Hälleforshund Dog Breed - Facts and Information

Appearance
The Hälleforshund is a medium to large sized dog breed with muscular, sturdy and very strong body structure. The average height is between 52-63 cm, which is 20-25 inch. The overall impression of the Hälleforshund is energetic and brave strong, but not too heavy.
The breed was developed to hunt large game in harsh and cold Scandinavian terrain for long hours without tiring. In order to withstand the lower temperatures, the hunting dog must have a thick and dense doublecoat, which protects it from such conditions. And indeed, the Hälleforshund has a harsh, thick and super dense double coat. On the legs and head the coat is slightly shorter. On the other hand, the coat is thicker around the neck, on the shoulders and thighs. Preferred color is reddish with black mask, but the breed comes in different colors and according to the breed standard, the Hälleforshund comes in different shades of yellowish color, which ranges from fawn to reddish. Black mask is preferred but some dogs do not have it.
The Hälleforshund also has oval dark brown eyes, elongated muzzle, pointed ears that are set high on the head, well developed jaws, muscular neck, straight back line and medium sized, dense tail.
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Temperament
The main utilization of Hälleforshund is hunting and its temperament is just perfect for this purpose. It is absolutely tireless dog, that can go on long hunts. They can literally hunt in the woods all day long without getting tired. It is also very courageous and brave dog which is absolutely loyal to its owner. This dog just love hunting, it is very passionate about it and is very determined and persistent when they are hunting. They can hunt all kinds of game, but the breed is famous as elk or moose hunter.
When they are at home, the Hälleforshund is very adaptable and good mannered dog breed that love being around its people, its family. They love cuddling, good playtime and just being part of the family. This breed is always ready for any outdoor adventure as they have rather high energy level.
The Hälleforshund can live with other dogs in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhod. They can also live with kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.

History
In 1930s in Sweden, the elk population growth a lot, so there was a demand for elk hunting dogs. One of the dogs that was developed to hunt elks, was the Hälleforshund. The breed evolved from Russian sled dogs that were brought into Sweden and that were crossed with Norwegian Moose Dog and Swedish Moose Dog. Those are the main ancestors of the Hälleforshund
The name suggest, that the breed was developed in Hällefors, but that is probably not true, as the dog was most likely developed in Fredriksberg village located in neighbouring Ludvika Municipality.
When the breed began to be more popular, they first spread in the mountainous parts of western Sweden, where it was bred for moose hunting. They were highly valued for their ability to hunt solo and independently in large and sparse areas.
For most of the time, the breed was not recognized by any kennel club. That changed in the year 2000, when Swedish Kennel Club officially recognized the breed. Today, the breed is also recognized in Finland and Norway.

Health and grooming
The dense doublecoat of the Hälleforshund does shed seasonally, two times a year. The shedding season is in spring and autumn and during those times you should brush their coat regularly to minimize the shedding, but there is no way how to completely stop the shedding, Brushing will remove all the dirt and loose hair and it will also redistribute the natural oils all over the coat. When they are not in the shedding season, they do not shed that much. You should bath the dog only if its really necessary and it is not adviced to bath the dog very often. Just like with any other dog breed, you should also regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
The Hälleforshund is relatively healthy and hardy dog breed with lifespan around 13 years. Just like with any other breed, they can suffer from some health issues. Those might include some eye problems like cataracts, hip dysplasia, bloating, some allergies or infections.