I have felt it neccessary to write this page, to seperate facts from made-up information, lies and fantasy.
The breeds in question at this page is the extinct Norwegian Nauthund/Fehund (Norsk Dogge/Norsedogge) but also the extinct
Swedish Dalbohund (Dalbo Dog).
The website that I claim gives wrong information about the breeds is molosserdogs.com.
Let me first tell about myself and why I make these claims that molosserdogs.com spreads untrue and made-up information about these
two breeds. My name is Kaare Konradsen. I am the owner and webmaster of Molosserworld at www.moloss.com.
I am from Norway, and I can follow my ancestors (every generation!) to the Old Norse Viking Kings. I am living in an area,
not far from the Swedish border, where the dog-breeds in questions were to be found in earlier times. My wife's family, on her
father's side, comes from Mellerud in Dalsland in Sweden, the place where the last two known Dalbo-dogs lived.
While there have been a few that have researched the Dalbo-dog of Sweden, nobody have ever done a proper research about
the large flock guardian of Norway. There have been a few modern references, i.e. to the "black bear dogs of the Vikings", like
in the official history of the Newfoundland Dog, and some other vague references. But never before have anyone gathered the
different references, stories and descriptions. So, regarding the Norwegian flock guardian, the Nauthund/Fehund (Norsk Dogge)
I have done ground breaking work. In my work for the breed I have used various different sources; rare and old documents
(often existing in only one example), rare old books, rare old newspapers, etc. But, almost without exeption, all these sources are written
in Norwegian, and many even written in The Old Norse Language. These sources does not exists outside of Norway, or at
internet. So where did molosserdogs.com get the information from? Well, the first verision about the "Norsedogge" that was on
that site was just "copy and paste" from Molosserworld. The current version is re-written info from Molosserworld, and added
some made up and untrue information.
Can I prove it? Of course! Molosserdogs.com does never gives credit to people that have provided info. Well, if it most pages have
been written in the same way as the page of the "Norsedogge" I understand why they do not give credit to anyone.
I have written some places at the pages here at Molosserworld which books or documents the information comes from, so
molosserdogs.com could say that the info comes from this and that source. But, this is not good enough. I challence
molosserdogs.com to tell where the information comes from; from which book or document.........and which page.... and where
the book/document was found (which library, dealer, antique book shop, private collection, etc.) or the name and address of
the person/persons that have provided the info.
The international copyright laws and regulations is easy to understand, and they cover written information as well, not just pictures.
Another proof that they have stolen information from Molosserworld; They uses the name Norsedogge/Norsk Dogge!
I should be flattered! You see, these two names, Norsedogge and Norsk Dogge, was invented by me! I will return to the
subject of why I invented these two names.
Below I will go through the information about the "Norsedogge" and "Dalbo-dog" at molosserdogs.com, and I will point out what
information that is untrue, and I will give you the correct information. I will only cover the most important parts, while still
some untrue and assumed information will not be commented at this time.
This page is about the Norwegian and Swedish flock guardians, and I will not make any comments if there is or isn't a large
amount of wrong information, stolen and/or re-written information, fake breed names and fake breeds, lousy and uncorrect
illustrations, and fake pictures, at the other breed pages at molosserdogs.com.
First, the two pictures at the "Scandinavian Mastiff" page at molosserdogs.com does not show any Norwegian or Swedish breed!
The only pictures that 100% certain shows Dalbo-dogs is the ones shown at Molosserworld. There have been found some other
pictures that maybe can be showing the breed or crosses of the breed, but none of these have been confirmed as true Dalbo-dogs.
I have these pictures in my possession, and it is not any of the ones shown at molosserdogs.com. Regarding the "Norsedogge";
all known illustrations of the breed is in my possession. Some can be seen at these pages while some I am saving for other
projects.
Take a careful look at the two pictures at molosserdogs.com. One showing a dogs with semi-erct ears, while the other picture
shows a dog with hanging ears. The picture at left are showing a dog with black mask! Black masks was not known in either
Norway or Sweden. White "masks" were! Take a look at the pictures at Molosserworld, and read the description/standard at
Molosserworld, compare it with the two pictures at molosserdogs.com, and you will find out that the two narrow and thin dogs
are not resembling at all the Norwegian or Swedish flock guardians.
