Do you want a Buhund
If you have already decided that the Norwegian Buhund is the dog for you, it may be because you know somebody who owns one, in which case you should already have a good idea of the type of dog you would be buying. It however, you have just been studying dog books or have met one or two briefly you will, no doubt have a number of questions which you would like answering. This has been produced to answer the most common queries, but the best way to find out about the breed is to meet as many as possible.
Like people Buhunds are all different. To find where the nearest Buhunds are, contact the secretary of the Norwegian Buhund Club. Her phone number or email address can be found under committee on this site. It is suggested that you also read the Breed Standard, particularly if you are interested in showing your dog.
Norwegian Buhunds are a medium sized breed, big enough to be a 'proper dog' but not too big for anyone in reasonable health to be able to handled with ease. They are intelligent and very affectionate towards people. They are happiest in home environment as they enjoy being with people and adapt very well to being a member of the family.
They are very hardy dogs, usually only going to the vet's for their boosters and they can stand the cold very well – although they do like a nice fire in the winter! Being a Scandinavian breed, they are not so happy in very hot weather and prefer to sleep away the hot days in a shady corner. They have a thick double coat consisting of a soft woolly undercoat and a top coat of harsher, water-proof hair. Their coats need very little attention for most of the year, just a brush or comb tow or three times a week.
Buhunds generally get on well with children but, like any breed, they should not be left alone with un-supervised young children who can easily frighten or hurt a dog without realising it.
Neither should children be allowed to take a dog for a walk without being accompanied by an adult. A well trainer Buhund will walk well on a lead, but any self respecting dog will fight back if attacked by another dog and children are not strong enough to copy with that sort of situation.
The Norwegian Buhund makes an excellent house dog and their warning bark will deter unwelcome visitors despite their relatively small size. However, it is not in their nature to defend. If trained correctly they can be very obedient though you will have to be very dedicated to achieve success with a Buhund if you intend to do Obedience work seriously. The Buhund is a clever dog, he will discover your weak spots even before you are aware of them.
A few Buhunds are still trained and used to do their original work of herding livestock and there are some in this country who are working on farms. The instinct to work is still present, so if you live in an area where there is livestock you must be prepared to make doubly sure that your Buhund is not allowed to wander as anything on four legs could be chased and a farmer will not hesitate to shoot at the dog he thinks is worrying livestock, whether it is or not. A dog which is off the lead, is not under control as far as the law is concerned.
If you think that you may like a dog which you can show, the Buhund is an easy dog to prepare and train for the show ring. All this is necessary is that your dog is trained to stand to allow a judge to examine him/her and that he/she will walk sensibly on a loose lead. There are training classes in most areas that you can take your dog to and they will help train you and your dog, these are normally run by experienced people who will give you any information about showing you ask for.
The two main disadvantages of owning a Buhund are that they bark and they moult. The barking can be controlled by firm training, but there is little that you can dog about the moult, which occurs once or twice a year. If you are very house-proud, then the Buhund is not for you. During the moult your dog will need brushing every day and your house will need hoovering at least twice. At the height of the moult it is often useful to bath your dog as this helps to loosen the dead coat more quickly. The quicker the hair is out the quicker the new coat comes in. This is probably the only time during the new when they need a bath. They are naturally clean and will wash themselves like cats. Buhunds do not have the doggy odour of many other breeds. For most of the year, very little coat is shed but all Buhunds moult to some extent, usually in the spring and autumn, before growing new coats.
Ault or Puppy
If you decide that your want a puppy you will have plenty of fun with it, but you have to remember that any faults in its training are your responsibility. The way you rear and train your puppy is very important and the adult dog with whom you will be spending many years with will be the result of that training. If you buy a Buhund as a very young puppy, you will have the enjoyment of watching him/her develop into an adult and will be able to train it to fit your way of life. You will also find it easier to understand the adult dog if you have seen him/her grow up from puppyhood. If it does things that you don't like, and it will, you will have time to train it out of those things before they become a habit.
Owning and training a puppy requires much hard work and patience. The puppy will need to be taught everything it will not be house-trained. House-training is not something nature teaches, Buhunds are usually quick to learn. The puppy will have to adapt to new people and surroundings and will, if given the opportunity go through a phase of testing its teeth on all sorts of things as all puppies do. Buhund puppies are also very energetic, often not realising that they are tired. No-one ever told the Buhund that puppies should sleep for most of the day.
