The Puffin Dog originated in Norway, a country that is famous for its mountains. The Puffin Dog is designed for the mountain country since it has feet unlike any other dog. Other dogs have four toes that touch the ground and a dewclaw way above the other toes that doesn't reach the ground when a dog walks. The Puffin Dog has six toes, five of which are regular toes, and the sixth is the dewclaw. Having an extra toe on each foot comes in very handy when going uphill, and helps the dog keep balance when climbing even the sheerest of cliffs.

The Puffin Dog can also turn its neck so far backwards that it can touch its spine with its nose. It can fold down its ears and close them tight against snow, rain or dirt. They even walk odd- moving with a kind of paddling motion.

With their remarkable six toed feet, Puffin Dogs could reach the cliff tops where the seabirds roosted. Thanks to their flexible shoulders, they could scrunch themselves up and crawl into the narrow cracks and clefts where the seabirds laid their eggs. Because they could touch their spine with their noses, they were able to get in and out of the tightest spots and turn around just about everywhere.

There are many reasons the puffin has become rarer and rarer in Norway. The Puffin doesn't hunt the puffin bird any longer- in fact the bird is strictly protected there. As what has happened with a great deal of breeds over the years, the Puffin Dog went into a decline and by 1943 there were only about 60 of these dogs in all of Norway. Just as the breed was making a comeback, a horrible outbreak of distemper nearly wiped out the entire breed. By 1962, less than 10 of these dogs remained. Those devoted to the breed gave their all, and managed to save the breed from total extinction. Even now, there are only a few hundred Puffin Dogs in Norway and breeders will not sell their dogs to just anybody who happens to want one. Another reason these dogs are so scarce- litter size is very small. A typical litter for a Puffin Dog is only 2-3 puppies.

The Puffin Dog looks a lot like a fox. Males stand 13-14 inches at the shoulders, females are slightly less, and they weigh around 14 pounds. They are mostly brown with white markings around the neck and on the lower legs, but sometimes they can be black or white. Their coats are dense and they have light brown eyes.