My Norwegian Elkhounds

Up until this point I have opted against getting dogs but I have always kept in the back of my mind that one day I would like to have some Norwegian Elkhounds. It seemed as if it would only be a dream as all of the breeders that I came across online were from the east coast. But an opportunity recently presented itself that I could not pass up--I found a breeder in Moreno Valley, California that had two pups for sale and I got a good deal on them. I wanted Norwegian Elkhounds for a couple of reasons--they are traditionally bred as a hunting dog (primarily hunting moose but also bears and cougars). As such, they have good stamina and are great in the outdoors which fits me perfectly. While I am not a hunter, I think that it will be easy to transition the dogs to hiking dogs rather than hunting dogs. Now I can take them on day hikes or overnight backpacking trips. This will be especially helpful when I don't have anybody else to go with me.
Needless to say, they are beautiful dogs and quite intelligent. I need to work on training them--as of now they are having their way with my backyard. They have done quite a bit of digging (fortunately they have only dug up one plant that I was intending to keep and just a few spots in the grass--all of the other digging has been dirt with nothing planted in it. They are really timid around the city but once they are out in the wilderness they roam about as if they are the boss (I can tell that it is truly their natural element).
I have named my dogs Freyja and Idun (both Norse goddesses). I hope that you enjoy the pictures of them!