Owning dogs, especially providing care for the norwegian elkhound, is old hat for humans across the globe. Experts have proven dogs were first domesticated between twelve thousand and 25,000 years ago—and that all dogs evolved from the wolf. Since those days, human beings have selectively bred more than four hundred breeds, which range in size from four-pound teacup poodles to Irish wolfhounds, whose 3-foot stature earns them the title of the tallest pooch. But the most widespread pooches are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mutts. The norwegian elkhound is another favorite pick with canine owners. Some owners are oblivious, however, of many common norwegian elkhound care tips.
Typical health care cost for your norwegian elkhound
The yearly cost of raising the norwegian elkhound—to include everything from nutrition and treats, to doctor bills, toys and license—can vary between $420 and seven hundred eighty dollars. This does not even account for capital costs for spay/neuter surgery, collar and leash, carrier and dog crate. Note: Make sure you have obtained all the required items before bringing your norwegian elkhound home.
Basic norwegian elkhound Care
norwegian elkhound Feeding Routine
- norwegian elkhound pups between eight and 12 weeks need 4 meals a day.
- norwegian elkhound puppies 3 to 6 months old should be fed 3 meals every day.
- Feed puppies 6 months old to 1 year old two meals in a day.
- When the norwegian elkhound makes his first birthday, one feeding daily is sufficient.
- Some adult norwegian elkhounds, however, eat 2 smaller meals. It’s your responsibility to learn your norwegian elkhound’s eating schedule.
High-quality dry dogfood ensures a well-balanced diet to grown norwegian elkhounds and may be mixed with canned food, broth, or water. Your norwegian elkhound may enjoy cooked eggs, cottage cheese, and fruits and vegetables, but these foods should be less than 10 pct of her daily food allowance. norwegian elkhound puppies should probably be fed top-quality, name brand puppy food. You should limit “people food”, however, because it can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies, bone and teeth concerns, and may create very picky food choices and obesity. Clean, fresh water should be made only, and be certain to wash water and food bowls very often.
norwegian elkhound Care Tips: Your norwegian elkhound needs physical activity daily
norwegian elkhounds need exercise in order to burn calories, stimulate their brains, and keep healthy. Exercise also really helps norwegian elkhounds fight boredom, which often has the potential to lead to to destructive behavior. Exercise can appease most of your norwegian elkhound’s desires to dig, retrieve, chase, chew and herd. Activity needs can depend on your norwegian elkhound’s level of health and his or her age—but merely a couple of walks down the street every day and ten minutes outside probably won’t suffice. If your norwegian elkhound is a six to eighteen month adolescent, his requirements will probably be a little higher.
Grooming tips for norwegian elkhounds
You can help reduce shedding and keep your norwegian elkhound clean with regular brushing. Inspect for fleas and ticks every day during warm weather. Sometimes norwegian elkhounds don’t need a bath more than a few times a year. Prior to the bath, comb or cut out any and all mats from the norwegian elkhound’s hair. Carefully rinse all soap out of the coat, or dirt will stick to soap residue.
norwegian elkhound Handling
Pups, as opposed to adults, are clearly the easiest to manage. To carry your norwegian elkhound pup, put one hand beneath your dog’s chest, with either your forearm or your other hand supporting the hind legs and rump. Don’t ever attempt to grab or lift your puppy by the front legs, back of the neck or tail. If you need to lift a larger, adult norwegian elkhound, lift from underneath, supporting his chest with one of your arms and rear end with your other.
How to House your norwegian elkhound
Your norwegian elkhound needs a comfortable quiet place in order to rest away from all breezes and away from the ground. You may wish to purchase a dog bed, or prefer making one out of a wooden box. Place a clean sheet, comforter, blanket, or pillow in the bed as cushion. Wash the norwegian elkhound’s bed covering frequently. If the norwegian elkhound will be spending a lot of time outdoors, be sure she has access to plenty of cool water and covering in hot weather, and a covered, warm, dry area when it’s cold.
norwegian elkhound Licensing and Identification
Follow the city’s licensing rules. You should affix the license to your norwegian elkhound’s collar. This, together with an ID tattoo, can possibly help you recover your norwegian elkhound should he become lost.
Facts on norwegian elkhound Temperament
About Training the norwegian elkhound
Well-behaved, companion norwegian elkhounds are a pleasure to raise. But when untrained, your dog will most likely be a pain. Training your norwegian elkhound on the basics—”Stay”, “Come”, “Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, and “Leave it”—bolsters your relationship with both your pooch and your visitors. If you own a pup, begin training her on the appropriate behavior asap! Treats can be used as incentive and a reward. Puppies can commence obedience classes when they are sufficiently vaccinated. Call your local humane society or SPCA for information on obedience schools. Always walk your norwegian elkhound leashed in public, even while a puppy. Be positive your dog will come back to you at all times whenever you call her. An aggressive or disobedient norwegian elkhound should not play with kids.
The Health of Your norwegian elkhound
Your norwegian elkhound should visit the veterinarian for a complete assessment, immunizations and heartworm exam annualy, and as soon as possible when he is hurt or ill.
Knowing Your norwegian elkhound’s Dental Health
Although we may object to our norwegian elkhound’s halitosis, it’s important to be aware of what it may be telling us. Foul breath is a symptom that your norwegian elkhound should get a dental exam. Dental plaque , which is a result of germs results in a bad smell that can only be cured with professional treatment. Once your norwegian elkhound has had a professional cleaning, the gums and teeth may be kept healthy by brushing the teeth regularly, feeding a specially formulated dental diet and treats, and avoiding table scraps. Your veterinarian can provide you additional info on eliminating periodontal ailments as well as bad breath. You can brush your norwegian elkhound’s teeth with a dog toothpaste or a paste made of baking soda and water a few times per week. You can clean them with a piece of nylon pantyhose wrapped around your finger, a gauze pad, or a child’s soft toothbrush. Some norwegian elkhounds end up with periodontal disease, a pocket of infection between the gums and teeth. This dreadful condition can initiate loss of teeth as well as spread diseases throughout her body. The doctor will brush your norwegian elkhound’s teeth while performing the typical health exam.
