Swedish Lapphund

The Swedish Lapphund is a spitz from Sweden. It is one of three Lapphund breeds that come from the dogs the Sami people kept to herd and guard their reindeer, and it is probably one of the oldest breeds in Sweden. It is often called the black beauty of Norrland.

History

Genetic work places the breed in a maternal line known as d1, which is found only in northern Scandinavia. The line goes back to a mating between a female wolf and a male dog that took place after dogs had been domesticated, at most 480 to 3,000 years ago. The same line turns up in all the breeds linked to the Sami: the Finnish Lapphund, the Lapponian Herder, the Jämthund, the Norwegian Elkhound and the Hällefors Elkhound. The wolf sequence behind it has not been matched anywhere else in Eurasia.

Appearance

The Swedish Lapphund is a little under medium size. Males stand 45 to 51 cm (18 to 20 in) and females 40 to 46 cm (16 to 18 in), and the breed standard gives a weight of 19 to 21 kg (42 to 46 lb) for a healthy adult.

The double coat is full and weather-resistant over a dense undercoat. Most dogs are solid black, and some have bronze or white markings.

Temperament

Like other spitz dogs, the Swedish Lapphund needs a steady upbringing and regular work for both mind and body. It is a versatile working dog. Lapphunds compete in obedience, agility, working trials, heelwork to music, rally obedience and blood tracking. They can also take part in herding events: a noncompetitive test measures a dog’s herding instinct and trainability, and dogs that show the instinct can be trained for herding trials.

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