The Norwegian Buhund belongs to a large class of dogs called the Spitz type. Bred as an energetic working dog, Buhunds herd livestock and guard home and family. Today, they are also trained to aid the hearing impaired, perform some types of police work, and perform in obedience and agility trials. Their thick coat is wheaten (pale cream to bright orange) or black in color.

While Norwegian Buhunds make excellent watch dogs, they are also content to lie at your feet at the end of a hard day. Training wise, the Buhund is considered by many to be the most trainable of the Spitz breeds, but obedience training is still a necessity. Because the Buhund was born to herd and sound the alarm, the Buhund needs training and a job to do. Because they are happiest near their owner, they have earned the nickname, “the friendly spitz.”