The Norrbottenspets (Nordic Spitz) is known as the "foxy" little dog. They are extremely rare in North America and are even in short supply in their country of origin. They were thought to be extinct in the late 1940's, but rediscovered in the 60's in their native country, making a slow, but steady comback. Their litters are small, usually 5 or less. This Swedish Spitz-type dog is known in its homeland as an excellent hunting dog, able to handle the long winters and deep snows primarily to hunt birds. Our dogs are actually partial to squirrels and love it when one ventures onto "their" property. The squirrel usually resides up in the trees until we bring the dogs in so that they can return to their home, safe beyond the dog's boundaries.
The Canadian Kennel Club and United Kennel Club are the primary registrations seen on Nordic Spitz' in the U.S. Some very exciting news was learned when late in 2007 the American Kennel Club accepted the Norrbottenspets as a member of their Foundation Stock Services. This is quite an achievement and a big thank you is due to Norma Hewitson who was the spearhead behind this achievement. There is still a lot to be done before the Norrbotten will be allowed to compete in companion events (obedience, rally, agility, etc.) but we are on our way. This is the first step towards being fully recognized by the ACK for conformation events.
Norrbottenspets are 16 to 18 inches tall and weigh 25 to 33 pounds (on the average). Females of course are usually smaller than the males. They are a very nice sized dog as they are easy to have in the home, but hardy enough to do well when outdoors. The head is wedge-shaped, with moderately large, almond-shaped eyes and erect ears. The chest is deep and the body strong. The tail reaches the hocks but is carried high and curls over the back. The undercoat is fine and dense, while the outer coat is short and straight and non-matting. All colors are permitted, although white with red patches is the most common.
They are a healthy breed and we test our breeding dogs to be sure they are free of cataracts. They will bark as little or as much as allowed. They do not bark just for the joy of barking. They will alert you if someone is coming to the door, but even that can be controlled with consistent verbal commands. We start on that training even before the puppies leave for their new homes. Barking in the outside puppy pen is allowed in play, but we ask for no barking in the house.
The Norrbotten is extremely easy to train because of their high intelligence. They can get bored with repetitive sit, down, roll-over, shake, etc. commands when in obedience classes if these exercises are repeated over and over again. We have taken dogs up through advanced obedience and they do very well. They do love to play fetch. Most of the puppies pick this up naturally with no training. Agility and search and rescue are two additional interests to consider when looking for Norrbottenspets' type activities.
This breed is very good with children. They are non-aggressive. They will go through the puppy stage as any dog does and each puppy comes with its own personality. Some puppies are a little more outgoing than others but generally even they are easy to get through the puppy stage.
Added to all of the other fine attributes of this breed is the one quality that cannot be overlooked. The Norrbottenspets is an absolutely beautiful representation of the canine world. It is their looks that first catches your attention. Finding out that personality, health, longevity, hardiness and loyalty comes with the package, makes them one of a kind.
Viking Heaven Nordic Spitz • Linda Erickson • 5478 Cherry Heights Road • The Dalles, Oregon 97058 • (541) 298-5682
in their country of origin. They were thought to be extinct in the late 1940's, but rediscovered in the 60's in their native country, making a slow, but steady comback. Their litters are small, usually 5 or less. This Swedish Spitz-type dog is known in its homeland as an excellent hunting dog, able to handle the long winters and deep snows primarily to hunt birds. Our dogs are actually partial to squirrels and love it when one ventures onto "their" property. The squirrel usually resides up in the trees until we bring the dogs in so that they can return to their home, safe beyond the dog's boundaries.
They are a healthy breed and we test our breeding dogs to be sure they are free of cataracts. They will bark as little or as much as allowed. They do not bark just for the joy of barking. They will alert you if someone is coming to the door, but even that can be controlled with consistent verbal commands. We start on that training even before the puppies leave for their new homes. Barking in the outside puppy pen is allowed in play, but we ask for no barking in the house.