An adult Buhund may be ideal if you realise that your circumstances are not suitable for rearing a puppy. Older dogs and bitches are sometimes available due to ill-health or change in life style of their owners. Sometimes a breeder will be willing to allow an adult to go to a suitable home, if they feel the dog will be happier where it can have more individual attention than is possible where a number of dogs live together. If you do decide on an older dog, make sure that you discover the reason that the owners have for parting with the dog. The reason is usually quite valid, but sometimes a dog of any breed can have some vice, such as fighting with other dogs or not tolerating children. If you obtain an older adult through the breed club rescue, the temperament is assessed before the dog is put up for re-homing.
Older Buhunds can be a delight to live with and giving a home to one of even seven or eight years can bring many yours of pleasure. Older dogs are not nearly as energetic as younger ones and are therefore less demanding but they are as loyal and affectionate. If not more so, than the busy youngster. Like people older dogs are more set in their ways and you may well find yourself altering your routine to fit in with them, rather than the other way round!
Dog or Bitch
Most Buhund owners who have owned both sexes will agree that unlike many breeds, the males tend to be more affectionate and loyal than the bitches. The bitches tend to be very self possessed and often prefer their own company, whereas a male will be quite happy to spend all his time in your company. Bitches are usually easier to train as they are not quite so stubborn and are more sensitive to reprimand.
The dogs need very firm handling from the start, as they are very likely to try to dominate their owners at some stage in their development, particularly when they are at the adolescent stage. Both dogs and bitches can have a very strong guarding instinct, and in both sexes this must be discouraged right from the beginning or the over-indulgent owner may well find that the dog considers some part of the house to be exclusively his, rather than his owner's. There is no need to hit a dog voice is very powerful when used correctly, and the owner should be the top of the pack at all times. Dogs are also very strong for physical strength in their handling than bitches.
Bitches, of course come into season every six months or so and if you live in a town you may find that stray dogs hang around your house at this time and it can be a great nuisance. This of course can be stopped by contacting the local dog warden who will come and collect the dog that is hanging around your house and garden. Dogs should not be allowed out alone to be nuisances to other dog owners. You can have your bitch spayed if you find it difficult to cope with an in-season bitch. Many Buhund bitches are spayed after their first season and seem to suffer no ill-effects after the operation. Some male dogs are bitten by the wandering bug and if this is not prevented you may find the habit impossible to break. Whether you decide on a dog or bitch, it is important to make sure that you have a secure well-fenced garden before you consider bringing home a puppy.
Where to obtain a puppy
Whatever breed of dog you are thinking of buying you should always buy direct from the breeder of the litter. This means you will be able to meet the dam of the litter and, possibly several other generations as well. Never be put off seeing the dam of the litter no matter what excuse is given. If the breeder says you cannot see the dam then it is not recommended you buy a puppy from that breeder. You will be able to see the conditions in which the puppies are being reared and to decide if you think that the puppies have been well looked after from bitch. Names and addresses of breeders are obtainable either from the breed club, or from the Kennel Club. If possible go and see several different breeders so that you can decide what you are looking for in the breed. You may want a more active type, or a quieter or you may want one of a particular colour.
If you have decided that you want a Buhund puppy, don't expect just to go out tomorrow and buy one, breeders usually only breed one litter a year, and whilst there is sometimes a glut of puppies, at other times of the year there are no puppies around at all. You should also be prepared to travel some distance to collect your puppy, as there are some parts of the country where there are few or no Buhund breeders.
Choosing your puppy
When you actually go to choose your puppy take your time in deciding which is the right type for you. Barring accidents, Buhunds can live to well over fourteen years and that's a long time to live with anyone. The breeder will already have a good idea about the different personalities of the puppies and it may well be worth listening to their advice as to which is the most suitable puppy for you. Always insist in seeing where the puppies are housed. Puppies are best reared in the house as they are then more quickly socialised and become accustomed to the usual household comings and goings. There is always some mess where pups are being reared, but the area should be reasonably clean and the pups themselves should not be dirty and should look healthy and lively (when they are awake) Puppies may be very well reared, but if they have not been properly socialised from a few weeks old they may remain shy with people all their lives, so be wary of a young litter which is reluctant to come to visitors for a fuss. If you are not happy about the way in which the litter has been brought up, do not buy one of the puppies.
You should also insist on seeing the mother of the puppies. Do not expect her to be in top condition if the pups are still young her coat will probably be coming out in handfuls and her figure will be less than perfect. However, she should not be nervous and should be willing to come to you, although she may be rather wary if she is protective of her puppies, as many Buhund bitches are. If she is nervous, remember that her puppies may well take after her in this respect.
