Lapponian Herder

The Lapponian Herder, called Lapinporokoira in Finnish, is a herding dog from Finland. It is one of three Lapphund breeds developed from the dogs the Sami people used to herd and guard their reindeer.

History

The Sami of northern Europe worked their reindeer with spitz-type herding dogs for a very long time. These dogs were a landrace, with no fixed look or recorded pedigrees. Swedish and Finnish enthusiasts began gathering information on them in the 1930s, but most of the dogs were lost during the Second World War.

After the war, breeders in both countries set out to recreate the reindeer dogs. In Finland one group, working with the Finnish Kennel Club, crossed a few surviving herding dogs with black and white Karelian Bear Dogs and produced a short-coated dog called the Kukonharjulainen. Breeders with another Finnish kennel club developed a more heavily coated dog, called the Lapponian Herder. More dogs were collected in the late 1950s and early 1960s and assigned to one type or the other by appearance. The two clubs merged around then and all the reindeer dogs shared one register. In 1966 they were divided again by coat length: one breed was named the Lapphund, and the other Lapinporokoira, the Lapponian Herder.

The FCI recognises the breed in its group for spitz and primitive types, among the Nordic watchdogs and herders, and the stud book remains open. In North America the United Kennel Club recognises it in its Herding group.

Genetically, the breed belongs to a maternal lineage found only in northern Scandinavia and shared by the other Sami-related breeds. It traces to a cross between a female wolf and a male dog that took place after dogs were domesticated.

Appearance

The Lapponian Herder is a medium-sized dog of medium build with a medium-length double coat and pricked ears; drop ears are a disqualifying fault. The color is usually black, dark gray or brown, occasionally red-brown, with a lighter shade on the head and lower body and often white markings. Males should stand 51 cm (20 in) at the withers and females 46 cm (18 in), and the sexes should look clearly different. Weight is 25–29 kg (55–65 lb), with males usually heavier.

Temperament

The standard calls for a calm, friendly and docile dog that is also energetic. Lapponian Herders take part in herding trials and in sports such as agility, obedience, tracking, carting and mushing.

Care and health

Like most herding breeds, it needs regular exercise.

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