Published by CANADIAN DOG DIGEST
Photos courtesy of Linda Erickson, Rayan Horswill Tees
and Solie Torvinen
Someone at the show asks you, "Did you see
the Norrbottenspets?" Until recently, for most, the
answer would be, "What in the world is a Norrbottenspets?"
Other names this rare, small to medium sized hunting
dog is known as are: Pohjanpystykorva (meaning "Prick
Ear"); Norbottens- skollandehund, Nordic Spitz;
Norrbotten; Norb and Nob. Take your pick! It takes a bit
to become familiar with the "Norrbottenspets"
pronunciation, but with a little practice, it is
certainly doable. Nor - Bot - Ten - Spitz. After a few
attempts, it just rolls off the tongue! Go ahead, try
it. For those of you who want an easier name to
remember, Nordic Spitz will work just fine. The name
"Store-boughten-pet", which has been popular among the
show crowd will get you a glare akin to that you will
get for calling a dachshund some permutation of "Weiner
dog", so be kind and don't use it. The name results from
where the dog originated - in the wilderness settlements
both in Norrbotten (North Botnia), Sweden and in the
border area of Lappland/Kainuuland, Finland. When
hearing this Spitz referred to as a Nob, a Norb, or a
PPK you can be sure the person doing the talking is
quite familiar with the breed.
The Norrbottenspets is a hunting breed of the
Northern Spitz type. Sweden promotes the Norrbottenspets
as one of the national dogs of Sweden and it is still
used to hunt small game like grouse and fur-bearing
creatures, although this brave little hunter has been
known to stop a moose, bear or elk in its tracks. Both
Sweden and Finland lay claim to its origin and both
countries have contributed much towards the breeds
survival and existence, but Sweden lays claim to owning
the breed standard.
History of the Breed
It is widely suggested that the white spotted or
piebald multi- talented hunting dogs probably descended
from the small laikoista (small spitz type dogs), living
with Nordic hunters in prehistoric times. Indeed,
genetic studies suggest this breed has been around for
thousands of years. In order for the people to survive
in the Nordic regions of Scandinavia, hunting for food
and clothing was a necessity, not a sport. Through
natural selection and, later, artificial selection by
the hunters in the region, only the strongest, smartest
and best performing were able to reproduce. Finland and
Sweden still aim to breed only the best, and in the
origin countries breed advisors work to identify good
matches for Norrbottenspets breeders. In these
countries, hunting trial scores and hunting performance
indicate the dogs that will be bred, yet these breedings
have still led to beautiful dogs. The Norrbottenspets as
a breed has relatively small litters, which relate to
the function and difficult lifestyle it developed under.
Although both Finland and Sweden declare a long
history of the Norrbottenspets use as an indispensable
hunting dog and farm companion, the first written
documentation of the breed only dates from the 17th
century. Despite the lack of written documentation, the
breeders in Sweden and Finland tell tales of the breed's
unique past. In the 19th century, breeders in Finland's
Lappland region developed the Finnish Spitz (the
national dog of Finland). The dogs with solid color were
favored for breeding, whereas the white, predominantly
bi-colored dogs were not used. Over the years the
bi-colors were adopted by the visiting Swedes and taken
back across the border to Sweden. The first standard was
approved by the Swedish Kennel Club in 1910. When trade
fur prices collapsed after World War II, interest in the
Norrbottenspets in Sweden and Finland also vanished and
numbers shrank, causing the Swedish Kennel Club to
declare the breed extinct (it was taken off their
registry in 1948). Historians speculate now that this
decision was based upon misinformation because of
language barriers and cultural differences. In the
1960's a few Swedish breed fanciers and dedicated
hunters, scoured the countryside for typical dogs,
fitting the looks and characteristics of the thought to
be extinct hunting dog. Finally, a few suitable
specimens of the breed were located in the village of
Smithstown (Pajala) that were the leftovers of a
breeding kennel and put in the studbook in the late
1960's. In 1966, the breed was officially named the
Norrbottenspets. That same year the Federation
Cynologique Internationale (FCI) accepted a new breed
standard and officially recognized the breed. In 1967
the Swedish Kennel Club again registered the breed and a
new standard was developed. By 1973 the Finnish Kennel
Club (Suomen Pystykorvajorjestˆ) was also recognizing
the Norrbottenspets as one of three Finnish hunting dogs
of the Northern Spitz type, including the Karelian Bear
Dog and the Finnish Spitz. Both Sweden and Finland have
now closed their studbooks to found dogs in northern
settlements. In the past year, Sweden has revised the
FCI Standard for the Norrbottenspets, which will define
breeding practices around the world for the longevity of
the breed.
The history of the breed in Canada began when Inger
and Zale Collins introduced the Norrbottenspets with ten
foundation dogs coming from Sweden. The Canadian Kennel
Club added this breed to the hound group in 1994 as
result of the Colin's dedication to the breed, and as of
November of 2007 this rare breed was listed with the
American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service, with
the help of breeders Linda Erickson and Norma Hewitson.
Additions to the North American gene pool have come as a
result of imports from Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.
Construction:
The Norrbottenspets is of small to medium size,
sturdy, compact and powerful, its body slightly longer
than tall. It is of medium bone, agile and hardy. It
stands about 42 to 45 cm (16 to 18 inches) at the
shoulder depending on gender. The male is noticeably
more masculine in looks. The size and proportions makes
the Norrbottenspets stunning to observers on a walk and
an ideal house dog, but it does well outside too. The
Norrbottenspets luxurious coat is one of the shortest in
the Nordic breeds with the outer coat made up of hard,
close fitting, weather repellent guard hairs, making it
less furry and long than that of the Finnish Spitz. The
under coat is dense, fine and soft, insulating the dog
from the extreme cold. The hair is shortest on the
muzzle, head, ears and front of the legs. It is longer
on the neck, undercarriage of the tail and back of the
thighs. This coat is excellent for keeping the
Norrbottenspets clean and tidy, as once mud has had a
chance to dry, it slides off the guard hairs, leaving no
signs of ever being on the dog. The grooming of a dog
prior to a conformation show in Sweden and Finland may
include a bath, but usually is just a brush of the coat
since it does not mat -- what a dream for the non-groomer!
