Country of Origin: Norway, Lofoten islands fishing village Måstad on Værøy Island
Use today: Hunting, agility trials, companion
Color: Reddish brown to tan with black hair tips and white markings, or white with red or dark markings. Coat: Double coat with harsh outer coat and dense, soft under coat. Grooming: Weekly brushing to remove dead coat and reduce shedding. Height: Ideally, 13 to 15 inch
es for adult males; 12 to 14 inches for adult females. THE NORWEGIAN LUNDEHUND is the most ancient of the Nordic breeds. They are a zoological rarity which boasts many unique evolutionary traits: six fully functional toes on each foot to aid in climbing; ears that can close at will to protect the ear canals against dirt and moisture; neck joints that enable it to bend its head 180 degrees backward over its shoulders so that it's forehead touches it's back; foreshoulder joints that empower both front legs to stretch straight out to both sides like a cat to aid in swimming and maneuvering in and out of narrow crevices to where their prey lives. Scientists have suggested that lundehunds are the original 'ur' hund, having survived since before the last Ice Age on the outermost islands of Lofoten which were recorded to be ice free during the third, and last, Ice Age. This quaint dog is believed by some to have survived the Ice Age by feeding on sea birds and fish. It is thought that the Lundehund is actually a descendant of the primeval dog, Canis forus, rather than the domesticated dog breeds, Canis familiaris. Its purity was assured by the isolation of Maastad and other Arctic islands. As early as 1591, Schonnebol told of these dogs in his travels. Bones of these dogs have even been discovered with Viking ships and graves! The Lundehund was a valuable working animal, essential in the commercial export of puffin down from the Viking Age through the 16th and 17th centuries. In addition, puffins were considerted a delicacy during the Viking Age. Households on Værøy would have anywhere from two dogs to a pack of a dozen, and at one point the Lundehund's value was as great as a good milch cow. One Lundehund could capture up to 30 puffins in one night, bringing them back alive to their master. Around 1900, these dogs were only found in the isolated village of Mostad (spelled Måstad in Norwegian), 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 another outbreak of distemper. This time, only six dogs survived, one on Værøy and five in southern Norway, Hamar. The latter five were from the same mother. This created a population bottleneck. Due to careful breeding with strict guidelines, there are now an estimated 1400 dogs in the world (2010), with around 600 of the population in Norway and ~350 in the United States. This breed is currently being brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to the efforts of many devoted breeders like ourselves. We have been breeding and showing our lundehunds since 1987, having traveled to Norway to aquire our first Lundehund and meet some of the dedicated breeders and owners of this amazing breed. We are current members of the Norwegian Lundehund Association of America and are solely dedicated to the conservation of the breed. Our names are Ann and Courtney Robertson, owners and operators of SeaCliff Kennels located in North Carolina. For more information and puppy inquires, please email us at [email protected].
