Dogs

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Norway

MOST SUITED AS Hunting dog.

SIZE
The shoulder-height is about 45cm (17in) for dogs and 42cm (16 1/2in) for bitches.

COAT
The very short coat is dense, protecting the soft undercoat. Every colour is permitted but the ideal colour is white with yellow or reddish brown patches.

CARE REQUIRED
Little grooming is needed for the coat of this breed. An occasional brushing, particularly during moulting, is sufficient to keep it in good condition.

CHARACTER
This is an alert dog which is independent, extre­mely active, friendly, likes to bark, is intelli­gent and cunning, and has a mind of its own. The Norbottenspets has considerable stamina, is very energetic and likes to wander.

TRAINING
The very individual nature of this dog means that its handler needs considerable patience, power of persuasion, and an insight into the character of the dog to be able to achieve the most basic levels of training.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
This dog gets on well with other dogs. Visits by strangers will be announced but that is all. They are friendly with everyone. Animals which were already present in the household will be unquestionably accepted and there will be no problems worth mentioning in their attitude to children - although they will not accept everything a child might do to it.

EXERCISE
The Norbottenspets is very energetic and it requires considerable exercise. Despite its small size, it can happily run alongside a cycle provided this is built up gradually. When running free off the lead, they are quite deaf to your calls - their hunting instincts are stronger than the bond with their handler. If you live sur­rounded by open countryside, this need not be a problem but for those living in more built-up areas an accident is not out of the question so make sure your garden is well fenced. Norbot­tenspets are usually very strong dogs.
West Siberian Laika