Another remarkable quality of the Norrbotten's splendid
coat is the absence of doggie smell . This is just one
step below having a dog that doesn't shed. The
Norrbottenspets should be classified as a medium
shedder, with the undercoat blown (comes out in clumps
that can be compared to pulling Kleenex out of a box)
twice a year.
Character:
This small to medium sized dog has a large
personality, making a strong presence wherever he goes.
Independent, lively and cheerful, the Nordic Spitz knows
what they want and are extremely intelligent. Having a
sense of humor, they love to be the center of attention.
They are excellent with children, but will not tolerate
rough handling or teasing long. Rather than nip or bite,
they will ignore the offender and stay far away from
their tormentor. They love their humans and make
themselves an indispensable member of the family,
happily spending every waking moment alongside their
humans . They get along well with other, non
aggressive dogs and their cats. A stray cat or rabbit
wandering across their property will promptly be chased.
Norrbottenspets think that squirrels were put on this
earth for their personal pleasure. If you come home and
your Norrbottenspets is nowhere to be found, just take a
look outside, under a tree. If you see your companion
staring up into the branches, still as can be (or
barking like crazy -- giving rise to the name barking
bird dog), you can be sure there is a squirrel sitting
patiently, hoping you will take its enemy into the house
for a bit, giving him a good head start, which it will
need if it hopes for a clean getaway. Not only are
Norrbottenspets excellent squirrel getters , they can
catch a bird in midflight. Gophers, mice, rats and moles
do not have a chance. Even your bug and slug population
will diminish if you are the owner of this unique dog
with the unforgettable personality.
Carriage:
These hunting dogs must be able to cover the rough
terrain of Scandinavia (much like our Canadian Shield
terrain) to flush birds for hunters or give chase to a
larger animal. The Norrbottenspets' body proportions
provide speed, agility and stamina - movement should be
considered crucial. The deep ribcage and well developed
ribs ensures endurance and strength, whereas the arched
neck, clear withers, and slightly slanting croup make
the Norrbottenspets fast -- very fast! With training
Norrbottenspets do make a good off leash dog, but
without training, their hunting instinct will have them
galloping off after something at their standard pace --
hunters in Sweden and Finland now use GPS regularly to
find their dogs for obvious reasons! The Norrbottenspets
ability to move around unusual terrain, with amazing
precision, is shown in their excellence at moving
through an agility course. In this activity one can see
the benefit of a looser shoulder, and fast changes in
position, that are clearly of great use to the hunter.
In the show ring, or on flat ground, the gait of the
Norrbottenspets should be smooth, even with a great
amount of drive so that a vast amount of ground can be
covered with tight cat-like feet and long hocks. At a
trot, the top-line is firm and the hind legs must stay
parallel in action.
The head should be wedged shaped, which is a hallmark
of a galloper, with a distinctly black nose. The muzzle
should be moderately long, with a length being half that
of the head or a little shorter. Medium sized eyes that
are dark brown in color and almond shaped, contribute to
the alert appearance of the Norrbottenspets, as do the
slightly rounded ears that are set high, a little more
than medium in size, that stand very erect. The tail of
the Spitz type breeds is its most distinguishing
characteristic and often gets the most complements. The
Norrbottenspets' tail should be proportionately high
set, with a fairly high curve, loosely carried over the
hip, with the tip touching the upper thigh. The tail is
not to reach below the hock and, although bobtails do
occur, they are not accepted in the show dog - this is
currently the only CKC defined disqualification for the
Norrbottenspets -- but for hunting one does not need a
tail!
Color:
The coat is mostly white and generally patterned with
yellow or red/brown markings. Although other colors are
acceptable, the most desirable colour is the red. The
ideal amount of white in the Norrbottenspets ranges from
30% to almost 100%, with extreme amounts of white being
accompanied by colored ears and at least one colored
marking on the body, usually at the base of the tail.
The dog is to be clearly marked as piebald, with
distinct patches, and not an all over colouring. If a
dog is extremely colored they should also have the white
be clearly visible, coming over the back and breaking up
the saddle. Although ticking is acceptable, excessive
ticking is not. The dogs may have a mask that gives a
black marking to the face. Colour was given particular
attention in the new FCI Standard for the
Norrbottenspets and over the next few generations the
goal is to reduce the number of darkly coloured,
tan-point, and fawn coloured Norrbottenspets. Summary:
This Norrbottenspets' great personality, combined with
its agility and physical endurance make it a winner for
those looking for a combined outdoor & family dog, or
competitor breed. The Norrbottenspet is a strong hunter,
proven at Obedience and Rally-O with CKC awarded titles,
and even though titles have not been obtained, performs
in Agility, Flyball, and Tracking. Owners also hope to
do herding and search and rescue training with the
Norrbottenspets, and time will show the breeds true
potential with other less known events. The
Norrbottenspets is proving itself a strong competitor in
the Conformation ring and is seen in many juniour
Conformation events, due to its gentle personality and
connection with children. With many Norrbottenspets
coming out (there were 15 in Chilliwack at the Auld Lang
Syne Dog Association's show in the fall of 2009), it is
likely the next time you are asked Did you see the
Norrbottenspets? , you will say, Of course! Wasn't it
a beauty? .
Article courtesy of
www.CanadianNorrbottenspetsClub.com |