The breed originated in Sweden in the 1600's. They were first used as hunting companions in northern Sweden. In 1948, norbottenspets came close to extinction but enthusiasts sought out the few remaining and started a successful breeding program. After norbottenspets narrowly escaped extinction, Finland started calling them Pohjanpystykorva. Pohjanpystykorva was then taken by immigrant farmers and given an even longer name, Norbottens-skollandehund. Unfortunately, as popularity amongst foreign` breeds increased, this breed has once again declined in popularity.
Appearance
The Norrbottenspets should be agile yet powerful in appearance. It is neither heavily nor lightly built, but somewhere in between those extremes. Males are noticiably more masculine than females, who are smaller and of lighter build. It should give the impression of being alert, sprightly, and intelligent. It is "square" in build, meaning that its height at the withers should be the same as the length of its body.