Norrbottenspets Dog Info And Characteristics

The Norrbottenspets or Norrbotten Spitz is a Spitz-type hound originating from Norrbotten, a province in the north of Sweden, and Lappland, Finland. This dual naturalization is the reason some people think that the name of the dog is inappropriate since it is based only on Swedish province. So, they simply call him Nordic Spitz, while in Finland he is known as Pohjanpystykorva. Anyhow, the dog is recognized under the name Norrbottenspets all around the world, so we will use it too. The breed is officially included in the Nordic Hunting Dogs group in the class of Spitz and primitive dogs. It is a small and agile dog, quite similar to the Norwegian Lundehund and Finnish Spitz, used primarily in hunting the smaller game, such as grouse, squirrel, raccoon, ermine, fox, marten, etc. Also, he can be successfully used for herding, watching, and even in search and rescue missions.

Norrbottenspets Dogs In General

Main Norrbottenspets characteristics are independence, agility, intelligence, courage, cheerfulness, stubbornness, loyalty, self-confidence, playfulness, alertness, and endurance. Single look at these characteristics reveals that this is a very happy, jumpy and restless type of dog, always ready for some fun. This is the reason he is considered one of the best children’s companion dogs. They will have a nice playtime with him for sure. So, if you’re a parent and wanna have a nice and lovely dog for your kids, feel free to choose this buddy. On top of that, he is an excellent family friendly dog, always ready to cheer you up and put a smile on your face. Well, almost always since he is definitely capable of naughty deeds ;) He likes company and enjoy attention, so there’s no doubt your family will love him. He gets closely attached to his primary owner.

Norrbottenspets is a wonderful family dog always ready to play

Always cheerful and playful :)

The Norrbottenspets life expectancy is somewhere between 12 and 15 years. This dog is in fact the smallest of all Nordic primitive breeds. His size makes him extremely agile and swift. On top of that, he has a large pool of energy and he’s often very active, so you’ll have to exercise him a lot. Jogging, walking, running, playing, whatever, just make sure you put him to work at least a few times a day. This will prevent your dog from getting bored, which in other words means – peace in your home :) He is suspicious with strangers, but not aggressive. If a stranger comes near your property he will bark and alert you. This makes him an excellent watchdog, but not that good guarding dog. However, he sometimes has a nasty habit to bark all day long, especially if bored. This can be really annoying, so it’s definitely better to keep him busy any way possible.

The Norrbottenspets is often friendly with other dogs. Contrary to all other primitive hounds, this dog doesn’t have a strong prey-drive, so he can live happily with other small pets and cats. Of course, he can sometimes make their life miserable with an excessive need to play, but at least he won’t hurt them :) He likes to roam around and can jump high, so make sure you have the bigger fence or wall. As far as training goes, this dog is more or less easy to train. His stubbornness and independence can be a problem, but if you organize the training sessions in a fun and smart way, you can easily teach him the most demanding commands since he is very intelligent and bright. But, remember that you’ll have to be persistent and dominant, there’s no other way. If trained properly, he can be an excellent competitor in various dog agility, obedience and tracking trials.

Physical Characteristics Of Norrbotten Spitz

The Norrbottenspets is maybe small and light, but has a powerful and graceful shape. His body is muscular and compact, covered with medium-short, dense double coat. This type of shorter coat is very unusual for other Nordic breeds, but the properties are more or less the same to the medium coat types. The outer coat is coarse with straight and hard hair, while the undercoat is soft and thick. The hair is longer at buttocks, neck and tail. It is a perfect protection from various weather conditions, and it is also waterproof. You’ve probably guessed it, yes, these dogs shed a lot, so regular grooming is very important and needed, even in-between shedding periods. The main Norrbotten Spitz color is white with patches in all shades of red, tan, orange, brown, and yellow. Even the patches in some other colors are acceptable, but the general template must be the same.

The Norrbottenspets dog has a fox-like, wedge-shaped head with erect, triangular ears, black and broad nose, and almond-shaped eyes, which can vary in color from amber to dark brown. The muzzle is medium-length, pointed and slender with scissor jaws. He is a bit taller in withers than long. The neck is short and slightly arched, while the back is straight and strong. The brushy tail is long and curled atop his back. The chest is deep and long. His front legs are straight and firm, while the hind legs are strong, muscular and slightly angled. This gives him a perfect stance for a quick “movement explosion,” rising his maneuver abilities to a whole new level. The simple look at this Nordic Spitz reveals he is the embodiment of agility and speed. No wonder he is such a capable dog for all sorts of tasks and sporting events.

Norrbottenspets Dog Size And Weight

Male
– Height between 17.5 and 18 inches (44-46 cm)
– Weight between 24 and 33 pounds (11-15 kg)
Female
– Height between 16 and 16,5 inches (40-42 cm)
– Weight between 17,5 and 26,5 pounds (8-12 kg)

Norrbotten Spitz is smallest of all Nordic primitive hounds

Small, light and swift!

Intelligent And Agile Hunter

Although today a Norrbottenspets hound often has a role of a farm and family dog, his hunting instincts were proven and tested so many times. This dog is smart, agile and swift. These properties combined are the reason he can easily cope with any kind of terrain, no matter how hard and demanding it is. Besides that, he possesses excellent sight, hearing and sense of smell. This gives him the incredible tracking abilities – no game can escape this superb hound. His high intelligence will help him outsmart the wisest game. He will persistently track down the game and when he finally reaches it, he will hold it at bay and give away his position to hunter with loud and high-pitched barking. Like I wrote above, he’s often used in hunting smaller game, especially those with quality fur, but some dogs can be used in hunting the big game, such as bear, moose, etc.

Wonderful Family Companion Dog

After the WWII, the Norrbottenspets breed was almost extinct because the fur hunters had lost their profitable job after the fur prices collapsed. Thus, the need for hunting dogs diminished, which greatly reduced the number of these dogs. Fortunately, the playful and cheerful nature of Norrbotten Spitz saved the entire breed. Later on, this dog became a favorite family companion in Scandinavia, praised specifically for his affection with kids and other pets, and for his happy and lively nature. Unfortunately, this dog is very rare outside Scandinavia, but if you wish to have a happy, vivacious dog, I think it will be worth it to somehow obtain one of these for yourself. In the end, I hope this article will help you discover Norrbottenspets in the best possible way, so one day you maybe decide to become a proud owner of this beautiful dog :)

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