If the breed from whom you intend to buy are sensible and responsible, they will not pressure you into buying if you are not one hundred per cent sure, if they try to apply pressure ask yourself why. Don't be afraid to make enquiries, most people are only too happy to answer questions and to be of assistance. However, if you decide that you don't want a puppy after all, it is only courtesy to let the breeder know that you have changed your mind. Unless you have paid a deposit on a puppy, it is understandable that a breeder will let a puppy go to a genuine purchaser, rather than risk being left with a puppy when a potential owner changes his mind.
Twice as Nice
Once you have seen a litter of Buhund puppies, you may think that having two puppies would be twice as much fun as having one puppy on its own. The two puppies would be company for each other and, since they would be trained together, they wouldn't be twice the work. In fact this is true, they wouldn't be twice the work – they would probably be four times the work of one puppy in its own. Puppies take their lead from each other and it would be very difficult to give each the individual attention which pups need, and to get them to pay attention to you and not to each other. It is almost impossible to train young pups together as they are far more interested in playing games with each other than learning from you. Probably the best time to bring home a puppy is when the older one is around eighteen months old. By then he will be reasonably well trained, but still young enough to appreciate a newcomer and not see him as a threat to his status.
Like people some Buhunds take an instant dislike to certain other dogs, often for no apparent reason. This can happen at a very young age, even between puppies in the same litter, probably the best combination of two Buhunds is to have one of each sex – providing one of them is neutered. There is not much pleasure in owning a dog and bitch if they have to be kept apart each time the bitch is in season and it is not really fair on the dog or bitch either. Some dogs are quite sensible and won't bother the bitch until she is actually ready for mating, but others will make life a misery for both themselves and their owners for the whole of the three weeks. Some people will not consider keeping two male dogs together as they wrongly assume that two males will automatically be fighting all the time. This is by no means true Buhunds are far more peaceable then their female counterparts and even dogs used fairly regularly at stud will live together if treated sensibly. Whether dogs or bitches, dogs have to be allowed to sort out their own pecking order and once they have decided between them who is to be 'Top Dog' in your house, life should be fairly peaceful. The Top Top Dog must have only two legs.
Price
Very few breeders of Norwegian Buhunds will differentiate between the price of a puppy sold as a show dog. This is because it is usually very difficult to tell at such an early age which puppy will make a successful show dog and which will only be suitable as a pet. In some instances, the only difference between top winners and a pet dog will be the position of a few teeth. However, you may be able to obtain a puppy at a reduced price if it has a very obvious fault, such as a bad mouth. Such a puppy will make an ideal pet, but it should be made clear to you at the time of purchase that this fault is present and the puppy may be sold without registration papers, or with endorsed papers to ensure that the puppy is not bred from when mature. The puppies pedigree is written or printed out by the breeder and registration papers come from the Kennel Club. These will have the Kennel Clubs stamp at the top and a section for the new owner to fill in and send back to the Kennel Club to transfer the puppy into your name. In most occasions the breeder will have this Kennel Club registration paper to give to you when you go and collect your new puppy at 8 weeks of age. However, on occasions the papers do not get received by the breeder on time for you to collect them with the puppy in this case they should be sent to you within a short period of time. If the breeder does not send the papers or you are informed when you buy the puppy that it is not going to be registered then you should not pay the same price as other puppies from other breeders. You can always phone the secretary of the club and ask what the current price is for a registered puppy, if unregistered then the price should be considerably less and it is advisable to ask the why the puppy is not being registered. It may be there is a problem with the parents or the breeder is not a licensed breeder which most Buhund breeders are. Buhund breeders usually bred one perhaps two litters a year they do not require a license to do this, however if they breed more than five litters in a year they require a local council license if they do not have one the Kennel Club will not register the extra litters. The fact that one litter is being sold for a much higher price than another does not necessarily mean that the higher priced puppies are better than the cheaper, just that the breeder is asking more for them.
