Breed History

The Norwegian Buhund belongs to the family of Spitz dogs that has been known in Scandinavia since before the Viking times (800 A.D.). It has been referred to as a separate breed in historical literature since the 1600s, but archeological finds suggest that a dog of similar type and structure was part of the Nordic farm life since the earliest of times.

The Buhund is the original Norwegian farm-dog. The word "BU" refers both to "BUskap" and "BUstad" which translates into "livestock" and "homestead". Herein lies the purpose of the Norwegian Buhund: An excellent herding dog and guard of livestock as well as home.

Since the 1920s there have been serious attempts to preserve the Buhund in Norway. In 1926 the first Buhund shows were held in conjunction with country livestock fairs to revive the breed and select proper type for breeding purposes. An exceptional male from this time became the "father" of the modern Buhund. He was called "Flink" and was given registration number one in the first official Buhund registry. Outside of Scandinavia the Norwegian Buhund is also a popular show dog and family pet in England.

General Appearance

The Buhund is a lightly built, short bodied and compact dog with erect ears and curled tail over the back. Ideal size for adult males is a shade under 18 inches with females a bit smaller. The most common colour is wheaten (clear or shaded), but also accepted is red, black and wolf-sable. The coat is relatively short and smooth with a harsh overcoat and soft wooly undercoat. Males carry more ruff than females and also usually have a slightly longer coat. Dark masks are common but should be limited to the muzzle. Reverse masks (lighter colour on muzzle and face than the surrounding coat colour) are also accepted.

Temperament

The Buhund is a friendly and lively dog. Like most working and herding breeds he is easily trained, is a good watchdog and very loyal. He is agile and alert, loves to play and is very fond of children. A good Buhund is never nervous, nor aggressive, but a fun-loving spirit that gets along well with both people and other dogs. The eager and alert attitude of a typical Norwegian Buhund makes for an excellent show dog as well as obedience dog.

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