At molosserdogs.com you can read; "You may find some of the information published here to be different from what you
will read in breed books, published encyclopedias and on other websites. We do not distort the information but rather
state our perspective on the breeds based on our research and contributed information."
Is this the new way to say that "we made up most of the information" ?
Molosserdogs.com writes; "Some believe that the primary ancestor of the Scandinavian Mastiff is the English Mastiff, while others acknowledge the influence of the British breed, but only as an outcross that happened long after the Norsedogge was already established".
Some believe, which some? Other persons here in Norway? Who is these others when I am the only one that have researched
the so called "Norsedogge"?
Molosserdogs.com writes; "There isn't a lot of reliable information on the Scandinavian Mastiff and the existing writings
are based largely on assumptions and limited evidence".
Wrong! Since several persons in Sweden have done a very good research, quite much information about the Dalbo-dog exists,
and this information gives us a clear picture of what kind of dog it was, how it looked like, and its use.
If molosserdogs.com refer to the information about the "Norsedogge" when they claim that "There isn't a lot of reliable
information" and that "existing writings are based largely on assumptions and limited evidence" they are also very wrong!
I guess that they have read the information at Molosserworld, and then have come up with the conclusion that there is not
existing much information about the "Norsedogge". Well, when they used the first Norsedogge page at Molosserworld as the
source, it is understandable that they assumed this. But, there they went into a trap! They also assume that all information that I
have dug up is presented at the pages at Molosserworld. But they are dead wrong. At these new Nauthund/Fehund (Norsedogge)
pages I have given some more information about the breed, compared to the old page, but I am still keeping quite much for other
projects. And the search still goes on!
Molosserdogs.com writes: "known under a number of names in different areas, like the Norsk Dogge, Dalbohund, Fehund,
Vigenhund and others". They also writes/uses these names; "Scandinavian Mastiff, Norsedogge, Dalbohund, Fahund,
Norsk Dogge, Vigehund, Swedish Dalbo Dog, Vellhund, Viking Dogge, Fehund, Scandinavian Dogge, Buskaphund, Norwegian Mastiff, Swedish Mastiff, Dalbo Dogge, Viking Mastiff".
They were NOT known in different areas as Norsk Dogge! Like I have said earlier; Norsedogge and Norsk Dogge are modern
names invented by me. They were invented by me partly to seperate them from the Swedish Dalbo-dog, since the Norwegian
breed most likely was of slightly more dogge-type, while the Swedish breed were of slightly more mountain type. More about what
differates the two breeds can be found at their own pages. The other reason, and most important, to invent these two names was
to tell foreigners which type of dogs these were, since the old and correct names Nauthund and Fehund tells you nothing.
The following names has never been used on the Norwegian or the Swedish flock guardians, and these names are made up
names by molosserdogs.com, or in the case of the name Norsedogge/Norsk Dogge invented by me: Scandinavian Mastiff,
Norsedogge, Fahund, Vellhund, Viking Dogge, Scandinavian Dogge, Norwegian Mastiff, Swedish Mastiff, Dalbo Dogge,
Viking Mastiff.
Fahund should be Fähund. Vellhund should be Vallhund.
In the areas where it existed, the Swedish dog was known by the farmers and owners as Fähund and Vallhund. The Norwegian
breed was known as Nauthund, Fehund, Bjørnehund, Buskapshund or even large Buhund.
Molosserdogs.com writes: "the Dalbohund and its main duties were guarding the property and helping the farmers in
rural areas".
The Dalbohund was a Fähund; a cow-dog, a flock guardian with spiked collars. Some were of course used as watchdogs, but
its main duties was to protect the livestock. Why have you written "helping the farmers in rural areas" ? Because it sounds
good in printing?
Molosserdogs.com writes: "The Swedish Dalbohund was the last survivng variety of the Scandinavian Mastiff, probably
due to crossings with the English Mastiff and Irish Wolfhound, which improved its working abilities and kept it alive
through the 1800's."
This is not true at all, and it does in fact proves two things; the author's lack of knowledge of dogs in general, and it proves
that he makes up stories. First, the authors is clearly not familiar with which state the Irish Wolfhound was in the 1800's.
I suggest that he look up the history of the Irish Wolfhound and he will se how unlikely it is that any dogs of this, then more or less extinct,
breed was sent to Sweden. It is neither any evidence that English Mastiffs was used in the breeding of Dalbo-dogs. If this
occurred it is more likely that English Mastiffs was bred into the Norwegian breed (more about that at the pages of the
Nauthund/Fehund). It would anyway only make any influence at local populations.
