At a glance the quick version
Weight from Wikipedia; neither the FCI nor the AKC standard sets a weight.
Coat and looks how to spot one
short double coat
A compact, slightly longer-than-tall spitz with a short, harsh and straight top coat over a fine, dense undercoat. It has pricked ears and a tail curled over the back.13
Personality what they are like
A lively yet composed spitz that is bold and alert in the field and gentle at home. It is curious and bright, and happy to announce its excitement with a bark.132
Daily activity how busy a day looks
High. Bred to track forest game over rough ground, it needs plenty of daily exercise and mental work.32
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The short double coat is low-maintenance; a weekly brush suits it, with extra brushing when the undercoat sheds.1
Home where they are happiest
Best with an active household and access to outdoor space; its weather-resistant coat suits cold climates.3
Company who they like around
Generally even-tempered with its family; children should give it space, as it is said to have little patience for being pestered.2
The story where it all began
Small spitz dogs of this type have hunted in northern Scandinavia since ancient times, used on gamebirds and larger forest game. After the fur trade collapsed following the Second World War the breed became so scarce that the Swedish Kennel Club declared it extinct in 1948. Dogs were later found on remote homesteads, and the breed was reinstated in 1967.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It was officially declared extinct in 1948, then rediscovered on farms in northern Sweden and re-registered in 1967.1
- 2
The AKC standard says a Norrbottenspets barking in excitement in the show ring should not be penalised.3
- 3
Hunters tell stories of Norrbottenspets chasing off bears that had turned on their owners.2
- 4
It was used to hunt everything from gamebirds to elk, using sight, scent and hearing together.3
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 276, Group 5 Spitz and primitive types, Section 2 Nordic hunting dogs; standard published 28.07.2009, country of origin Sweden.1
- AKC
- The AKC has a published standard for the breed, approved 1 January 2013 and effective 1 January 2014.3
- Swedish Kennel Club
- Declared extinct in 1948, then returned to the Swedish register in 1967 after dogs were found on farms in Norrbotten.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Norrbottenspets. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery 3 weeks
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery day
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 10every year
You might also like
Finnish Spitz
Norwegian Lundehund
Swedish LapphundLike what we are building? Buy us a coffee.
The breed atlas is free for everyone, with a source on every fact, and it will never show ads. If it helped you, a small tip keeps the research going. Any amount is lovely, and no is a perfectly fine answer too.
Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI Standard N° 276 Norrbottenspitz fci.beused for recognition, height, coat, colours, temperament, history
- Wikipedia: Norrbottenspets en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, weight, history, social notes
- AKC Official Standard of the Norrbottenspets images.akc.orgused for height, temperament, colours, working use
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.