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FREEZE-DRIED RAW FEEDING GUIDE

How to feed a Norwegian Elkhound

The Norwegian Elkhound is a Viking-era hunting dog under a thick northern coat — food-driven, weatherproof, and remarkably easy to overfeed. With this breed, how much you serve matters as much as what you serve.

Here is exactly how to feed an Elkhound on freeze-dried raw: by weight and life stage, with the nutrition that protects their joints, feeds that famous double coat, and keeps their easy-gaining frame lean.

  • Adult weight45–60 lb
  • SizeMedium
  • EnergyHigh
  • Lifespan12–15 years
  • CoatThick double coat — heavy seasonal shedder
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A healthy Norwegian Elkhound
iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

What a Norwegian Elkhound's body needs

Every Norwegian Elkhound trait comes back to one thing: how you feed them. Here's what matters most.

  • Food-driven & gains weight easily

    Needs: Measured portions, lean protein

    Freeze-dried raw fed by weight — not by the begging — keeps an Elkhound lean. Staying lean is the single biggest lever for a longer, healthier life in a breed this prone to obesity.

  • Thick weatherproof double coat

    Needs: Omega-3 fatty acids

    Whole-food animal and fish fats feed the skin barrier from the inside, easing the heavy seasonal shedding — the silver tumbleweeds — that comes with that two-ply coat.

  • Working build & hip dysplasia risk

    Needs: Joint support + lean weight

    Real meat, organ and ground bone supply natural glucosamine and chondroitin; omega-3s calm joint inflammation, and keeping the frame lean takes load off the hips.

  • High energy, bred for the hunt

    Needs: High-quality animal protein

    Meat, organs and bone fuel lean muscle and steady, all-day stamina for hikes and cold-weather play — without the carb fillers that spike and crash.

  • Skin prone to cysts under dense fur

    Needs: Low-inflammation whole-food diet

    Minimally processed raw skips the starchy fillers that can stoke chronic skin inflammation, supporting healthy skin beneath that heavy coat.

How much to feed a Norwegian Elkhound

Quick answer: a healthy adult Norwegian Elkhound (45–60 lb) needs about 6.8–9.0 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split across two meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry — so it's much less by volume than kibble. Feed to a lean waistline and adjust every few weeks.

Ideal adult weightFreeze-dried per dayPer meal (×2)
45 lb 6.8 oz 3.4 oz
49 lb 7.4 oz 3.7 oz
53 lb typical Norwegian Elkhound 8.0 oz 4.0 oz
57 lb 8.6 oz 4.3 oz
60 lb 9.0 oz 4.5 oz

Starting points for a moderately active adult (~0.15 oz of freeze-dried per lb of ideal weight). Active dogs need a little more, couch companions a little less — always adjust to body condition, not the bag.

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What to feed a Norwegian Elkhound

For a Norwegian Elkhound we recommend complete freeze-dried raw as the daily base — real meat, organs and ground bone, with no heat-processed filler — or as a topper while you transition.

Lean single-protein recipes like Chicken or Wild-Caught Cod make portion control easy for this weight-prone breed, while richer Beef suits hard-working Elkies in cold-weather season or those who need more. Just add water and serve.

Recipes for Norwegian Elkhounds

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Daily support for Norwegian Elkhounds

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Treats Norwegian Elkhounds love

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Feeding a Norwegian Elkhound by life stage

  • Puppy: Elkhound puppies are eager eaters and need to grow steadily, not fast — overfeeding stresses developing joints in a breed already prone to hip dysplasia. Feed roughly 5–8% of current body weight across 3–4 small meals and resist topping up the bowl.
  • Adult: Feed to a lean, easily-felt ribcage and a visible tuck, split across two measured meals. Use the chart below as a starting point and adjust to body condition, never to appetite — Elkies will always ask for more.
  • Senior: Activity drops in the senior years but the appetite does not. Trim portions, keep protein high to preserve lean muscle, and lean into joint-supporting nutrition to keep an aging Elkhound moving comfortably.

Common Norwegian Elkhound concerns — and the diet connection

  • ObesityThe easiest problem to create and the most preventable in this food-driven breed — measured raw feeding and a lean body condition lower the strain on nearly every other issue on this list.
  • Hip dysplasiaLargely genetic, but lean weight plus joint nutrients (natural glucosamine from bone and cartilage, plus omega-3) help support day-to-day comfort and mobility.
  • Heavy shedding & coat healthThat weatherproof double coat thrives on whole-food fats; an omega-rich, low-filler diet supports the skin barrier and a healthy coat through the big seasonal blows.
  • Skin & sebaceous cystsA whole-food, low-inflammation diet supports healthy skin beneath the dense fur — paired with the regular hands-on brushing this coat already needs.
  • Energy & lean muscleWorking Elkhounds run on clean animal protein and fat for sustained stamina and muscle maintenance — not on carbohydrate fillers.

Diet supports health but doesn't replace veterinary care — ask your vet about any specific condition.

Feeding a Norwegian Elkhound: what to know

Elkies are notoriously food-motivated and they gain weight quietly — that dense two-ply coat hides a thickening waistline until it is well underway. A healthy Elkhound rarely tops 60 lb, so feed to body condition, not to the begging.

Skip free-feeding entirely. Weigh portions instead of eyeballing them, split the day into two measured meals, and re-check the amount every few weeks — especially after winter inactivity or any drop in exercise.

Norwegian Elkhound feeding questions

How much should I feed my Norwegian Elkhound?
A healthy adult Elkhound (45–60 lb) needs roughly 7–9 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split between two meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry, so it is far less by volume than kibble — feed to a lean waistline and adjust every few weeks.
What is the best food for a Norwegian Elkhound that gains weight easily?
A measured, complete freeze-dried raw diet of lean single proteins like Chicken or Cod makes portion control simple and keeps calories honest. Weigh every meal and feed to body condition rather than to your Elkie's bottomless appetite.
How do I switch my Elkhound to raw?
Transition over 7–10 days, mixing a little more Land Animal into the old food each day. Elkies are rarely picky and usually take to it fast — it is rich, so start at the lower end of the range and watch the waistline.
Does a Norwegian Elkhound need supplements?
A complete raw diet covers the basics, but given the breed's hip dysplasia risk and dense, heavy-shedding coat, joint and omega support are sensible. Real bone and organ provide natural glucosamine, while omega-3s feed the coat and calm joint inflammation.
Why does my Elkhound always act hungry?
Norwegian Elkhounds are simply food-driven by nature — it does not mean they are underfed. Feed measured portions to body condition, skip free-feeding, and resist the begging; a lean Elkie is a healthier, longer-lived one.

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  • Vet-formulated
  • AAFCO complete & balanced
  • Pathogen-tested every batch

  • "Knowing exactly how much to feed took all the guesswork out. He's leaner, with more energy on our walks."

    — Jenna & Cooper

  • "My picky rescue finally runs to the bowl — and cleanup in the yard is a fraction of what it was."

    — Priya & Luna
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Portions are starting points for freeze-dried raw and AAFCO complete-and-balanced recipes. Always feed to your individual dog's body condition and ask your vet about specific health needs.