Tracy Lorraine Smith skijoring with Kibo.
NORWEGIAN ELKHOUNDS IN PERFORMANCE
by TRACY LORRAINE SMITH
E lkhounds are not just pretty faces, they are very intelligent and can excel in many di ff erent dog sports. Th ere is nothing like the feeling of working with your best friend. Bred to be independent, when hunting they go o ff and find the moose and then bark and bounce to hold it in place until the hunter comes to shoot it. While they are definitely not a breed that will do something just because you tell them to, with the right kind of training and respect for their independence, you can do just about anything. One of the most popular AKC performance venues is dog agility. Th e athleticism of the Elkhound is showcased in this venue. Elkhounds are run- ning agility at every level and the thrill of a great run with your favorite teammate cannot be beat! AKC agility started in 1994 and the AKC top dog that year was an Elkhound, Berrit, aka Ch. Midnight Sun’s Grin N Berrit MX AXJ CDX VNEX owned and handled by Richard (Dick) Budny. Th e High in Trial trophy for agility at the Elkhound National Specialty is bestowed in her honor. It took a bit longer for the first MACH, but in 2003, “Serker”, MACH Ch. Longships Sealine Berserker VCD2 TD OVNEX owned and handled by Larry Lovig became the first Elkhound to get
“...WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF TRAINING AND RESPECT FOR THEIR INDEPENDENCE, YOU CAN DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.”
168 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , M AY 2015
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