The Norwegian Elkhound Grey (Norsk Elghund Grå) has an ideal height of 52 centimetres and was bred to hunt elk. The FCI standard sums up the temperament in three words, fearless, energetic and courageous, and specifies the grey coat pattern down to the pale band across the chest.
| FCI | Group 5 (Spitz and primitive types), Section 2 Nordic Hunting Dogs, Standard No. 242, working trial only in the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Norway |
| Size (height at the withers) | ideal height males 52 cm, females 49 cm; 3 cm below or 4 cm above leads to disqualification |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | median 12.9 years among 145 Elkhounds without colour specified (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | medium length; thick, coarse, abundant outer coat without curls; soft, light-grey undercoat |
| Colours in the standard | grey in various shades produced by black hair tips; paler underside, pale harness band, dark mask; any other colour leads to disqualification |
Two Elkhounds, two standards
The FCI lists two colours of Norwegian Elkhound as separate breeds: the grey with Standard No. 242, recognised in 1963, and the smaller Black Elkhound with No. 268. The standard has no history section. It describes a typical Spitz, short, compact and square, with prick ears and a tightly curled tail whose tip cannot be straightened in an adult dog.
Brave and independently minded
The standard says no more than fearless, energetic and courageous; a nervous temperament is faulty. A hunting dog working independently ahead of the hunter likes making decisions and follows wildlife scents enthusiastically. Off-lead freedom in wildlife-rich terrain therefore does not work for every Elkhound. At home, they are usually affectionate and balanced if they have enough outdoor activity.
Exercise for an endurance hunter
Long daily walks over varied terrain, in all weather, are the minimum. Tracking, searching games, hiking or dog-powered sports suit their strong body.
Grey with a system
Thick outer coat over soft undercoat keeps out cold and wet. Brush daily during shedding, otherwise weekly. Black hair tips determine the grey shade; they are absent from the harness band, about five centimetres wide, running from withers to elbow.
Inherited diseases with genetic tests
There is a UK lifespan figure: a median of 12.9 years among 145 Elkhounds, compared with 12.0 for crossbreeds (McMillan et al. 2024). Like most studies, it does not distinguish colours. Genetic tests can prevent two inherited diseases. For primary glaucoma, raised pressure inside the eye with a risk of blindness, a study found a mutation in the ADAMTS10 gene; a quarter of 572 healthy Elkhounds carried it (Ahonen et al. 2014). Dwarfism with bowed front legs traces to the ITGA10 gene; around 24 percent of dogs were carriers (Kyöstilä et al. 2013). At Norwegian dog shows, 27.3 percent of Elkhounds also had sugar in their urine, compared with 7.4 percent of other breeds (Heiene et al. 2010). Ask about both genetic tests and have urine checked if thirst becomes unusual.
A good home with
People spending plenty of time outdoors, enjoying rain and snow and wanting a robust, independent dog. Experience with Nordic breeds helps.
Preferably not if
you have little green space nearby, need quiet in the stairwell or want a dog who reliably returns off the lead.
Read about the smaller relative in the entry on the Black Elkhound, or another Nordic Spitz in the Samoyed entry. The breed quiz helps you assess whether a hunting Spitz fits your life; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) offers more detail. For the early weeks with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. That grey face looks good as a magazine cover on canvas or as digital artwork to download.
Further reading
- Siberian Husky: why so many enter shelters at two years old
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and when it is not
- Dog pulling on the lead: 5 mistakes almost everyone makes
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 242 Norsk Elghund Grå (Norwegischer Elchhund grau) (fci.be, German version dated 09.08.1999); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Ahonen SJ et al., A novel missense mutation in ADAMTS10 in Norwegian Elkhound primary glaucoma, PLoS One 2014; Kyöstilä K et al., Canine chondrodysplasia caused by a truncating mutation in collagen-binding integrin alpha subunit 10, PLoS One 2013; Heiene R et al., Glucosuria in Norwegian elkhounds and other breeds during dog shows, Veterinary Record 2010.
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