Norwegian Lundehund - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin

It is believed that this is the most ancient breed of all Nordic dogs and they were around before the last Ice Age. They are probably related to Varanger, a dog breed that lived about 5000 years ago in Lapland. Both, Norwegian Lundehund and Varanger have two fewer teeth than all other dog breeds.

2) Name
The word Lunde is a Norwegian word for a Puffin, which is a bird, also known as a sea parrot. The Lundehund, or a Puffin dog if you wish, was domesticated by Norwegian farmers, who quickly recognized the ability of this unique breed to climb Puffin nest and hunt the birds and their eggs and they started using the dog for this purpose.

3) Almost extinct
When the farmers found out better way how to hunt the Puffins, Norwegian Lundehund lost its main purpose and their numbers started to decline. During the 1800s Puffins were declared endangered specie due to the hunting and in the beginning of the 1900s, Norwegian Lundehund were close to extinct as well. The person who saved this breed is Eleanor Christie.

4) Closing ears
The Norwegian Lundehund has an unique ability to seal their ears to protect the ear canals. This helps them to protect the ears from water and dirt. This does not affect the hearing, because the outer part of the ear acts like a receiver that amplifies sound.

5) Dog sports

The Norwegian Lundehund is very active dog breed and they enjoy almost any activity. Daily long walks are must and they excell at various dog sports, including agility, flyball, herding trials, frisbee, search and rescue and retrieving.

6) Six toes

As i already mentioned in the beginning of the video, the Norwegian Lundehund is famous for having six fully developed toes on each foot. It is important, that all the toes are functional. Four toes point forwards and two points inwards. The additional toe gives the Norwegian Lundehund better gripping ability and traction

7) Size

This is relatevile small dog breed with rectangular body and average height between 30-38 cms, which is 12-15 inches and weight between 6-7 kgs, which is 13-16 pounds. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males.

8) Flexibility

Another very interesting fact about this breed is their remarkable flexibility, which helps them to move and twist in tight tunnels. They are known for being able touching the top of his head to his back.

9) Coat

The Norwegian Lundehund has rough and dense outer coat and soft undercoat which keeps them warm and dry. They are heavy shedders and need regular brushing to remove the dead hair and minimize the shedding. You can find Norwegian Lundehunds in different colors ranging from fallow to reddish brown. They can have black tips and white markings. They can also be white with red or dark colored markings.

10) Health

This is relatively healthy dog breed with good lifespan between 12-14 years. The biggest health issue with Norwegian Lundehund is gastroenteropathy which is a set of digestive disorders, and a loss of ability to absorb nutrients from food. They can also suffer from hip dysplasia and kneecap dislocation.