Did Vikings have pet bears?
There is some debate as to whether or not Vikings had pet bears. However, there is evidence that they did keep some bears in their household, likely for use as guard animals or hunting companions. Bears were known to be ferocious fighters and could quickly kill small animals, so it may make sense for the Vikings to have one around as protection. Bears also enjoyed eating raw meat – which would probably have been helpful during the Viking era when food was often scarce and difficult to come by.
Some evidence suggests that bear-keeping was more widespread than previously thought, but there is no concrete proof. So while it’s possible that Vikings kept bears as pets, we can’t be sure for certain.
Viking names for dogs and Viking dog breeds
While there are only a handful of dogs in Norse mythology with their own specific name, there were various different words used to refer to dogs in the time. For instance, festargarmr was used to refer to the Viking chain dog, while garmr was often used to refer to dogs in general.
The Vikings also gave names to different types of dogs.
For instance:
Some of the names for dogs in Norse mythology which we haven’t covered above include “Geri” one of the names of Odin’s wolves, and Fiolsvinn’s dogs.
The name “Floki” was also given to Hjôrleifr’s dog from Hálfs saga og Hálfsrekka.
Viking dogs: Dogs in Norse mythology
We can learn a great deal about Viking dogs, and what the old Nordic people thought about their canine companions, by looking at dogs in Norse mythology. Various depictions of Viking dog breeds have been found in paintings, illustrations, and other artistic pieces from the Viking era.
There are also numerous tales of dogs throughout Nordic folklore.
Perhaps one of the most famous dogs in Norse mythology was Garm, or Garmr. According to experts in Nordic tales, Garm was responsible for guarding the gates of the afterlife for the realm of “Hel”.
This was the original name for the world of the dead in the Norse region, and despite the title it didn’t necessarily refer to the “hell” we know today.
According to Snorri Sturluson, a famous Icelandic historian, Garm was helped to keep the souls of Hels firmly behind the walls, while stopping the living from trespassing in search of their lost loved ones.
Garm was also referred to as the “best of hounds” by the All-Father Odin in the Grimnismal section of the Poetic Edda. Garm’s duties protecting the underworld led many Vikings to associate dogs with concepts like life and death.
Outside of the famous Garm, the other best-known Viking dog in Nordic tales is Fenrir. Perhaps one of the better-known dogs in Norse mythology to members of the modern world, Fenrir is described as both a dog and a wolf.
He was much larger than your standard dog, according to poets and mythological experts of the time, and the son of the chaotic god, Loki.
Because Loki and the other gods feared the potential strength of Fenrir, they decided to bind him with a magical chain made of various elements, such as the breath of fish, the sound of a cat’s footsteps, and the bear of a woman.
Fenrir is also associated with the concept of Ragnarök, when the Vikings believed he would break free of his bonds and swallow Odin whole.
Though Fenrir is commonly considered a bad omen among the dogs in Norse mythology, most Vikings didn’t regard dogs in general as a negative animal.