English Setter vs Black Norwegian Elkhound - Breed Comparison

History

The English Setter seems to have been a hunting dog in England as far back as the 15th century. These dogs were known to be ‘setter types’ – hunting dogs that ‘set dogges’ – to set or point at game birds. It is believed that the English Setter is a cross of the Water Spaniel, Spanish Pointer and English Springer Spaniel. In the late 1500’s Sr. Johannes Caius, a sportsman, announced to his friends that there was a new dog our of France for hunting. He then describes an English Setter.

Then in the early 1800’s Rev. Harrison of Carlise sold a couple of setters to Mr. Laverack. This pair is the foundation for the breed of English Setters. Without really knowing, Laverack claimed that this line he was breeding from had been pure for 35 previous years. He inbred his male and female for many years and did well in confirmation and field trials.

Then in 1874 the first English Setters were imported to the US from this Laverack line. Mr. Llewellin then crossed the best dogs in the Laverack line with his dogs and eventually produced winning champions Armstrong Dash II and Dashing Bondhu. This led to the “Dashing Bondhu” or the Llewellin line of English Setters. This is why the English Setter is sometimes referred to as the Llewelllin or Laverack Setter.

The setter group to which the English setter belongs includes the Irish Setter, the Gordon Setters and the Irish Red and White Setter. The English Setter, as well as the others, were bred to hunt birds such as pheasant and quail. It was the job of the setter to find the prey and point it out to the hunter after it had been shot. They were also used to flush the birds from the brush so that the hunter could then release hawks to take down the prey. The English Setter is methodical and systemic in their approach.

By the 1600’s this working dog had become the breed of the landed gentry and shooting game was their pastime. These nobles did not use hawks to capture the prey but rather shot them after the English Setter flushed them out. The English Setter is very popular today both as a hunting dog and as a family pet. The English Setter is bred for athleticism and endurance. The have both AKC and UKC certification.

The Black Norwegian Elkhound was first bred in Norway in the early part of the 19th century as a smaller version of the Grey Norwegian Elkhound. The Black version is a Spitz and is very seldom seen anywhere in world but Norway. He is designed for the same job that the Grey Norwegian Elkhound performed. The difference is that the Black Norwegian is smaller, easier to see in the snow and ice of Norway and smaller than the Grey. It is a hunter, a herder, a guard dog and a watch dog. Because of the temperatures in Norway it was very important to have a hunting dog that was able to deal with the cold, the snow and the heavy fall rains in Norway and Scandinavia. The Black Norwegian Elkhound is a powerful and prideful dog. Much more so than the grey, he is independent and strongminded. It is highly intelligent and is one of the most ancient of breeds. He is more durable and more quarrelsome than his cousin the Grey Norwegian Elkhound or the more familiar Swedish Elkhound.

Ancestors of the Black date back to the first days human kind went hunting around 4000-5000BC. There have been skeletons of dogs very much like the Black Norwegian Elkhound found that dated back to that time period. They hunted and guarded for the Vikings and pulled sleds as well. They hunted deer, moose, badger, elk, mountain lions, bears, wolves, lynx, rabbit and reindeer. They are trackers who hold their quarry at bay by barking until the hunter can find them. Today they serve as loved family pets and guard dogs. In a National Emergency the leader of Norway can call up all the privately-owned elkhounds of any kind and assign them to work in a variety of sledding duties. Within the FCI, the Black Norwegian Elkhound is classified as a primitive Nordic hunting dog.

The English Setter is very much a setter in his looks. He is medium in size and was bred to hunt by following airborne prey over a large expanse of ground. He has to have both speed and stamina. He also has to run with his head up watching the prey in the air.

He has a slight dome shaped head and a long muzzle with dark, gentle eyes. The ears have their tips lined up with the eyes, the neck is long and muscular. He shows powerful hindquarters and a fairly long tail.

The coat length is medium and silk. The ears, chest, neck and legs are feathered, as is the tail. The hunting version has a shorter, finer coat than the show dog. The show dogs’ coats are flowing and long. Both types have a white coat with Belton or ticking. The Belton can be black, orange, lemon, liver and the tricolor. This is the liver or blue Belton but there are tan markings on the legs, chest, and face. It was Laverack who named the ticking Belton after a village in England.

