Glossy black, close-fitting hair, pointed erect ears and a short, thick, tightly curled tail: that is the FCI standard’s concise picture of this hunting spitz. The Norwegian Elkhound Black (Norsk Elghund Sort) looks slimmer and lighter beside its grey namesake and is rarely seen outside the north.
| FCI | Group 5 (Spitz and primitive types), Section 2 Nordic Hunting Dogs, Standard No. 268, working trial only in the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Norway |
| Size (height at the withers) | Males 46 to 49 cm (ideal 47 cm), females 43 to 46 cm (ideal 44 cm) |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | dense, harsh and close-fitting; fairly long outer hair, soft, woolly black undercoat |
| Colours in the standard | glossy black; some white on chest and feet tolerated; white on tail and white socks are faults |
A separate breed, more than a different colour
The FCI has listed the black elkhound as a separate breed with Standard No. 268 since 1965, two years after the Norwegian Elkhound Grey. Both are dogs for elk hunting with the same brief temperament description. The black is smaller, with a fairly light head, almost flat skull and slightly tucked-up belly. Neither standard contains a breed history.
Fearless, without constant barking
It should be fearless, energetic and brave. The fault list is revealing: tense, nervous dogs and persistent barkers are explicitly included. The aim is a steady-nerved hunter that follows game without becoming frantic. At home it is alert but not overexcited, provided it gets enough to do outside. A reliable recall requires patience.
What it needs outdoors
It is athletically built, with a light, effortless gait. Long outings, tracking, search games and hiking in every season suit it; a garden does not replace heading out together.
Black coat, little effort
The harsh, close-fitting outer coat is easy to maintain. Weekly brushing suffices, more often during moulting when undercoat comes out in tufts. The standard lists missing undercoat as a fault: it is part of the weather protection.
What is known about its health
We found no reliable lifespan figure for the black elkhound. The British analysis by McMillan and colleagues lists only Norwegian Elkhound without specifying colour, and papers on glaucoma or dwarfism also omit colour. These figures therefore cannot be transferred. The black variety has specifically been studied for its lower spine: a Norwegian study selected it because transitional vertebrae between the lumbar spine and sacrum are common. Eight of ten dogs had type 2 or 3 forms, and dogs with these forms more often showed mild back pain their owners had not noticed (Berg et al. 2025). In X-ray data from 13.950 dogs of 14 breeds, the same types were associated with hip dysplasia (Berg et al. 2024). Ask for the parents’ hip and spine X-ray results.
In good hands with
people who hunt or spend plenty of time in nature and are willing to search longer for a good breeder of a rare breed.
Less suitable for
households planning only short walks around the block, wanting to introduce cats or small pets without training, or expecting well-researched health data.
Meet the larger relative in the Norwegian Elkhound Grey entry; another northern breed is the Siberian Husky. To check whether this hunting spitz fits your daily life, try the breed quiz; our book explores further: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German) . If a puppy is joining you, the free Puppy Starter Pack guides you. Its black coat makes a strong impression in our dog portraits from your own photo, for example on a magazine cover on canvas.
Further reading
- Siberian Husky: why so many end up in shelters at two years old
- Puppy training: the 5 rules that really work
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and what is not
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 268 Norsk Elghund Sort (Norwegischer Elchhund schwarz) (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 (only Norwegian Elkhound without colour specified); Berg JA et al., Transitional lumbosacral vertebrae in black Norwegian elkhound and Brittany dogs: Clinical findings and its association with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis, Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2025; Berg JA et al., Lumbosacral transitional vertebra in 14 dog breeds in Norway: Occurrence, risk factors and association with hip dysplasia, Veterinary Journal 2024.
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