Norwegian Elkhound Dog Names

While most people have some idea of what a Norwegian Elkhound looks like, it is the distinctive silvery color of their coat that grabs people’s attention. On February 13, 2017, Duffy the Norwegian Elkhound pranced her way into people’s hearts when she won the Hound group at the 141^st Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Duffy is formally known as MBISS MBIS Am/Can GCH Vin-Melca’s Daggarwood Delight. Duffy has wowed judges in both the United States and Canada and earned championships in both countries. She also holds a grand championship and multiple Best in Show wins, Best in Specialty Show wins and Hound group firsts. As a puppy, Duffy secured the number one Norwegian Elkhound spot, won Best of Breed at the national specialty and was the winner of the first ever Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) Spitz Dog Specialty held in Trillium, Ontario. Duffy then jetted off to California to live with Pat Trotter, an American Kennel Club (AKC) judge and long-time breeder/exhibitor of Elkhounds. Duffy’s sire was bred by Trotter and her dam was bred by Maria Casavechia. Casavechia is the official breeder on record for Duffy.

Once Duffy hit the show scene in the United States, she was unstoppable. Duffy won eight All-Breed Best in Shows and has several specialty Best in Show wins. She was the number one Norwegian Elkhound in 2015 and 2016. To top off her illustrious show career, Duffy won the Hound group at the Westminster Dog Show in 2017. She, unfortunately, did not win the top prize; that honor went to Rumor, the German Shepherd Dog handled by Kent Boyles.

Peggy Cameron of Daggarwood Norwegian Elkhounds started breeding in the late 1970s with dogs that she had purchased from Vin-Melca and Craftdal bloodlines. Her husband, Owen, joined in and shared her love of the breed. In 1992, Maria Nicole Casavechia bought her first Norwegian Elkhound from the Camerons, a male named Champion Daggarwood’s Kyllen the Warrior. Casavechia was then hooked on the breed and began working closely with the Camerons. In 1993, Peggy and Owen Cameron retired from breeding and showing. They handed the kennel over to Casavechia and she continues to produce healthy, quality Norwegian Elkhounds.

Patricia Trotter started Vin-Melca Norwegian Elkhounds in 1951 and resides in Carmel, California. She still is dedicated to the breed and her efforts have produced the top sire and top dam in the breed’s history. Trotter’s Elkhounds have won eleven Hound group firsts at Westminster. Trotter has handled all eleven dogs that competed through the years. However, a Norwegian Elkhound has never won Best in Show at Westminster.