All Elkhounds have some remnants of the ancient genetics. The newer “Show line” Elkhounds have been bred to a closed breeding pool for decades now, lots of them with very little diversity and always focused on a “set look” and style. They did this as the “Breed Standard” was what they followed even though it had been rewritten numerous times.

The preservation Elkhounds like Kamia Kennels foundation stock have “All Remnants” and genetics along with Instincts intact. They are right on the surface, not dormant, or barely there, but in full force.

When you breed a full genetically diverse intact bloodline you get the exact same dog that was there hundreds of years ago. There is almost zero difference and in fact it’s almost hard to tell between dogs hundreds of years old to today. Revna is a prime example of that, she literally looks identical to a dog or dogs from 1877.

I’ll use Kuutar as an immediate example, she was recently born at our co-breeder facility up in Athabasca region with Michael and Sarah. They do an extremely good job raising these preservation lineage Elkhounds and Kuutar was whelped up there and is going through the Desna training program.

Now it would be difficult to see any noticeable difference between her and a photo of Tora, same bloodline when Tora was pretty much the same age.

They literally could be from the same litter, all things are so close, the genetics pull so straight and true. So strong is the old genetics that there is little to no variation, generation to generation. Decade after Decade.

The goal in preservation breeding for us is to NOT change the genetics, not change the make-up but to keep the exact same Elkhound in place, generation after generation. Using diversity to keep the bloodline strong and healthy, but using the old ancient genetics to keep it.

We currently have three distinct preservation litters on the ground at one time at Michael and Sarah’s, all exhibit the very best in Preservation Breeding. Please stop by the Instagram Page of Preservation Elkhound Breeding up at Michael and Sarah’s. See the new pups and say hello to them.

You can also visit our Norwegian Elkhound Pup Page to view upcoming and current Norwegian Elkhound litters.