Tiny, Rare Wyoming Dog Tracks Down Elk For Hunters, Starred In TV Commercial

At age 7, Mae, a rare Danish-Swedish farmdog from Cheyenne, has accomplished some big things — from tracking down elk and sniffing out rats to starring in a television commercial. 

She’s owned by Monica Turner, a certified dog trainer who has another Danish-Swedish farmdog named Bea, 1. They might be the only two of their breed in Wyoming. 

“I don’t think there are any other of this breed in Wyoming,” Turner told Cowboy State Daily. “I think mine are the only Danish-Swedish farmdogs in Wyoming, but I can’t say for 100% certain.”

There are 375 Danish-Swedish farmdogs registered with the American Kennel Club in the United States. On Wednesday, the breed was officially recognized as part of the working dog group by the AKC. 

Big Elk, Little Dog

One of hunters’ greatest fears is to shoot a big game animal and then lose it when it runs off. 

But when that happens, help can arrive on four paws. There’s a network of dog owners in Wyoming who offer their pooches’ services in tracking down hunters’ lost big game kills. 

“We got interested in game tracking because my husband lost an elk that he had shot, and it was awful,” Turner said. 

She started training Mae in the craft of “blood tracking” big game. In the fall of 2023, the call they’d been waiting for came in. 

A hunter had lost bull elk he’d shot near Encampment, Wyoming, and wondered if Mae could come help find it. 

The little dog did splendidly – she picked up the dying bull elk’s trail and followed it for a mile, right to the elk’s carcass. 

Impressed by Mae’s tracking abilities, Turner started training her to sniff out lost valuables, such as expensive gloves. 

Where Did They Come From?

The Danish-Swedish farmdog is an ancient breed. Dog skeletons matching the breed have been found buried in Vikings’ graves. 

They have protected farms and killed vermin in Denmark and Sweden for centuries. 

Flora, the first Danish-Swedish farmdog in the U.S., was brought here in 1996, according to the Danish-Swedish Farmdog Club of America, Inc. 

Mae is a descendent of Flora, Turner said. 

Bea is descended from Maddy, the first Danish-Swedish farmdog in Wyoming, brought here in 2002. 

Maddy’s owner has since left Wyoming, Turner said, which is why Mae and Bea might be the only dogs of the breed here. 

The breed “is a cheerful, small, compact, smooth-coated, and multipurpose barnyard dog,” according to the Danish-Swedish Farmdog Club. 

Swiss Army Knife Of Dogs

Turner said she became enamored with the breed when she met a Danish-Swedish farmdog named Dottie at a dog show in Denver. 

She thought she might have to wait a year or more for a puppy but adopted Mae within a few months. 

The breed has everything she was looking for in a dog – trainable, energetic and athletic, but still mellow enough to live with children. 

Danish-Swedish farmdogs are like the Swiss Army knives of canines, Turner said. In addition to being good trackers, they also have a history as circus dogs.

Accordingly, Mae is “nationally recognized for her skills in doing dog tricks and is helping me to create a YouTube channel for preschoolers,” Turner said. 

Bea is also learning tricks, so she can enter the AKC’s national dog trick contest, Turner said. 

Meanwhile, Mae has shown some promise as an upland bird hunting dog. 

“I can tell you that when our domesticated quail get out of their pen, Mae will find them, and point them out or flush them,” Turner said. 

“Upland bird hunting is something I would love to try with her. I don’t hunt myself, but if I could find somebody who could take my dog hunting, I’d love to see how she does,” she said.

A Career In Commercials 

When Mae was still a puppy, a commercial talent scout approached Turner at a dog show and asked her for her contact information. 

In March 2022, when Mae was grown, Turner got the call to bring Mae to Denver to shoot a commercial for Bona floor mops. 

“When it was Mae’s turn, she got to meet the actress for the commercial, and they gave her some treats. They were really kind to her,” Turner said. 

“She went on the set and did her things, it was really cool,” she added. 

Mae has also done advertisement photo shoots for Brilliant K9 harnesses and Atlas Outfitters K9 dog toys. 

Sniffing Out Rats

Danish-Swedish farmdogs have proven themselves in a wide variety of skills, including herding livestock. But their primary skill on farms is hunting down and killing rats and mice. 

“They were trained to hunt alongside cats for vermin,” Turner said. 

At dog shows and contests, one of Mae’s favorite events is called the barn hunt, Turner said. 

Dogs compete at finding rats amid obstacle courses made from things such as hay bales. 

“These are pet rats” that are kept inside protective containers, so the dogs don’t chomp on them, Turner said. 

“The dog has to sniff the rats out and let their owner know where they are,” she said. 

Mae and Bea have been excellent additions to Turner’s household, and she’s totally sold on the breed. 

“One of the nicknames for the breed is ‘the little big dog,’” she said. “We’re not dealing with a froufroukind of dog. We’re dealing with a really solid working dog. Which is why the AKC has recognized them as part of the working dog group.”

Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.