Norwegian Lundehund

Norwegian Lundehund​ - Small Dog Breed

Quick Facts

OriginNorway

Height: F: 12″-14″, M: 13”-15”

Weight: 20-30 lbs

Color: Black, Gray, Reddish brown, White, Yellow with potential of White markings, Black tips, Gray markings, Black markings

Lifespan12-15 years

Temperament: Energetic, Loyal, Protective

 

Overview

You can’t sit with us. Norwegian lundehund must have said the wrong thing to the wrong person, because as of 2021, they are the least popular dog breed in the US. Maybe their origin hunting the now protected puffin has it in a bad PR spin. Maybe people are worried about the sixth toe they have. Maybe it’s their “elastic neck” that allows they chins to touch their spines. Whatever the reason, people should think again.

While not for everyone, especially not a first-time pet owner, the Norwegian lundehund is a happy, energetic, loyal pup.

Celebrity Owners

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Fun Facts

  1. The Norwegian lundehund has 6 toes on each foot and his front toes are either double or triple jointed.

Health

The Lundehund is a generally healthy breed. You should be aware of Lundehund syndrome, an inherited gastrointestinal disease. It can present anywhere between 2-10 years of age with symptoms ranging from vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, hair loss and/or lethargy. Other health issues can include:

  • Patellar luxation: Luxating simply means out of place or dislocated. Patella is a kneecap. A Luxating patella is a kneecap that chronically moves out of its normal position.
  • Hip dysplasia: This condition is when the socket joint in the hip isn’t large enough, or more often too shallow, for the femoral head.
  • Cataracts: A dog develops a cataract when the lens in its eye clouds. The clouding is caused by changes in the water balance or proteins in the lens.
  • Glaucoma: Glaucoma is caused by when the intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eye is increased.
  • Primary Lens Luxation: Here, the tiny fibers that hold the lens suspended in the eye begin to degrade. Eventually, the lens can fall out of place.

While you always hope your pet will live a long and healthy life, it is always a good idea to invest in pet health insurance.

Keeping your dog’s mouth clean and problem free goes a long way to your pup’s overall health. Dental hygiene can be the cause or can be the byproduct of other serious health issues.

Visual inspections can be performed to keep track of the signs of potentially waning oral health. These signs can be anything from bad breath to abnormal chewing to loss of appetite.

Keeping ahead of these warning signs can pay dividends. A preventative approach can delay and stop many of the common dental problems from arising.

Oral health can be tackled in five basic steps:

  1. Brushing your dog’s teeth to prevent an undesirable buildup of plaque
  2. Feed your dog a diet where the high quality dog food has dental benefits
  3. Regularly give your dog dental toys and treats
  4. Use mouthwash, to help where brushing misses
  5. At the sign of any abnormalities, consult a vet. You can even do it virtually, from the convenience of your home.

Dogs are just like humans in that they can experience anxiety. The degree to which they are susceptible to anxiety and how they deal with anxiety is breed specific. Left unchecked, initial signs of anxiety could give way to an anxiety disorder. The symptoms of anxiety disorders can lead to a myriad of behavior issues.

Knowing the signs and symptoms will best equip you to keep ahead of it and to nip it in the bud at the earliest signs. There are options available to help with anxiety.

Are You Covered When Your Pup Gets Sick?

Grooming

Lundehunds need weekly brushing to remove dead hair. Twice a year, they experience seasonal shedding where daily brushing is recommended to contain the hair loss. Bathe your pup monthly.

Keep your pup’s eyes and ears clean and clear of debris. Clip their nails regularly. Brush your pup’s teeth several times per week.

Exercise

Lundehunds require lots of exercise. Plan on an hour or two of walks, hikes, playing fetch. Always keep your pup on a leash or in a secure fenced in area when outside.

Consider puzzle toys for your pup to keep them from engaging in boredom activities such as chewing and general destruction.

Nutrition

The Lundehund eat around 2 cups of food per day. This breed is prone to stomach issues so when selecting the exact diet for your dog, consult your vet.

 

We’ve taken a look at some premium dog foods, high in nutrition here.

Are You Feeding Your Dog The Best Food?

Training

As with all pups, it is essential to socialize your pup early with humans and other pups. Like other small dogs, the Lundehund respond best to training with lots of positive reinforcement and treats. Harsh reprimands will cause this pup to shut down rather than course correct. Keep your training sessions short and varied to stave off boredom.

Proper training is essential to ensuring the safety of your dog and those around you. Having your dog come when they should, and in general having them listen is something you want to address early in your pup’s life, as it will pay dividends down the line. There are many tried and true training programs to accomplish this training – faster and better than you might think!

Unless you’re living on a farm, or have the space, a yipping dog, or one that barks all day when you are gone could be an issue with the neighbors and/or landlord. Historically, dogs would bark to communicate with the rest of the pack when hunting and bark as a warning shot to predators eyeing up their flock. Barking is deep rooted in dogs and manifests itself in many ways and for a variety of reasons.

Just like any habit or instinct, there are effective ways you can train this issue away.

The Best Dog Vitamins and Supplements To Keep Your Pup Healthy. Period.

Supplements

 A solid Glucosamine Supplement for hips and joints will go a long way to helping your furry friend.

Other helpful supplements include full-spectrum hemp oil or CBD oil. Fish oil skin and coat supplement.

Ensuring a comprehensive preventative vitamin and mineral plan is essential to keeping your dog healthy. Truth is, there are vitamins and minerals that your dog needs, but doesn’t produce naturally. While many of these vitamins and minerals can be found in your dog’s current diet and dog food, the question becomes, are there enough vitamins to ensure they aren’t deficient.

Poor nutrition can lead to some of the most common health issues, such as weak joints, compromised immunity, increased allergies, and low energy.

Vitamins play a vital role in your pet’s health and overall life expectancy. Here are some multivitamin and joint relief options.

As regulations around marijuana have eased, the emergence of CBD oils for humans and dogs have sprung up.

Just to begin to dispel the negative stigma, CBD extract comes from Hemp, marijuana’s cousin. Unlike its cousin, there are no psychoactive qualities in CBD oil. An emerging number of clinical and institutional studies have shown the wide variety of healing qualities in CBD, including pain management, and the containment of seizures and epileptic episodes.

Explore this remedy further to see all the health benefits that have transformed the lives of so many dogs to date.

Have You Tried CBD For You Dog's Health?

The Good

  • Low grooming needs
  • Very active promoting you to be active

The "Ruff"

  • Prone to stomach issues
  • Wary of newcomers

Annual Vet Bills: $1,500+

Be Prepared for the unexpected.