! Feeding lots of extra titbits is unnecessary and unkind. A fat elkhound is not a happy elkhound. You can tell if your adult elkhound is the right weight by pressing lightly on his side; if you can just feel his ribs under the light pressure of your hands he is the right weight; if you can't, he is too fat. It is possible to make an elkhound too thin. The ribs should not be sticking out. Young puppies often carry some extra weight (puppy fat) which they will grow out of.

Look at the photos of Trygg. An elkhound, and an elkhound male in particular, is a powerful animal for its size. Are you physically capable of walking one? Mum has trouble with her wrists and couldn't walk Trygg, although she can manage one of the bitches. Life is made a whole lot easier if you train your elkhound to walk to heel.

Are you sure that you want a puppy? Elkhound Rescue was established many years ago to help those elkhounds who have fallen on hard times, often through no fault of their own. Owning a rescue dog can be a rewarding experience for both of you. All a rescue dog wants is a second chance. Go to Roo's page. Look at that face. Roo was nearly five when he was returned to his breeder. I thank my lucky stars every day that he came to me. He was my once in a lifetime dog, my special friend. Contact details for Rescue are at the Elkhound Rescue website.

If you can offer a loving, permanent, home with consistent, firm but fair handling, good food (but not too much of it), regular exercise and your companionship during most of the day, then maybe an elkhound is for you....

The main source of information about puppies in the UK is The Norwegian Elkhound Club of Great Britain. The Secretary keeps a list of puppies currently available from reputable breeders. You might like to visit a show and meet some of the breeders and their dogs - this is a good way of making sure that an elkhound is for you. Check that the sire and dam of the litter have up-to-date BVA/KC Eye Test Certificates and BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme Certificates. Health problems in elkhounds are rare but not unknown, and reputable breeders will try to ensure that they are breeding healthy puppies from healthy parents.

You may find that you need to book a puppy some time in advance. There are very few litters born in a year in this country, as elkhounds are quite uncommon. Use the waiting period wisely - go to the library and read! There are several excellent books about the breed, of which two in particular are particularly relevant. The first is 'The Elkhound' by Kitty C. Heffer, originally published in 1969 which is available from the Norwegian Elkhound Club of Grat Britain. The second is 'The Elkhound in the British Isles' by Anne Roslin-Williams, published in 1993, ISBN 1-85609-050-7. Even after over thirty years in the breed, I still constantly refer to this book.

We rarely breed a litter, usually when we want one ourselves. Our adults stay with us for life and will never be sold, although we may sometimes have a slightly older puppy that we have run on. We breed and show dogs as a serious hobby, not as a business, although we are committed to the welfare of our lovely and ancient breed.

Our breeding stock is hip scored and eye tested. We are members of the Norwegian Elkhound Club of Great Britain and as such are governed by a strict Code of Ethics which was established for the welfare and benefit of the breed. A copy of the Code of Ethics can be seen at the Club website.

We have always enjoyed contact with our puppies' new owners - they are our extended 'family'. It is important to us that our puppies go to good, permanent homes. After all, we took a lot of time and care over breeding and rearing them so we expect their new owners to take the same time and care over raising and training them.

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