Hällefors Elkhound

		Hällefors Elkhound
		He is not recognized by the F.C.I.


Origin			Sweden
Translation			Francis Vandersteen
En français, cette race se dit			Chien d'élan de Hällefors
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar			Hällefors Elchhund
En español, esta raza se dice			Elkhound de Hällefors
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd			Hällefors Elkhound

The Hällefors Elkhound is a medium-sized, rectangular-shaped Spitz breed with a tail that is either sickle-shaped or curled. Its thick, harsh, and dense coat is always yellow, ranging from fawn to reddish-orange. The coat is lighter on the chest, belly, legs, and underside of the tail. The average height is 55–63 cm for males and 52–60 cm for females.

The Hällefors Elkhound is an energetic, courageous, and persistent dog with a strong character.

The breed was developed in Svealand, though its precise origin is a matter of debate. It is claimed that, despite its name, it was not created in Hällefors but in the village of Fredriksberg, located in the neighboring municipality of Ludvika. It was primarily used for hunting deer, and its most notable ancestors are the Finnish Spitz and the Ostyak Laika. The Swedish Kennel Club (Svenska Kennelklubben) recognized the breed in 2000, and it is now also recognized in several other Nordic countries, such as Finland and Norway.

The breed belongs to the mitochondrial DNA sub-clade known as d1, which is found exclusively in Northern Scandinavia. It originated from hybridization between a female wolf and a dog that occurred after domestication. The d1 sub-clade emerged between 480 and 3,000 years ago and is found in all breeds associated with the Sami people: the Finnish Lapphund, Swedish Lapphund, Lapponian Herder, Swedish Elkhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Black Norwegian Elkhound, and Hällefors Elkhound.