A Practical Look at What This Resource Actually Covers
Most people searching for breed information end up scrolling through three different forums, a handful of outdated blog posts, and a PDF someone scanned from a 2008 yearbook. The New Complete Norwegian Elkhound sits somewhere between a serious reference and a hobbyist compilation, and it depends heavily on what you're actually trying to do with it. I picked up a copy back in 2019 when I was trying to figure out why my dog kept developing hot spots on his hindquarters during summer. The section on coat care turned out to be the most useful part — specifically the breakdown on undercoat blow-out timing based on geographic climate zones. That alone saved me about forty dollars on unnecessary veterinary visits that year. Not everything in the book was worth the price, but that chapter by itself justified it.
The New Complete Norwegian Elkhound: What It Actually Is
It's a breed-specific compilation covering history, conformation standards, health screening recommendations, training approaches, and ownership logistics. The health section pulls from the Norwegian Elkhound Club of America's recommended screening protocol, which means you're looking at OFA hip and elbow evaluations, thyroid panels, and the PRA-optin genetic test. The book doesn't replace a vet visit, obviously, but it gives you a checklist you can actually take somewhere instead of Googling symptoms at 11pm. The training portion is where things get uneven. The early chapters on recall and leash manners are solid and reflect modern positive-reinforcement methodology. Then you hit the section on hunting instincts and the writing gets muddled — it's clearly been updated from older material without fully reconciling the shift in how trainers talk about prey drive. If you're a hunter, some of it still applies. If you're a suburban owner, skip ahead past page 140.
How I Actually Used It
I keep it on the coffee table, not the bookshelf. Most of the reference sections I pull from are the nutrition guidelines and the grooming calendar. The book recommends a specific brushing cadence that aligns with seasonal shedding cycles — heavy brush-out in early March and again in late September for most of the US. I followed it for two years and the difference in house hair was noticeable. My vacuum went from daily to every three days during off-season months. One thing the book gets right that most sources miss: Norwegian Elkhounds are prone to a specific type of ear infection linked to their folded ear structure and the moisture that gets trapped during swimming. The recommendation is to check and dry ears after any water exposure, not just after baths. I'd been doing baths wrong for three years because nobody had told me that. The ear infection that followed cost me about two hundred dollars in treatment and a lot of patience. There's also a useful chart in the appendix that maps common behavior issues to their likely root causes. It's not diagnostic — nothing in a book is — but it helped me recognize that my dog's excessive barking at doors wasn't aggression. It was territorial alert behavior that I'd been unintentionally reinforcing by responding to every single instance. The book suggested a management approach using a baby gate and desensitization instead of correction, and that worked within about six weeks.
Get the Full Details
Where It Falls Short
The health information is generally accurate but not always current. Some of the supplement recommendations reference dosages that have been revised since the book went to print. I'd cross-reference anything medical with a vet before acting on it, especially if your dog has pre-existing conditions. The thyroid section in particular needs updating — the normal reference ranges have shifted slightly in recent years and the book doesn't reflect that. The breed history section is fine but thin on the more controversial topics, like the genetic bottlenecks that have affected the American bloodline compared to European lines. If you're considering importing a dog from Norway or Germany, the book doesn't give you enough to work with. You'd need to consult the import guidelines from the parent clubs directly. For anyone looking for a definitive authority, this isn't it. It's a solid starting point. Pair it with the NECA health database and you'll have more than enough to make informed decisions. If you're on a tight budget, the PDF version is usually available through the publisher's site for a fraction of the hardcover price, and the content is identical.
