Swedish Lapphund

The Swedish Lapphund is a confident, active, and loyal dog. He loves his family and is always ready to protect it. Perfectly performs the functions of the protector and guardian of the house. He loves children and willingly plays with them, spending a lot of time.

Breed Photos

Origin History

The breed’s origin is very old; they appeared in the north and helped people in hunting. They were also actively used for driving deer and guarding farms. The Swedish Lapphund protected people from wild animals, constantly accompanied the owner.

They originally belonged to the Sami tribe, who cut off the dog’s tail to prevent it from freezing to the back. Therefore, the cupped tail is not a disadvantage of the breed.

In those days, there were two kinds of Lapphunds – short-haired and long-haired. The Sami often used the short-haired ones, as they were faster.

But now, scientists believe that Lapphunds should have long hair and that these dogs are purebreds.

But the practical need for short-haired Lapphunds caused the long-haired ones to be on the verge of extinction. But thanks to the support of King Gustav V, it was possible to restore the unique breed. And in 1955, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale officially approved the breed: the Swedish Lapphund.

Appearance

The dog has a square body shape and average height. Males are usually slightly taller and fatter than females. The head is wedge-shaped, the muzzle is not long, tapering toward the nose’s lobe, which is always black.

The eyes are large, wide-set, usually dark in color. The ears are small, triangular in shape, with rounded tips.

The coat is long, thick, a little wavy at the ends; there is an undercoat. On the head and legs, wool is slightly shorter than on the body. On the neck, there is a collar. Wool is dense, perfectly protects the pet from any weather. Color is usually black, there may be small white spots.

Character

The Swedish Lapphund is a confident, active, and loyal dog. He loves his family and is always ready to protect it. Perfectly performs the functions of the protector and guardian of the house. He loves children and willingly plays with them, spending a lot of time.

The disadvantage of the breed is that these dogs like to bark a lot and loudly. Therefore, from an early age, it is necessary to wean them from this.

The Swedish Lapphund always learns something new with great interest, so try to diversify walks constantly. It is very emotional and well understands the mood of its owner.

Good for those people who are used to spending time actively traveling. Swedish Lapphund is disciplined, can easily participate in various competitions and games.

Care

These large and strong dogs need plenty of space for exercise and other activities. But they can also live in a city apartment, but on the condition that they have a long walk every day, at least several hours a day.

Pets are not suitable for people who are used to spending a lot of time on the couch or at work. Dogs can easily share a common area with other animals, even large dogs.

The main point in the care of the dog is the care of its coat. It should be regularly brushed with a special brush. Once a week, it is advisable to check the pet’s eyes, ears, and claws. If necessary – wipe off the dirt.

It is recommended to wear a special raincoat for dogs in the rain, as wet hair will take a very long time to dry. Thanks to its thick and warm coat, the dog can easily live in the yard or an aviary even in winter.

Training

Dogs are usually eager to learn, like to train a lot, and show their athletic qualities. There are often no problems with training. But when training, it is important to remember not to force the dog to do commands he doesn’t want to do. He is a little stubborn, and there can be problems with that.

Already from the first days of the dog in the house, you need to socialize him. It is essential to introduce the Swedish Lapphund to other people and animals. Exercises must be interesting and varied. After successful training, it is necessary to praise the dog, and you can give some food.

Common Diseases

Because of their origin, dogs tolerate bad conditions well, and it is almost uncommon for them to get sick. They have a strong immune system and robust health. But some dogs may be prone to kidney disease. It is essential to visit the doctor regularly and treat the coat for parasites.

Nutrition

The Swedish Lapphund should always have access to clean water. It can be fed both natural food and food. If you choose the first option, the basis of nutrition should be meat, fish, and by-products. It is important to make sure that it contains all the useful minerals and vitamins if feeding food.