Norwegian Lundehunds- Norwegian Puffin Dog

Have you ever heard of a Norwegian Lundehund? Looking like a smaller version of the Siberian Husky mixed with a fox, these dogs are the newest breed to be officially recognised by the American Kennel Club. They will begin competing in AKC dog shows starting 1 January 2011 in the Non-Sporting Group. ]

To date there are an estimated 1500-2000 dogs in the world, with around 1100 of the population in Norway and ~350 in the United States. Height:13-15 inches Weight: 12-15 pounds

Norwegian Lundehunds were bred in the 1600’s to hunt puffins on the islands off Norway. In order to hunt effectively on the cold slippery rocks and cliffs the breed developed some unusual physical characteristics. The most unusual feature is the extra toe on each paw. The sixth toe is towards the back of the foot so when the dog is on a flat surface it doesn’t touch the ground. But when climbing the extra toe enables them to grip rocks steadily without slipping.

To deal with the cold, wind and rain on the island Norwegian Lundehunds developed the ability to clamp their ears shut, preventing sand and water from getting inside. They also developed a double coat for extra warmth. To navigate through narrow caves and passageways they became extremely flexible – they can rotate their necks 180 degrees, and they can also move their legs out at a 90 degree angle similar to human arms. As a result you may see them sleeping flat on the floor with all four limbs splayed out flat looking like a strange dog rug!

The breed was almost wiped out by distemper 60 years ago – there were only six dogs left. Thankfully some diligent breeders were able to save the breed. A bitch will typically have only two to four pups per litter so it has been a slow, painstaking process. Today there are almost 2,000 of the dogs - most live in Norway but there are a couple hundred in the US.

The dogs are generally very healthy but have a genentic predisposition to a rare intestinal disorder that prevents them from absorbing the nutrients in their food. Lundehund gastroenteropathy is a set of dog digestive disorders that can lead to an overgrowth of digestive bacteria, and a loss of ability to absorb nutrients from food. In extreme cases the dog can starve due to its inability to derive nutrients and protein from food, regardless of food intake. All Lundehunds have the genetics to have this illness, though not every Lundehund is severely afflicted and some are symptom free. There is no cure, though the disease can be managed