NORWEGIAN BUHUND

     

HISTORY

The Norwegian Buhund belongs to a large class of dogs called the Spitz type. They all have in common the prick up-ears and a curled tail. There are many variations in size, coat and color among the Spitz breeds. In the ancient Gokstad excavation in Norway, where a Viking grave from about the year 900 was opened, skeletons from six dogs of various sizes were found. They would be the representatives of modern-day Buhunds.  When Vikings died, their most cherished and necessary possessions were buried alongside their owners. This was to care for the Vikings in their afterlife. Then these Buhunds who protected farms (bu) and herded cattle and sheep were expected to continue these duties in the afterlife. It has been documented that these dogs travelled with Vikings on their many journeys, by sea and by land.  The more refined, beautiful type we see today were nurtured in the rainy western coastlands of Norway where they herded sheep and guarded farms. Due to the initiative of Norway's state-counsel, John Saeland, the first Buhund show was held at Jaeren in the 1920's. The Norsk Buhundklubb was established in 1939. Toralf Raanaas was the first president. These men selected the very best for show, breeding and workability. Besides working ability, Buhunds are trained to aid the hearing handicapped, perform some types of police work, and score well in obedience and agility trials. In olden times they hunted bear and wolf. Today they work with livestock and guard home and family. The Buhund is considered by many researchers to be the easiest of the Spitz breeds to train due to their innate desire to please plus a quick learning aptitude. Their Spitz independence is an asset if they have to be left alone for awhile.

 
General appearance   A typical spitz, a little under middle size, squarely built with an alert and frank expression. Erect, pointed ears. Tail carried firmly curled over the back. BehaviorCourageous, energetic and friendly. Head  Size in proportion to body, not too heavy. Wedge-shaped, lean, The male and female sex characteristics must be clearly defined.

Characteristics and   Origin * Its exact origin has not been pinpointed but the Norwegian Buhund is a member of the Spitz family that has been known in Scandinavia even prior to the days of the Vikings. The Buhund has been considered a separate breed since the 1600s. Hund means "dog" and bu in Norwegian refers to both homestead and livestock. That sums up the purpose of the Buhund - a herding dog as well as a guardian of livestock and home. Like most Spitz breeds, the Buhund is a squarely built dog with erect ears and a tail that curls over the back.

 

Temperament    Friendly and fun-loving, the Buhund gets along well with people as well as other dogs. Like most herding breeds, he is easily trained, agile and alert.

Activity level * The Buhund possesses a fair amount of energy and welcomes the chance to work. Praised as a watchdog, his size makes him readily adaptable to city or country living provided he gets regular outdoor exercise.

 

HEAD AND SKULL  Head * lean, light, rather broad between ears, wedge shaped, narrowing towards point of nose.  Skull and back of head almost flat; marked but not sharp stop; muzzle medium length, tapering evenly from above and side, straight bridge, lips tightly closed.  Nose black.

EYES * Not protruding, dark brown, lively with fearless expression.

EARS * Placed high, erect, height greater than base; sharply pointed, very mobile.

 

MOUTH  Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.  Complete dentition.

NECK * Medium length, lean without loose skin, moderately arched.

FOREQUARTERS * Legs lean, straight and strong, elbows tightly placed.

BODY * Strong, short, but light, chest deep with good ribs; straight line of back, firm loins, short couplings, slightly drawn up.

HINDQUARTERS * Moderate angulation; powerful; good muscle and bone - oval, compact feet; dewclaws are considered a fault.

HINDQUARTERS    Legs strong and only a little angulated, straight when viewed from behind.

FEET *  Rather small, oval in shape, toes tightly closed.

TAIL * Set on high, short, thick, and hair longer on underside, tightly curled, and carried over back.

GAIT/MOVEMENT * Without exaggeration, straight coming and going.  From side; light active, with good stride.

 

COAT Outer coat close, harsh, but smooth; undercoat soft and woolly.  On head and front legs - short, close and smooth; longer on chest, neck and shoulders, back of legs and underside of tail.

COLOUR * Wheaten, black, red, (red not too dark), wolf-sable.  Self-coloured but small symmetrical markings e.g. white on chest and legs, blaze on head and narrow ring on neck, black mask and ears and black tips to tail permissible.

 

The Norwegian Buhund or "Norsk Buhund," a herding dog of the spitz group, is the farm dog of Norway. "Bu" in Norwegian means homestead or the mountain hut lived in by shepherds at the summer pastures, and "hund" of course means dog. Buhunds taken along by the Vikings on their travels and colonizing journeys over 1,000 years ago were the ancestors of the Iceland Dog and influenced the collie breeds.

