Jämthund
Temperament:
The Jämthund originates from cold and rough areas of Sweden. It is a hunting dog that needs a lot of exercise. Therefore, it is not suitable for a city apartment. They do not tolerate excessive heat and should always be given a cool retreat in the summer. Jämthunde are very proud and loyal and can build a good bond with you and your family.
Characteristics
The Jämthund is a robust, agile and powerful dog of great strength. He is resourceful, confident, intelligent and light on his feet. This dog will form a strong bond with you. He will also bond with all other family members. The Jämthund makes an excellent family dog and companion. The main characteristics of the Jämthund are strength, agility, speed and tenacity. But also boldness, independence, calmness, loyalty, intelligence, alertness, endurance and perseverance. He is a very curious dog that likes to roam around and explore his surroundings. Therefore, he is not an ideal dog for you if you live in the city center. A Jämthund feels comfortable in wide open spaces in nature. So it is necessary that you have a big garden.
The life expectancy of a Jämthund is 12 -13 years. The males grow between 57 and 65 cm tall and weigh about 30 to 35 kg. The females grow between 52 and 60 cm tall and weigh about 25 to 30 kg.
A Jämthund is a very energetic and active dog with great stamina that requires a lot of daily exercise. So remember to take your dog for a walk or jog at least once a day. However, before you take your dog outside, you should give him proper socialization as early as possible. He is, after all, a hunting dog with a strong need to chase his prey. Therefore, he is extremely dangerous to cats and other smaller pets.
The Jämthund often tends to be very dominant when dealing with other dogs. This can quickly end in a fight. You should not tolerate this behavior, so it is very important that you teach your Jämthund obedience. But the Jämthund is a very proud, stubborn and independent dog. He is not easily willing to be trained or controlled.
The Jämthund requires a dominant and confident leader with a lot of experience. You need to start training as soon as the puppy is three months old. Organize his training sessions in a fun and focused way with a gentle attitude. But without too many repetitions. Also, you need to keep the lessons short, but persistent every day. Only in this way your Jämthund will be ready to fully engage in the training. The good thing is that he is a very smart dog. With a correct approach, you can teach him all the commands effortlessly. This is the reason why the Jämthund is a great hunting dog as well as a working dog. He can be used for all kinds of work. From watching and guarding to pulling and herding sleds. His ability to easily understand and accept his duties made him such a valued dog in his home country. There he is officially recognized as the Swedish national dog.
The Jämthund is a large medium-sized dog that looks very wolf-like. He is slightly longer at the withers than tall. His body is muscular and supple. The medium length coat of this dog is hard and dense. The underlying layer of hair is soft and light, while the protective layer above is rough but smooth to the touch. The hair is slightly longer on the neck, chest, tail, buttocks, and back of the front legs. This coat is perfect for cold winter conditions. But because of that, this dog cannot withstand excessive heat. So remember to keep your Jämthund in a shaded, cooler area on hot summer days. The Jämthund has a wolf-like color pattern. The gray or dark gray hair is on most of his body, head and tail. On his muzzle, cheeks, chest, belly, tail and legs are additional larger cream colored patches.
The wedge-shaped head of a Jämthund is very reminiscent of a gray wolf. He has a medium, strong and slightly tapering muzzle with strong jaws. His rather small brown eyes have a lively look. The broad nose is black and the pointed ears are triangular and erect. The neck is strong and long. The chest is broad. The tail is long and curled loosely on his long, broad and strong back. The front legs are straight and firm. The hind legs are muscular and very strong. The feet are well furnished with hair and rather small. The Jämthund is an elegant animal with incredible agility and jumping power. Its graceful and fast gait allows it to overcome the toughest terrains without effort.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
The Jämthund should be fed a high quality dog food. It is best to prepare this yourself under the supervision and approval of your veterinarian. The diet should be appropriate for the dog's age (puppy, adult or senior). Most yam dogs are "omnivores" and not picky eaters. They make pitying faces to weaken you to give them as many treats as you can muster.
Therefore, it is also important that you offer your dog a lot of exercise and only then give him his food. In this way, you can prevent your four-legged friend from becoming overweight.
One sign of an overweight dog is a rolling motion on the dog's back or sides when he trots. Clean, fresh water should be available for your four-legged friend at all times.
Jämthund care
Most Jämthunde love to swim and this can be a great way to cool off during the hot summer months. Just watch out when they shake out their thick fur afterwards. Otherwise, you'll get an unwanted shower.
As long as the Jämthunde get plenty of exercise throughout the day, these animals can be kept in apartments. However, as guard dogs, they tend to bark. Overall, however, these dogs are happiest in homes with well-fenced yards.
These dogs usually get along well with strangers and are very gentle with children. This makes them a good option as a family pet. However, as with any dog, you should never leave them unsupervised with small children.
These dogs can show aggression towards other dogs. Therefore, you should start proper socialization very early.
These dogs need frequent brushing to remove loose hair and dead skin. The coats of these dogs can become matted quickly if they are not brushed enough.
The animals are created for cold weather. Although they can survive a warmer climate, they are happiest in the ice and snow.
Suitable accessories
In order for your Jämthund to do well, you should buy high-quality dog food. Of course, you can also prepare it yourself. In addition, these four-legged friends need a lot of exercise. Therefore, it is best to have a garden or spend a lot of time in nature. A toy with which you can exhaust your dog is perfect for this. Furthermore, you will need a brush, because the fur of the animals often needs to be combed. A leash can't hurt either. Since they are hunting dogs, they like to dash off in certain situations.
Origin & History
The early Jämt dogs came to northern Sweden thousands of years ago. The dog got its name because it was originally bred in Jämtland. A district in the middle of Sweden, near the Swedish-Norwegian border. This area includes vast areas of dense forests and steep mountains. In addition, the region is known as one of the harshest climates in the world. Such harsh conditions place special demands on the physical characteristics of hunting dogs. The dense coat of the Jämthund is a reliable protection against water and cold. Its wedge-shaped muzzle withstands gusty and cold north winds. Its fast and muscular legs can easily conquer the barely passable terrain.
The Jämthund and the Norwegian Elkhound have very few differences. These two breeds originally came from the same basic stock. At the beginning of the 20th century, such a striking similarity caused confusion. It was thought that all gray-haired specimens of Elkhounds represented a single dog variety. For more than 40 years of the last century, the Jämthund was bred only by a small group of loyal breeders. These lived mainly in the areas of the province of Jämtland.
In 1942, Norwegian Aksel Lindström noticed that his beloved Nordic breed, the Jämthund, was in danger of extinction. So he urged the publication of an article about this majestic breed and managed to draw the attention of the entire nation to this problem. In particular, Lindström managed to arouse interest in the breed among Count Björn von Rosen, a famous dog lover and diplomat. These two men applied to the Swedish Kennel Club for recognition of the Jämthund as a separate breed. The club agreed to this proposal and worked out its final standard in 1946. Today, this breed still lives primarily as a guard and hunting dog, but many also simply enjoy life as a family pet.
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