They didn’t know what they had.

For centuries, these dogs were the only valid currency in Finland. Over time, they became commonplace on Finnish homesteads and farms, eventually, the Pohjanpystykorva, as they were called, were taken taken to Sweden by immigrant farmers. Formal breeding programs, however were never considered, and as foreign hunting breeds became more popular, it’s not surprising that the dogs slowly vanished from view. By 1948, they were thought to be extinct, and the breed stud book was closed by the Swedish Kennel Club.

Fans of the breed never gave up hope that they would find specimens in forgotten little towns. For years, they scoured remote villages, and the efforts paid off. In 1967, the breed was healthy enough in numbers to be reinstated by Swedish kennel clubs (it’s now thought that there are about 1,600 dogs in Sweden, and around 1,300 in Finland). The FCI accepted a new breed standard in 1966, and the breed’s official name became Norrbottenspets (pronounced Nor – Boat – Ten – Spetz). The breed is now very popular in both countries as a calm, and friendly companion especially good with children. The dogs are also very popular as small bird hunting partners.

A spitz type dog, the Norrbottenspets uses sight, scent, and hearing to hunt forest game, then holds the game at bay and calls the hunter with high-pitched vocalizations. It will be in the Hound Group when it gains full AKC recognition.

Image of Norrbottenspets shared from Deposit Stock Photo