Bad norwegian elkhound Breath
While halitosis brought on by periodontal disease may not be that serious if caught early enough, sometimes those odors may be indicative of fairly serious, long-term issues. Liver or intestinal diseases sometimes also cause foul breath, whereas a sweet, even pleasant smell can usually be indicative of diabetes. When your norwegian elkhound’s breath smells like urine or ammonia, kidney disease may be the cause. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your norwegian elkhound has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
norwegian elkhound Flea and Tick Issues
Regular, daily inspections of your norwegian elkhound for fleas and ticks during the warm seasons are crucial. Use a flea comb to find and remove fleas. There are several new techniques of flea and tick elimination. Speak with your veterinarian about her options.
Heartworm problems in norwegian elkhounds
Your norwegian elkhound is at risk of contracting heartworms if he is exposed to mosquitoes often. Mosquitoes carry heartworms from dog to dog. Several norwegian elkhounds die annualy from heartworm infections. It is critical that you ensure your norwegian elkhound takes a blood screening for this parasite each spring. A once-a-month tablet given during the warm, wet time of the year can protect your norwegian elkhound. Your norwegian elkhound should be on heartworm medication throughout a winter trip to a warmer climate. There are some places, usually the places with milder temperatures, where the veterinarians advise heartworm tablets be consumed continually.
Poisons and Medications
If you’re pondering giving your norwegian elkhound pills that was not prescribed for her by his doctor, forget about it. Did you know that one regular-strength ibuprofen pill can sometimes cause stomach ulcers in some dogs Make sure your norwegian elkhound is never exposed to rat poison and other rodenticides. When you think your doggie has been exposed to a toxin, contact your doctor or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 24 hrs. a day for instructions.
norwegian elkhounds: Spaying and Neutering
Female norwegian elkhounds should be spayed—the removal of the ovaries and uterus—and males neutered—removal of the testes—by six months old. You can greatly diminish your female norwegian elkhound’s chance of breast cancer by spaying before maturity. Spaying also eradicates the risk of a diseased uterus, a very serious condition in older females that necessitates intensive medical care and surgery. Prostate diseases, testicular cancer, some hernias and certain aggressive behavior can be prevented by neutering male norwegian elkhounds.
norwegian elkhound Immunizations
- The combination vaccine (also known as the “five-in-1 shot”) needs to be given to your norwegian elkhound at 2, 3, and four months of age and then once yearly. This vaccine protects your norwegian elkhound puppy from hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and distemper. Your norwegian elkhound puppy’s innoculation program cannot be completed prior to four months old.
- If your norwegian elkhound has not been innoculated and is older than 4 months, he will need 2 vaccinations promptly, 2 or three weeks apart. After that you must vaccinate yearly.
- Your norwegian elkhound pup’s socialization should coincide with her innoculation program. You should take your norwegian elkhound puppy to socialization classes as early as eight to 9 weeks of age, according to most veterinarians. They should have received their first vaccinations by this age.
Laws vary so much around the country, the best thing is to contact your local doctor for rabies immunization info. For instance, New York City regulations declare that pets older than three months be vaccinated for rabies. After the first vaccination, you must get another shot the following year, and then every three years. There are a variety of innoculations that might effective for your norwegian elkhound. Ask your norwegian elkhound’s vet for her recommendation. By the way, if your norwegian elkhound gets ill because he is not properly innoculated, do not give the shot until the dog has made a full recovery.
Intestinal Parasites in norwegian elkhounds
norwegian elkhounds are commonly exposed to worms—especially in rural areas. Tiny eggs produced by roundworms and hookworms are passed in an infected norwegian elkhound’s stool. Even the healthiest of norwegian elkhound puppies carry roundworms or hookworms. The key to effective treatment is correct diagnosis. Early, accurate diagnosis maximizes the possibility that prescribed medication will be highly effective against your norwegian elkhound’s worms. A dewormer that eradicates roundworms, for example, won’t kill tapeworms. Your vet can best identify the culprit—and prescribe the effective medicine.
norwegian elkhound: Miscellaneous Care Tips
norwegian elkhound Supply Checklist
- Top-quality dog food and treats designed for norwegian elkhounds and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water bowl
- As many safe toys as you can provide, especially chewable
- Comb & brush for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with ID tag and license
- Leash
- Dog carrier (for pups)
- Training crate
- Box or dog bed with comforter or towel
- Dog toothbrush
Warnings to be Heeded
Do not feed your norwegian elkhound the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Caffeinated foods, like coffee, tea or chocolate
- Raisins and grapes
- Moldy or spoiled food
- Onions, chives or garlic
- Chicken, turkey, or any other poultry bones
- Salt & salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems and unripe fruit
- Yeast dough
Final Thoughts
Unless you are at home, or in a fenced-in, secured place, always keep your norwegian elkhound on a leash. Whenever your norwegian elkhound does #2 on your neighbor’s yard, her sidewalk or any other public space, please take care of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about norwegian elkhounds
Was this post helpful? If so, please take a minute to Tweet and Share below on Facebook. I would also love to know your thoughts so leave me a comment 🙂
Follow