The written standard   for the breed states: "The Norwegian Buhund is a typical spitz dog of middle size, lightly built, with a short, compart body, fairly smooth-lying coat, erect, pointed ears, tail carried curled over the back, and with a courageious, energetic character." The thick coat is short and smooth on face and lower legs, longer on the neck and chest. The tail is tightly curled, even double curled. Buhunds often are born with double dewclaws on the rear legs; the dewclaws are left on in Norway but usually removed in Britain and the U.S. Colors listed are: "Wheaten (biscuit) -- Ranging from light to yellowish red, with or without dark tipped hairs; mask permitted but should otherwise be self-colored. Black -- preferably self-colored, but white blaze, white markings on chest, narrow ring on neck and white on legs are permissible." The lighter shades of wheaten were preferred as being more visible against trees and rocks, particularly in the western coastal areas where rain and fog are frequent. Darker colors sometimes were preferred in snowy inland mountain areas. The dogs from the rainy western coasts of Norway are said to have been particularly influential in the Buhund's development as a modern show breed.

 

The Buhund   ranges in size from 16 to 17-l/2 inches for females, 17 - 18-l/2 inches for males, with weights of 26-1/2 to 35-l/2 pounds for females, 31 to 40 pounds for males. In overall appearance the Buhund should be well- balanced and without exaggeration. Like most kennel club recognized breeds, the Buhund has gradually taken on a more standardized appearance compared to its earlier, more varied appearance. Originally wolf sable colors also were seen, as well as longer coats and more loosely curled tails, but these are now considered faults by show breeders.

The Buhund is still used as a general-purpose farm dog in Norway, herding livestock and guarding property. Other activities in which Buhunds now take part include conformation shows and obedience and agility competitions. Buhunds have been trained as hearing dogs, and one dog in England was taken through the training course at the RAF Police Dog training school, where it performed protection work (only lack of size made it unsuitable for this in a practical situation) and tracking.

 

Buhunds have the typical spitz characteristics of activity, self-confidence and independence, but are trainable and home-loving with less inclination to hunt than other spitz breeds, having been bred as herding dogs rather than as hunters and draft dogs. They are alert watch dogs but not prone to senseless barking. Affectionate and intelligent, they are excellent family companions, good with children. Buhunds want lots of playtime with their owners. They are good retrievers and swimmers and will round up anything that moves. As a farm dog, the Buhund is large enough to handle all types of livestock but small enough to be economical and easy to keep. Hardy and enduring, the Buhund must be agile, quick and sure-footed to work in the rugged terrain of its homeland. In Norway, the houses and farm buildings often are built on steep slopes, leaving the flat land for farming. Lorraine Smart, an English breeder, has written a description of the Buhund at work in Norway:

 

In the spring the sheep are driven onto the mountains and looked after by just a handful of shepherds and their dogs. In the autumn when it is time to bring them down to the lower pastures all of the owners with their Buhunds congregate at a given point. They then send the dogs up the mountains (the dogs now work on their own initiative), to gather in and drive the sheep down to the large open space set aside. Time and again the dogs will go out and bring in, sometimes just one or two, sometimes twenty or thirty, sheep at a time. Now you can imagine, conditions are not conducive to sheep spotting; outcrops of rock, fallen boulders and hard springy gorse all combine to hide the sheep from the dog. So what does the dog do? He barks. This disturbs the sheep so that they move and are therefore very easily spotted and rounded up . . . during shearing the Buhund can and does work in the same way as the Kelpie. He walks over the backs of the sheep ... The Buhund also guards his flock. When brought down from the moutain, the sheep are not enclosed by fences, it is up to the Buhund to ensure than no sheep get out (day and night) and more importantly no marauders get into the flock. This guarding instinct can be very strong."

This account  accords with the kind of work done by the "huntaway" dog of the Scottish Highlands, as well as with the work done by the herding dogs of Iceland and other northern islands settled by the Vikings. Buhunds introduced to livestock in the U.S. show the typical free-moving working style of the loose-eyed, upright breeds. They have a natural tendency to circle and gather, fetching the sheep when the handler gives ground, turning back any individual animal that tries to leave the group. When dog showing began in Norway, the Buhund at first was overlooked as being something of a utilitarian animal. The breed was first entered in agricultural shows in 1913, then the first Buhund shows were held in the 1920's. A breed club was established in 1939 and rapid progress was made. After World War II, Buhunds were brought into England. The Buhund has since become established in other European countries and in Australia and North America.

 

In the United States  the Norwegian Buhund Club of America was formed in 1983. The NBCA held its first National Specialty show in 1990 in Roanoke, Virginia. Performance activities were given early attention, and obedience, agility, and herding instinct tests have been regular features of the subsequent National Specialties. Breeders have demonstrated a commendably strong interest in promoting the versatility and wide range of talents of the Norwegian Buhund.

SIZE  Ideal height: Dogs 45cms (17 & 3/4;ins)
Bitches somewhat less.Weight in proportion to size. FAULTS * Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

NOTE * Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.