Understanding the Norwegian Buhund: Breed Characteristics, Care, and History
The Norwegian Buhund is a hardy spitz-type dog with a thick coat and a cheerful personality.
Meet the Norwegian Buhund, a Devoted Viking Dog
The Norwegian Buhund is a Nordic spitz-type breed that’s most famous as the dog of the Vikings. Skeletons of Buhund-like dogs have even been discovered during excavations of Viking graves! Don’t think of the Norwegian Buhund as a fierce invader, though—this is a happy, hardworking breed that’s focused on tending its home and flocks. Its name actually translates to “homestead dog” or “farm dog.”
This is a smart, skilled herding breed, and Buhunds are still found working on farms in Norway today. They also make excellent family pets, since they’re affectionate, playful, cheerful, and people-oriented—not to mention extremely cute. Norwegian Buhunds are rare in the United States, but this breed is well worth considering if your family is looking for a medium-sized dog.
Below, learn more about the Buhund’s appearance, temperament, grooming and exercise needs, health, and training, and discover the storied history of this Viking dog!
Physical Appearance
Norwegian Buhunds are sturdy dogs with all the typical features of spitz-type breeds: foxy faces, pointed ears, tightly curled tails, and dense double coats. Compared to other spitzes, the Buhund is a bit leggier, with long limbs for its body size, and it has a fairly lithe frame.
Technically, this breed is slightly smaller than a typical medium-sized dog, but they’re definitely not small dogs. Many owners consider them to be the perfect size: big enough for robust play and all kinds of activities, but small enough that they don’t crowd the house.
- Average Male Height: 17–18.5 inches (43–47 centimeters)
- Average Male Weight: 31–40 pounds (14–18 kilograms)
- Average Female Height: 16–17.5 inches (41–44 centimeters)
- Average Female Weight: 26–35 pounds (12–16 kilograms)
Double Coat
Although the Buhund doesn’t have the outrageously fluffy coat that some of its spitz relatives do (like the Keeshond and Samoyed), its rich, thick coat still stands out. The dog’s outer coat is smooth and hard, while the undercoat is soft and wooly. These layers work together just like a winter jacket: The outer layer repels water and dirt, and the inner layer provides insulation against the cold.
Coat Colors and Markings
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the Norwegian Buhund comes in two standard colors: black and wheaten. In dogs, “wheaten” refers to a range of tan shades, from light cream all the way through orange. Wheaten dogs often have dark-tipped hairs, adding an interesting textured look to their coats.
This breed may also have black masking, which refers to dark shading on the muzzle, face, and ears. Small patches of white markings are also considered standard, like a forehead blaze, a patch on the chest, a white ring around the neck, white paws, or a white-tipped tail.
This Norwegian Buhund has a bit of a black mask on its muzzle, face, and ears.
Temperament of Norwegian Buhunds
Norwegian Buhunds are intelligent and confident dogs. Like all herding dogs, they have an independent streak—after all, they need to be able to make quick decisions while guiding their flocks—but they’re also people-oriented and generally eager to please. These dogs are so smart that they need something to do, like a job to perform or an activity to train for. Without enough stimulation for their keen minds, they’ll get bored, which can mean a lot of barking and chewing up the house.
These affectionate dogs are dedicated to their owners and want to be with their people all the time; in fact, the Buhund tends to view itself as the center of the family! Your Norwegian Buhund will want to accompany you in all your daily activities, then snuggle up by your feet at night. Only consider this breed if you have enough time and attention to devote to your dog. A lonely Buhund will be very unhappy—and destructive.
Barking
One key aspect of the Norwegian Buhund’s personality is its vigilance. As a farm dog, this breed was tasked with watching over its land and flocks and alerting the farmers if a threat approached. The Buhund will take on that same role for your household, except instead of barking at predators, it’ll bark at, well, everything.
Buhunds are known to be noisy, and they also have a uniquely high-pitched bark. That loud bark is valued by farmers in rural Norway, since it carries well across the mountains, but your neighbors probably won’t appreciate it! Norwegian Buhunds are typically too noisy for apartment living, though teaching them the “quiet” or “shhh” command can help.
Norwegian Buhunds love to run. (They also love the snow!)
Exercise Needs
This breed has a lot of energy! Again, this makes sense with its history: The Buhund was bred to work hard all day long, from chasing down sheep to guarding the grounds of the farm. The AKC recommends that owners exercise their Norwegian Buhund at least twice a day, for a total of 1–2 hours of daily exercise.
Good Exercise Options
This breed loves getting the opportunity to run fast, so you might consider taking your dog running, jogging, or cycling (your Buhund will enjoy running alongside you while you cycle). Keep your dog on a leash for these activities; the Buhund’s herding instincts will get triggered around moving objects, and it may try to chase after cars in an attempt to herd them.
No matter what type of exercise you pick, you probably won’t be able to exhaust your Norwegian Buhund. These dogs can even handle strenuous activities like all-day hikes! Of course, Buhunds also enjoy a good long walk, and they love playing games like fetch and Frisbee. Again, if you let your dog off-leash, make sure it’s in a securely enclosed area like a fenced dog park or backyard.
Canine Sports for Norwegian Buhunds
Smart, high-energy dogs make great canine sports competitors, and the Buhund is no exception! These events let your dog exercise both its mind and body, and they also provide a lot of together-time since dogs and handlers typically work as a team. Here are some fun options that suit the Buhund’s skills.