It is clear that the author at molosserdogs.com knows nothing about the Norwegian and Swedish history, and the two
countries topography. If any dogs were bred into the Norwegian and Swedish flock guardians in a late state, it would only
make influence at the local population. In earlier times the deep valleys of Norway and the forests of western Sweden were very remote
and isolated (and some parts are still today). For making any significant impact on the flock guardians of Scandinavia the imported
dogs must have been imported in a large number, and it would take many centuries for the infused blood to change the breeds
as a whole.
And, how could English Mastiffs and Irish Wolfhounds (of the 1800's, or even 1700's), in such a late and changed state,
improve the working abilities of an old, native and proven flock guardian? It is certain that the Vikings and the traders
the first centuries after the Vikings did bring dogs from Ireland, Britain and Europe to Norway, and that these were bred into the
Norwegian breed, hence the slightly more dogge type than the Swedish breed, but never with any impact in a late stage.
And, how can molosserdogs.com claim that crossings with the English Mastiff and Irish Wolfhound occurred, when people
living when the Dalbohund still existed, like Mr. P. Erlandsson, considered that the Dalbohund were kept pure to the last
specimen? Mr. P. Erlandsson was a young man with a great interest in dogs. He actually met and studied the last remains
of the Dalbohund breed. Listen molosserdogs.com; Mr. Erlandsson actually met and studied the Dalbohund in the
breed's last stage, and he did not consider it to be crossed with any breed!! In 1890 Mr. P. Erlandsson made an article
about the Dalbohund for the Swedish dog magazine "Hunden", where he wrote; ”Då genom de allmänt uppträdande vargarnas härjningar
bland hundslägtet knappast någon annan än denne kunnat hålla sig uppe i dessa glest bebyggda skogstrakter,
har äfven dalbohunden kunnat bibehålla sig nogonlunda oblandad genom bristen på andra mellankommande störande
element af annat slag, på ungefär enahanda sätt som lapphunden och norrlandshunden inom de långt afskilda samhällen,
hvarest ingen hund af annan ras funnits till för att åstadkomma en tillfällig bortblanding eller forstöra renheten”.
Nothing more needed to be said about this, except that once again it is proved that molosserdogs.com makes up stories from
their own mind.
Molosserdogs.com writes: "Swedish Dalbo Dogge survived up until the beginning of the 20th century, only to eventually
vanish itself during the 1920's".
There is no record of any Dalbo Dogs as late as the 1920's. Read the Dalbohund pages at Molosserworld for further info.
Molosserdogs.com writes: "The Scandinavian Mastiffs were tall, strong and massive working dogs, resembling certain
types of Central Asian Ovcharkas and similar longer-haired mastiff breeds".
The author of molosserdogs.com clearly has not read the same descriptions that I have, or seen the pictures!
And when writing "similar longer-haired mastiff breeds" they cover up about everything, just to be sure!
Molosserdogs.com writes: "coming in black-n-tan, tricolour, fawn and grey colourings, with the lighter shades being
preferred in Norway."
The Dalbohund was: Black with face, legs and belly yellow-grey, yellow-brown or red-brown.
Brown with some darker hair in the coat. Yellow-grey with some darker hair in the coat. White patches not common. This is
the colours of the Dalbohund given in the standard written by Il Öhman based on her researche. Öhman further writes that based
on her researche it looks like some Dalbo-dogs were yellow coloured, but this was rare.
"The lighter shades preferred in Norway"..........where in earths name have you come up with that??? Does not sounds like the
black bear-dogs of the Vikings! While some of the Norwegian Nauthund could be white with large patches, the darker coloured
dogs were by far the most common, and no colour were preferred over another by my ancestors!
The Nauthund, Fehund, -or Norsedogge if you prefer, is part of our Norwegian history. I hate to see others take credit for my
hard work. I hate to see that molosserdogs.com spreads lies, stolen and made up information. But most of all I hate to see that
molosserdogs.com is misleading you. Misleading you to believe that the information you can find at their pages is accurate.
It is sad that a website goes to such steps just for trying to look important.
Kaare Konradsen
Webmaster and owner of Molosserworld
The Dalbohund from Sweden
The Nauthund/Fehund from Norway
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