Sokoke, ashera, egyptian mau, lundehund, ashera cat, savannah cat
Alternative names
Norsk Lundehund
Norwegian Puffin Dog
Lundehund
Country of origin
Norway
Classification and breed standards
FCI: Group 5 Section 2 #269 Stds
AKC: Miscellaneous Class - July 1, 2008 [? Stds]
CKC: Group 2 - Hounds Stds
UKC: Northern Breeds Stds
The Norwegian Lundehund (Norwegian: Norsk Lundehund (from Norsk (Norwegian), lunde (puffin) and hund (dog)) is a small dog breed originating from Norway and originally bred for hunting puffins.
Appearance
The Norwegian Lundehund is a small, rectangular Spitz type dog. The Lundehund has a great range of motion in its joints, allowing it to fit into narrow passages. The head can be bent backwards along the dog’s own spine, and the forelegs can turn to the side at a 90-degree angle to its body, much like human arms. Its pricked, upright ears can be sealed nearly shut by folding them forward or backward.The Norwegian Lundehund is polydactyl: instead of the normal four toes a foot, the Lundehund has six toes, all fully formed, jointed and muscled. The outercoat is dense and rough with a soft undercoat.
History
The breed has a long history. As far back as 1600 it was used for hunting puffins along the Norwegian coast. Its flexibility and extra toes were ideal for hunting the birds in their inaccessible nesting locations on cliffs and in caves. Interest for the breed declined when new methods for hunting puffins were invented and a dog tax was created. Around 1900, they were only found in the isolated village of Mostad, Lofoten. The breed was nearly extinct around World War II when canine distemper struck Værøy and the surrounding islands. In 1963, the population was further decimated by distemper again. This time, only 6 dogs survived (1 on Værøy & 5 in southern Norway Hamar (these 5 were from the same mother)), creating a population bottleneck. Due to careful breeding with strict guidelines, there are now an estimated 1500-2000 dogs in the world, with around 1100 of the population in Norway and approximately 350 in the United States.
Lundehund Gastroenteropathy