The Black Norwegian Elkhound is a short compact Spitz with dark eyes and a curly tail. It is the coat that sets this dog apart. It is an all-weather coat suitable for the cold, the snow and the rain of Norway. Ears are pointed and erect while the head is wedged and broad. His head is almost like that of a wolf. Its body is strong and compact. Its coat is coarse, short and double. He has a broad black nose with a straight bridge and with black lips and dark brown oval eyes. His legs and withers are strong boned and powerful with well padded feet to protect it from the freezing temperatures of Scandinavia.

The AKC standard for the English Setter breed describes him as a “Gentleman by Nature” and that might be all you need to know about this delightful dog. They are people-oriented and settle right down with their families if they get enough exercise. With proper stimulation they become couch potatoes when you bring them in at night.

They are very friendly with everyone but are especially happy when playing with children. You can trust them with your other pets, children of all ages and anyone coming to your front door. They are not guard dogs. However, they can have a stubborn streak, they can be strong-willed. This is especially true the more working than show stock they are. In addition, they are intelligent, calm and quiet in the house.

This dog was made for families. He loves children and is not a one person dogs. He gets attached to everyone in the family. However, he is smart and stubborn. He loves to join in with whatever the family is doing but he does it to please himself not his owner. He loves, loves, loves to play and has the stamina to do so all day long. He is agile, bold, independent, strong, curious and loyal. His loyalty can be territorial, and he can become protective of his home and his family. This makes him an excellent watchdog until your friends come to visit and he won’t let them in the house. You need a high fence to keep him safe in your own yard and away from strangers and even guests till he gets to know them.He tends to be dominant and aggressive with other dogs. They also have strong hunting instincts.

English Setters, like many other breeds that have a base white coat, can be affected by congenital deafness. A test done by LSU in 2010 showed the 12.4% of the dogs they tested were affected by this. They are also prone to:

1. Allergies
2. Both Airborne and food allergies can plaque the English Setter
3. Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism

Most of this is caused by autoimmune thyroiditis or a condition where the immune system attacks its own thyroid gland.

Cancer

The primary cause of death after ten years old

The Black Norwegian Elkhound is a strong and hardy dog, though he is susceptible to some of the problems many breeds face. These include issues with luxating patella, optical entropion, hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and Fanconi syndrome. The most serious of these is the Fanconi Syndrome which is an abnormal functioning in the tubules of the kidneys. This can be a life-threatening situation.

Feeding

The English Setter is a hard working dog and should be fed accordingly. Puppies should be fed three times a day and adults twice to avoid bloat. Watch your English Spaniel though as they love to counter surf.

Health issues

In addition to the conditions listed above the English Setter is prone to:

Bloat

Caused by excessive exercise before or after having eaten a large meal. It is suggested that you feed your English Setter twice a day, smaller meals and not right before or after strenuous exercise.

Ear

Keep her ears clean and check regularly for infections.

Exercise and games

The English Spaniel needs exercise on a routine basis – every day walks are best along with some time to just run either in a fenced yard or dog park. Take her jogging, running alongside your bike, hiking or just long walks. They do well with lure coursing, agility, confirmation, obedience and rally.

This is an energetic active dog, or she should be. Feed her high nutritious food twice a day. Do not overfeed.

The most potentially troublesome health issue is Fanconi Syndrome. This kidney disorder can impact the of the body’s absorption of electrolytes, water and nutrients. These nutrients include Sodium, Potassium, Glucose, Phosphate, Amino Acids and Phosphate

The Black Norwegian Elkhound loves to play, and they love to work. Exercise is vital, but it must be one of those two things – play or work. Don’t leave him alone to figure it out for himself or you wont like what this intelligent dog decides to do. She needs a large yard, a long walk daily but jogging with you is even better. Make him heel when on leash or he will think he oversees you. These are roaming dogs who will follow a scent anywhere and ignore your commands for her to come to you. They are better off on a leash unless you are in a dog park or a fenced yard.

The Black Norwegian Elkhound is great at all dog athletics, games and sports such as agility, rally obedience, flyball, tracking, herding.