Swedish Lapphund

Size
Medium (11kg - 27kg)
Exercise
20 min/day
Training
Puppy school only
Size of home
House with garden
Time at home
Alone with support
Grooming
Frequent
Barking preference
Low
Personality
Independent + affectionate

History

The Swedish Lapphund has its origins among the ancient hunting tribes of northern Scandinavia, from the land that the Sámi people call Sapmi. In Sámi mythology it is said that the Lapphund sought the post of worker amongst the Sámi people in exchange that it would always be well-treated. The Lapphund has been used mainly for hunting and guarding. When the Sámi people started to keep domestic reindeer in the mid-18th century, the Lapphund's repertoire was expanded to include herding. (1)

Hard work in the barren landscape of northern Scandinavia has created a very resilient breed. The shifting climate demands a weatherproof coat that is easy to maintain. The rough terrain and the varied work demand a dog with endurance, agility, intelligence and independence. The resulting Swedish Lapphund is a well-rounded working dog, well suited both for work as a farm, hunting, and herding dog, and as a pet. (1)

Appearance

Typical Spitz dog of slightly less than medium size and with a proud head carriage. Its coat is weather resistant. (2)

Temperament

Lively, alert, kind and affectionate. The Lapphund is very receptive and willing to work. Its abilities as a good guard and herding dog made it very useful in the reindeer trade. It is very versatile, suitable for obedience training, agility, herding, tracking, etc. It is easy to train, full of endurance and toughness. (2)

In Sweden dogs have their temperament tested by a system called mentalbeskrivning. Results for the Swedish lapphund show a curious, intrepid, and friendly breed which is playful and non-aggressive. They are easily trained, strong, and very devoted to their family. Early training is essential to prevent excessive barking. (1)

Sizes

Height at withers:
Ideal size for males: 48 cm
Ideal size for females: 43 cm
Allowance for plus or minus 3 cm. (2)

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the Swedish Lapphund you may have think that this is the dog for you. Before you make a decision, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the Swedish Lapphund and its needs and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle.

References

Wikipedia.org
DOGSAUSTRALIA.org.au

Image: Worlddogshow2018

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 02 Jul 2009)

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A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

Typical Spitz dog of slightly less than medium size and with a proud head carriage. Its coat is weather resistant.Important proportions: Rectangular body shape.

Characteristics

Temperament

Physical Standards

Head and Skull	Skull: Slightly longer than broad; forehead rounded and occiput not clearly defined. Stop: Very well marked.Nose: Preferably dark, or very black. Muzzle: A little more than one third of the length of the head. Foreface strong, evenly tapering towards the tip of the nose. Nose bridge straight. Lips: Close fitting. Palate and lips strongly pigmented.
Eyes	Set well apart, round, fairly big, but not protruding. Brown, preferably dark brown and full of expression. Rims strongly pigmented.
Ears	Triangular, broad at the base, small, pricked, tips slightly rounded. Set well apart and very mobile. Tipped ears are undesirable but not as an eliminating fault.
Mouth	Scissor bite with evenly set and well developed teeth.
Neck	Medium length, clean cut and powerful.
Forequarters	The forequarters should be sufficiently angulated at the shoulders and elbows to provide good reach. Shoulders: Shoulder blade well laid back. Elbows: Fitting close to the chest. Forearm: Straight, strong and parallel, both standing and moving. Pasterns: Sufficiently slanting.
Body	Well put together, slightly longer than the height at withers. Back: Level, strong, muscular and springy. Loin: Short and broad. Croup: Proportionally long and broad, slightly sloping and well muscled. Chest: Rather deep and reaching to the elbow. Ribcage proportionally long, oval and with well developed last ribs. Forechest well developed; well defined breastbone. Underline and belly: Belly slightly tucked up.
Hindquarters	Well angulated, but not exaggerated in stifle and hock joint. Upper thigh: Muscular. Hocks: Low-set to give power of propulsion. Dewclaws undesirable.
Feet	Forefeet: Strong, oval, with tightly knit toes, hardy and elastic padding and well covered with fur between the pads. Nails and pads strongly pigmented. Hindfeet: As in front feet.
Tail	rather high set, reaching to the hock when extended. Carried over the back when the dog is moving.
Gait/Movement	Light and springy, covering ground, with drive.
Coat	Profuse double coat. Hair standing straight out from the body, undercoat dense and very finely curled. Short on head and front of the legs. Longer on the brisket, backside of the legs and on the tail. Bushy, long and dense on the tail. Forming a ruff around the neck.
Colour	Usually solid black: bronzing is typical. Also brown or liver. White on the chest, feet and tip of the tail is permissible but more white is undesirable.
Size	Height at withers:Ideal size for males: 48 cmIdeal size for females: 43 cmAllowance for plus or minus 3 cm.

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.