Exercise and Training
The Buhund has been bred as a working farm dog for centuries and it is still bred to be an active dog, capable of arduous work. He will take as much exercise as you can give him, once he is fully grown, but, provided he is also mentally exercised, he will be equally happy with just a few short walks a day. Like most of the pastoral breeds, the Buhund is an intelligent dog and so easily becomes bored if left alone or ignored for long periods. When he is bored he is quite likely to cause trouble and become destructive. Likewise, while a Buhund will be quite happy to live part of his day in a kennel and run, if he does not receive sufficient attention he will simply bark at anything and nothing. If it doesn't annoy you, it will certainly upset the neighbours and cause complaints. If your life style means that you are out of the house for long periods, or don't have enough spare time to devote to a dog, you should seriously consider whether or not you have the time or energy to own any active working breed.
It is strongly recommended that when you do acquire a puppy you take him to your local training class. In most areas there are classes which will help both the novice owner and the more experienced with training at all levels. It is useful not only for training, but also for socialising you puppy and familiarising him with strange dogs and people. If you do not know of a class your vet, local library or the Kennel Club should be able to put you in touch with one.
You may find that your local classes also run some sort of Agility class. Agility is a rapidly growing area of canine activity and one which a Buhund should thoroughly enjoy. It can be great fun for both dog and owner and combines both training and exercise.
Breeding
Norwegian Buhunds are not a commercial breed, the puppies are often hard to sell as many people have never heard of the breed. If you own a bitch and decide that you would like to breed from her, you must consider whether you have the facilities to keep a litter of puppies, perhaps until they are four or five months old, as it is not unknown for whole litters to remain unsold until they are that age. In order to ensure that puppies go to suitable homes they should never be sold to pet shops or dealers where you will have no say in their future. Once you breed a litter you will have responsibilities for that litter for the rest of their lives. Many homes which appear to be suitable turn out to be less so after a few months and you may find puppies coming back to you at various stages in their lives and you then have an even more difficult task of rehoming an older dog.
All the above factors apply if you own a male dog who has sired a litter. You may not have direct responsibility for the puppies, but without your dog they would not have been produced and hopefully, you would not want the sons and daughters of your dog to end up being abandoned or mistreated. If you do get enquiries about using your dog at stud, think about the reasons the owner of the bitch gives for wanting a litter and if you are not happy with those reasons, refuse permission. If you decide to breed a litter, you should first contact the breeder of your bitch and ask for their advice as they should be fairly well informed about a suitable stud dog and the possibility of finding good homes as at particular times. If you have lost contact with the breed, the secretary of the Norwegian Buhund Club will be able to put you in touch with another breeder who will have some knowledge of your bitch's pedigree.
Health & Hereditary Problems
Generally speaking the Buhund is a remarkable healthy breed and most will only visit the vet's for injections,. They do have the occasional ear or eye infection and some tend to be more accident prone than others. Properly cared for, the Buhund should live an active life well into their teens.
Until 1985 it was thought that, unlike most other breeds, the Buhund was not affected by an hereditary diseases. However, it has been discovered that there is an incidence of Hereditary Cataract in the breed. In most cases the dog's sight is only minimally affected, if at all, but as it is possible that a dog with very small cataracts can produce puppies which are far more seriously affected, no Buhund with cataracts should ever be bred from. The Norwegian Buhund Club is actively involved in trying to eliminate this condition from the breed, but as the number of Buhunds is comparatively small, this will inevitably take a number of years.
The condition can only be correctly diagnosed by specialist vets who will examine the eye while the pupil is fully dilated, so that the whole of the lens of the eye can be seen. Most owners would not be aware that their dog has this condition without this specialist examination. In the Buhund, the condition is caused by a recessive gene, so it is not possible to guarantee that any dog is genetically clear of the condition at the present time. If you buy a puppy from a member of the Norwegian Buhund Club, you should expect to see a copy of the dam and sire's current clear eye certificate under a recognised eye scheme. When a dog has been proved to have cataracts they should not be used in a breeding programme. Meanwhile, the vast majority of Buhunds who are affected by cataracts live normal lives and suffer no ill effects from this condition.
Since Buhunds were introduced into this country more than sixty years ago, there have been a small number of cases of epilepsy and a few of hip dysplasia. If considering buying a Buhund, the club would recommend you ask if both parents have been hip scored. The total score for breeding stock should not be more than 18 total. But any dog producing or found to be suffering from any of these conditions should not be bred from. Any cases which are discovered should be reported to the Breed Health Co-ordinator so that the situation can be monitored and steps taken to ensure that these diseases do not become widespread in the breed.
The Buhund is fortunate in that the main problems within the breed are not life- threatening to the dog and it is because breeders have tried to ensure that they breed an un-exaggerated dog that it remains a basically fit, healthy and intelligent breed.