Dunker

Norwegian Hound

This magnificent specimen with aptitudes for hunting as well as company has never managed to go beyond the borders of his country of origin. He is relatively well known in Sweden, but Dunker breedings are rather confined within the Norwegian borders. In spite of his magnificent looks and wonderful qualities, the breed has not managed to take off outside his home country. You will have to go to Norway to find him.

Height 47 to 55 cm
Weight 16 to 22 kg
Life expectancy 11 to 12 years
Home country Norway

Quick Overview of the Dunker

Temperament

  • Friendly and gentle
  • Sociable and pleasant
  • Tenacious and enduring
  • Well-balanced

Appearance

  • Powerful build
  • Extreme endurance
  • Very brave look
  • Coat not too short, tight and rough

Health

  • No particular pathology
  • Generally healthy

Temperament of the Dunker

Friendly, gentle, sociable, pleasant, tenacious, enduring and well-balanced, the Dunker has an excellent temperament.

Due to his easy temperament and great docility, his education usually causes no problems.

This gentle, intelligent, cheerful and very affectionate dog loves everyone without exception.

He is an excellent companion, very sociable and never aggressive.

Even if he can be independent at times, he is very attached to the entire household.

He may be docile and affectionate in the family, but can be determined and tenacious when hunting.

Breed Appearance

dunker

This medium-sized dog can easily fit into a rectangular silhouette.

Despite his powerful constitution, he is not heavy and his build leaves an impression of great resistance.

His silhouette is built more for long distance running than speed running and gives him extreme endurance. He has a very brave look even if he is not very fast.

Height

Between 50 and 55 cm (19.69 to 21.65 inches) for the male
Between 47 and 53 cm (18.50 to 20.87 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 16 and 22 kg (35.27 to 48.50 pounds) for the male
Between 16 and 22 kg (35.27 to 48.50 pounds) for the female

Color

The color of his coat is black or blue blackbird background, with small patches of pale red and white.

Hair

His hair is not too short, but straight, tight and rough.

Morphology

His head has a slightly domed skull and a marked stop.

His big dark eyes are very round. His flat, unfolded ears hang down well against the head and are moderately wide.

His nose is completely black. His straight tail is carried slightly curved upwards.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 6, section 1 and is #203

Tips About this breed

More skilled and built for long-distance running than speed running, the Dunker is an excellent hound specialized in hare hunting.

Despite the fact that he is not very fast, he is excellent on all types of terrain and adapts quite easily to often harsh climatic conditions of his country.

An outstanding hunting and very pleasant companion dog, this naturally sociable dog must still be well trained.

Even if he is easy and docile, it is preferable to start education early. This way, the teacher will have no difficulty in educating and socializing him.

As he needs lots of exercise, he doesn't really like the city, but because he adapts easily, a house with a large garden where he can run around as he pleases will also make him very happy.

However, exercise is essential for his physical fitness and the continuity of his good temperament. He must absolutely spend all this beautiful energy.

Health of the Dunker

The breed is not affected by any particular genetics or pathology.

The Dunker is very robust and enduring and generally enjoys excellent health and long life expectancy.

GROOMING

His pretty fur requires a good regular brushing.

It is also preferable to keep an eye on his hanging ears to avoid potential infections.

They need to be cleaned on a regular basis. No other special maintenance is required.

History of this breed

Originally from Norway, the breed was created by a Norwegian named Wilhelm Dunker, between the 1850s and 1860s. At the time, he crossed a Russian Harlequin with Norwegian hounds with rather fine noses.

Wilhelm Dunker wanted a hunting dog that could hunt hares by smell rather than by sight. With this crossbreed, he also got a very hardy hunting dog.

Even if he was created for hunting, the Dunker has all the qualities to become an excellent companion dog.

As a hunter, he chases unwounded game or pursues wounded game by smell.

As a companion dog, he brings affection, presence, loyalty, constancy and joie de vivre to his entire family.

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