A Dunker, also known as the Norwegian Hound, is a medium-sized breed of dog from Norway. It was bred by Wilhelm Dunker to be a scenthound by crossing a Russian Harlequin Hound with dependable Norwegian scent hounds.
It is a very rare dog breed, and most Dunkers are found in Norway and Sweden. On average, 150 puppies from the Dunker breed are born each year.[1]
Appearance
The Dunker has a clean, noble, long head with parallel planes of the skull and muzzle, carried low and not wedge-shaped.[2] Its skull is slightly domed with a defined stop and clean cheeks, the muzzle is long and square-cut with a straight and broad nasal bridge, and its teeth are evenly spaced with a scissor-bite.[2] The Dunker has a black nose with wide nostrils, round, large, and dark eyes, and low-set, wide, flat, ears that hang close to the head and to the middle of the muzzle.[2]
The Dunker has a long neck with no throatiness, sloping shoulders, straight forelegs, a level topline, a straight and strong back with broad and muscular loins, and a slight tuck up in the chest.[2] Its hindquarters are well-angulated, as are its stifle, and its thighs and hocks are broad.[2] The feet are arched, well-knit, have firm pads and hair between the toes, and point straight ahead.[2] The tail is set on level with the topline, strong at the root, tapering at the end, straight, carried in a slight upward curve, and reaches to the hock.[2]
The Dunker's coat is straight, hard, dense, and not too short, with the most desirable colors being black or blue marbled with pale fawn and white markings.[2] Less desirable are warm brown or predominant black reaching from the muzzle and beyond the hock joint, a black mask, and overmarked white, and more than fifty percent white color is a disqualification.[2]
The Dunker weighs around 35–39 pounds (16–18 kg), and males are 19.5–21.5 inches (50–55 cm) at the withers, while females are 18.5–20.5 inches (47–52 cm).[2]
History
The breed is named after the Norwegian Wilhelm Dunker, who bred this dog for hunting hares at the beginning of the 19th century.[1] To create the Dunker, Wilhelm crossed a Russian Harlequin Hound with reliable scent hounds, producing a dog that could hunt rabbits by scent, rather than sight. It has yet to become popular outside of its homeland.
Temperament
The Dunker is a robust breed and an excellent hunting dog. It is considered easy to train when using positive reinforcement such as clicker training. It has a huge operational range when hunting, and is one of few hare hunting dogs that is capable of hunting in thick snow cover during the winter.[3]
A Dunker needs much exercise and many activities where it has to use its intelligence.[3] It rarely barks outside of hunting if properly exercised,[3] and it is considered to be a good family dog if it's also used as a hunting dog.[3]
