The Swedish Vallhund, also called the Swedish Shepherd, is a small dog that appeared in Sweden centuries ago. It is intended for grazing, protecting and hunting small animals.
The Swedish Vallhund has a good character, intelligence, docility and loy alty, being a good companion dog and tolerant of children, although at first he can be wary of strangers. Read on to learn about the origin, character, characteristics, care, training, and he alth of the Swedish Vallhund.
Origin
- Europe
- Sweden
FCI Nomenclature
- Group V
Physical Characteristics
- Rustic
- Lying
- Short legs
- Long ears
Size
- Little
Height
- 15-35
Adult Weight
- 10-25
Life expectancy
- 12-14
Recommended physical activity
- Average
Character
- Society
- Active
Ideal for
- The hunt
- Shepherd
- The guard
Recommended climate
- Cold
Hair type
- Medium
- Smooth
- Hard
- Big
Origin of the Swedish Vallhund
The Swedish Vallhund or Swedish Sheepdog is a small breed originating in Sweden approximately over 1000 years ago that was used by the Vikings for security, protection and herding.
The origin is not clear, but there are currents that ensure its connection with the Welsh corgi Pembroke, dogs originating from England with a constitution and appearance very similar to the Swedish Vallhund. These dogs were close to extinction in 1942, but Björn von Rosen and Karl-Gustaf Zetterste managed to save them.
In 1943 the breed was recognized by the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK) as the Svensk Vallhund, but it wasn't until 10 years later that the official name was given. To date, it is an unknown breed outside of Sweden. In 2008, she participated for the first time in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Characteristics of the Swedish Vallhund
The Swedish Vallhund is a small dog, the males do not exceed 35 cm and the females 33 cm. Its weight varies between 9 kg and 14 kg. They are compact, elongated dogs with medium-sized, oval, dark brown eyes. The ears are medium, triangular, pointed and covered with soft fur. The nose is black and the lips are tight and smooth. Referring to the legs, they are strong and the tail can be long or short naturally up or down.
As for the coat, it is medium to double coated, the inner is dense and thick and the outer has glued and hard hairs. In addition, he has longer hair on his stomach, tail and legs.
The coat of Swedish Vallhund dogs can be of different colors:
- Gray
- Yellowish greyish
- Reddish
- Chestnut
Swedish Vallhund character
Swedish Vallhunds are devoted, kind, intelligent, loving, cheerful, calm, alert and confident. They are very loyal but are often wary of strangers.
They love spending time with their guardians and are particularly tolerant of children as they are very lively and playful. They are also independent dogs, so they suffer less than other breeds from the absence of their guardian, but this should not be an excuse to leave them alone longer than necessary.
Swedish Vallhund Care
Swedish Vallhunds need mental stimulation and various exercises such as tracking tests to keep their minds and bodies active.They also need oral hygiene habits to prevent dental disease or infection and to have their ears cleaned to prevent painful and unpleasant ear infections.
As for the hair of these dogs, they must be brushed with a certain frequency, especially during moulting to remove dead hair that can predispose to certain diseases. For dogs to maintain a good quality of life, preventive medicine must be applied with periodic check-ups at the veterinary center and with routine deworming and vaccination, which will prevent parasitic and infectious diseases respectively.
Swedish Vallhund Education
Swedish Vallhunds are intelligent and intuitive dogs that easily assimilate commands and learning from their guardian.
Education must start at an early age and they must be taught a lot of things during the socialization period of their first weeks of life. In addition to teaching them not to attack strangers or jump on their heels.
Swedish Vallhund He alth
The life expectancy of the Swedish Vallhund can reach 12 to 14 years, provided that he does not develop a sudden, devastating or early disease that has not been diagnosed. It is a breed that enjoys good he alth and has no known congenital or hereditary pathologies.
The illnesses they may suffer from with a certain frequency are:
- Hip dysplasia: a degenerative disease characterized by a lack of congruence or adaptation between the articular surfaces of the bones involved in the hip joint (the acetabulum and the femur). This poor joint union leads to laxity of the joint, which allows mobility of the bones, which causes osteoarthritis, instability, weakness, lesions and pain which lead to muscle atrophy and lameness .
- Lumbago: or pain in the lumbosacral area, usually of muscular origin that produces an inflammatory process with an increase in the tension and tone of the muscles in the area, which activates the nerve pathways that transmit painful stimuli while causing the onset of muscle contracture develops.On other occasions, the nerve may even be pinched by compression of its root, causing a very painful process or resulting in a herniated disc.
Where to adopt a Swedish vallhund
Adopting a Swedish Vallhund is very difficult, especially if you don't live in Sweden or neighboring countries. However, you can still apply online at Swedish dog shelters, shelters or rescue associations.
Swedish Vallhund Pictures
