The Norrbottenspets, also known as the Norrbottenspitz, the Nordic Spitz and the Pohjanpystykorva, is a

breed A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...

spitz Spitz (derived from the German word ''spitz'' 'pointed') is a type of domestic dog characterized by long, thick, and often white fur, and pointed ears and muzzles. The tail often curls over the dog's back or droops. While all of the breeds rese ...

type dog from

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

. A small- to medium-sized breed with typical spitz-like features, the Norrbottenspets has traditionally been kept as a hunting dog in Northern Sweden and is closely related to similar Nordic spitz breeds such as the

Finnish Spitz The Finnish Spitz (Finnish language, Finnish: ''suomenpystykorva'') is a dog breed, breed of dog originating in Finland. The breed was originally trained to hunt all types of game from squirrels and other rodents to bears.Morris, p.316. It i ...

History

The Norrbottenspets takes its name from the region of

Norrbotten Norrbotten (), known in English as North Bothnia, is a Swedish province (''landskap'') in northernmost Sweden. It borders south to Västerbotten, west to Swedish Lapland, and east to Finland. Administration The traditional provinces of Swede ...

in the northeast of Sweden, with "spets" being the Swedish spelling of "

"; the breed is also known as the Norrbottenspitz, the Nordic Spitz and the Pohjanpystykorva. The origins of the breed are unknown; it is likely both

arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...

and German spitz blood is present in its ancestry. The Norrbottenspets is the Swedish equivalent of the closely related

, the Russian

Karelo-Finnish Laika The Karelo-Finnish Laika is a Dog breed, breed of spitz-type dog from the Karelia area of Russia. History Prior to the early 20th century, the Finnish Spitz and the Karelo-Finnish Laika were considered one breed and were common across the Karelia ...

and the

Norwegian Buhund The Norwegian Buhund ( no, Norsk buhund) is a breed of dog of the spitz type. It is closely related to the Icelandic Sheepdog and the Jämthund. The Buhund is used as a watch dog and an all purpose farm and herding dog A herding dog, a ...

; the various breeds only becoming distinct with separate kennel club recognition for dogs found across various national borders. Almost lost in the 20th century, in 1948 the Swedish Kennel Club declared the Norrbottenspets extinct and it was not until the 1960s that sufficient numbers were found for the breed to be declared extant. Never having received the international attention of the Finnish Spitz or the Norwegian Buhund, the Norrbottenspets is rarely seen outside of

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

, although with a revival in interest in national breeds, today the Norrbottenspets is a relatively popular breed in Sweden.

Description

The Norrbottenspets is a small- to medium-sized, compact and robust breed with typical spitz features. Slightly smaller than the Finnish Spitz, the

breed standard In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include physical or morphological detail, genetic criteria, or criteria of athletic ...

states dogs should stand between with bitches being slightly smaller, standing between ; they typically weigh between . The breed has a thick, dense double coat that protects them well during arctic winters; the outer coat is hard, short and straight whilst the undercoat is fine and dense. The breed can be seen in all colours, although white with red, yellow, cream, tan or black markings is most common; the breed standard states they should be white with either yellow or red patches. The breed has a wedge-shaped head with erect ears; their body is strong and it is as long as it is tall, with a deep chest. Their tail is long and carried high, curled over their back, as typical of spitz dogs. The Norrbottenspets is described as a highly intelligent and energetic breed. They have a curious nature and require considerable exercise, becoming destructive without it. Generally even-tempered, the breed is said to have a low tolerance for children bothering them.

Uses

Today the majority of Norrbottenspets are kept as pets, but traditionally the breed has been maintained as a hunting dog and general farm dog. The breed is used to hunt a wide variety of game including

gamebirds Galliformes is an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkeys, chickens, quail, and other landfowl. Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and predators, and are often ...

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...

including

elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...

, as well as occasionally

bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...

; there are many stories of Norrbottenspets chasing away bears that have attacked their master. A tireless, determined hunter with a keen nose, many Norrbottenspets have been trained as

search and rescue dog A search-and-rescue dog is one trained to find missing people after a natural or man-made disaster. The dogs detect human scent and have been known to find people under water, under snow, and under collapsed buildings. Applications A dog ...

References

{{Swedish dogs FCI breeds Spitz breeds Dog breeds originating in Sweden

History

Description

Uses

See also

References