Norbottenspets / Nordic Spitz, Norrbottenspitz, Pohjanpystykorva

Breed history:

 It is a native Swedish breed whose origins are little known. 

Description:

 It is a medium-sized dog, with a compact but slender structure, square-shaped, the obvious Spitz type. The head is proportional to the body, conical, the muzzle is equal in length to the skull, the nose is black. The ears are medium-sized, triangular, pointed and erect. The tail is bushy and carried on its back. The coat is double-layered with a soft, thick inner layer and an outer layer made of short, thick, waterproof hair. It can be any colour on a white background, the more frequent ones being yellow or reddish-brown spots. 

Personality:

 It is a vigilant, quiet, alert, very active, intelligent, daring, independent dog. It likes to roam and to bark. It is affectionate and very devoted to its master, suspicious of, even dangerous to strangers. It accepts children as long as they don't tease it. It gets along well with other dogs and accepts household animals, but not the ones it doesn't know.

Grooming:

 An occasional brushing, more often during the shedding period is enough.

Living conditions:

 This dog is resistant to weather changes and feels best in the open, in a colder climate. It needs daily exercise, running by a bike or by itself in a well-fenced courtyard. This dog has a highly developed hunting instinct, so it needs to be watched, in order not to run away, when it catches the scent of prey. It needs training and socialization.

Training:

 Just like the other northern dogs, this breed is also quite difficult to train, because it is independent and has a mind of its own. The training must be done by a skilled, patient, determined, persuasive person, in order to achieve an acceptable training level. 

Usefulness:

 It is used as a watchdog, rarely for pulling sleighs and even as a companion dog.