- Obedience
- Agility
- Tracking
- Herding (both non-competitive tests and competitive trials)
- Rally
- Barn Hunt
- Dock Diving
- Flyball
- Scent Work
- Fast CAT (lure coursing)
Common Health Issues for Norwegian Buhunds
As purebred dogs, Norwegian Buhunds are predisposed to a few health issues. However, there’s only a short list of common health problems for this breed. Buhunds tend to be hardy dogs, and their average life span is 12–15 years. Still, owners should familiarize themselves with these potential issues.
- Hip Dysplasia: This is a hereditary disease that affects how the dog’s hip joint grows. With hip dysplasia, the ball and socket of the dog’s hip joint grow at different rates and don’t fit together properly, leading to pain and lameness. Veterinarians may treat hip dysplasia with anti-inflammatory medication, joint supplements, physical therapy, dietary changes, and possibly surgery, in some cases. Fortunately, breeders can screen for this condition and avoid breeding dogs that carry it.
- Cataracts: This is the most common eye issue for Buhunds. Cataracts are cloudy areas on the lens of the eye that impair vision, just like in humans. They can be treated with surgery. Screening is also available for cataracts.
- von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD): This is a bleeding disorder that affects blood clotting. If your Norwegian Buhund has vWD, you’ll want to be extra careful about preventing injuries, since your dog may bleed excessively if it gets cut. Occasionally, dogs with vWD may experience spontaneous hemorrhaging; other dogs may never display any symptoms. Veterinarians can screen for vWD and will take extra precautions if your dog ever needs surgery.
The Norwegian Buhund Club of America recommends that all dogs get a hip evaluation and an ophthalmologist evaluation to screen for some of these issues.
Diet and Nutrition
As with all dog breeds, feed your Norwegian Buhund high-quality food that’s appropriate for its age: puppy, adult, or senior. You can talk to your veterinarian to get recommendations for good commercial dog food brands or a healthy recipe you can cook yourself.
Since Buhunds are prone to hip dysplasia, it’s extra important to help your dog maintain a healthy weight. Obesity can compound joint issues in dogs, as well as causing a variety of other health problems. Feed your dog the right portion of food for its age and size, ensure it gets 1–2 hours of daily exercise, and go easy on the treats!
The Norwegian Buhund's thick double coat is practically self-cleaning. These dogs blow their undercoat (meaning they shed the whole thing) up to twice per year, so expect some periods of heavy shedding!
Grooming Requirements
In many ways, the Norwegian Buhund has an easy-care coat. The comparatively harsh hair of the dog’s outer coat prevents dirt and other messy substances from sticking to it. It’s practically a self-cleaning coat! These are not stinky dogs, either; the AKC describes the Buhund as “practically odorless.” Your Buhund won’t need much bathing, but when it does get wet, its coat dries easily as well.
Shedding
Dogs with thick undercoats do tend to shed, and while the Norwegian Buhund is considered to be a moderate shedder overall, it does heavy seasonal sheds 1–2 times per year. At these points, your dog will shed—or “blow”—its entire undercoat. Expect to deal with lots of loose, wooly hair when your dog is blowing its coat!
Generally, the Norwegian Buhund needs brushing 2–3 times per week. During its seasonal sheds, you should brush your dog every day, aiming to brush out all that loose undercoat hair before it starts drifting around your house.
Training and Socialization
Spitz-type dogs are often willful and independent, and the Norwegian Buhund has some of those characteristics, but it’s also an eager-to-please breed. This makes it a fairly easy dog to train; this breed is smart enough to learn fast, and it’ll want to follow your commands to please you. However, the AKC notes that sometimes the Buhund’s independence clashes with its obedience—your dog will want to listen to you, but it’ll also want to go do its own thing!
Clicker Training
Many owners have had good results using clicker training with their Norwegian Buhunds. This is a positive-reinforcement technique that involves using a mechanical clicker to indicate when the dog has done what you asked, then following it with a small treat. The sound of the clicker helps the dog understand exactly what it did right, and the treat rewards the behavior. Buhunds are easily motivated by food, so they’ll be eager to keep following your commands to get more treats!
Types of Training for Norwegian Buhunds
- Obedience: Plan to give your dog at least basic obedience training; you might also consider advanced obedience, depending on how the basics go. Make sure you spend time training recall, which will help you manage your dog’s herding instincts, as well as “speak/quiet” to deal with excessive barking.
- Socialization: Early socialization classes are also important to help prepare your dog to meet new people, other dogs, and other types of pets, as well as to expose them to new situations. Norwegian Buhunds are sensitive to their environment, so getting them accustomed to different sights, smells, and sounds when they’re young will help them grow up to be confident dogs.
- Work: As mentioned before, this breed likes having a task to do, so you might consider getting your Buhund involved in a side job! Since this is a friendly and affectionate breed, many Buhunds make good therapy dogs. (Interestingly, they’re also a common choice for hearing assistance dogs.)
Norwegian Buhunds have lived as farm dogs and family companions for centuries.
History of the Norwegian Buhund
The Buhund is known as the Viking dog, but its ancestors actually predated the Vikings. The exact origins of this ancient breed are unknown, but historical evidence confirms that these dogs sailed with the Vikings aboard their boats, as well as traveling with them across land.
When a Viking burial mound from 900 AD was excavated in the Vestfold region of Norway, the skeletal remains of six dogs were found, and they bore