About Swedish Vallhunds
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Swedish Vallhund is a small, sturdily-built, Spitz-type dog, with a wedge shaped head, prick ears, and close-fitting, hard coat of short-to-medium length. The correct relationship of height to length of body is 2:3. The tail may be natural or bobbed. The appearance of the Swedish Vallhund conveys intelligence, alertness and energy.
CHARACTERISTICS
The Swedish breed standard says that in type, the Swedish Vallhund is a wolf-like animal in everything except size. His short legs, intelligence and energy made him suitable as a herding dog. Those same characteristics today make him successful in obedience, agility, tracking, and any other activity in which he is free to take an active part. He requires plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. The correct double coat with the characteristic "harness markings" are essential features of this breed. Balance, outline, intelligence, temperament, and movement are overriding importance. The Swedish Vallhund is a thoroughly sound animal and able to do its work. This breed matures slowly and individual dogs may not reach their prime until as late as four years of age.
HISTORY
It is estimated that the Swedish Vallhund as a breed has been with man for about 1000 years. A national breed of Sweden, they are the dogs of the ancient West Goths of the Vara plains. Named Västgötaspets after the region of Västgötland, they are also known as Swedish Cattle dogs, Swedish Vallhunds and Länsigöötanmaanpystykorvat. Essentially a sturdy, healthy dog that kept the farmyard clear of vermin and warned of approaching visitors but primarily these little farm dogs daily herded the cows in for milking and back out again to the pasture. The little Viking dogs were known as a loyal, good natured, clownish, very intelligent and brave. There courage often exceeds their size! No one has told the Vallhund he is a small dog, and he doesn't seem to know. They are known to have contributed to the development of herding dogs in Britain and they are believed to be the ancestor to the Welsh Corgis.
The numbers of this breed had declined sufficiently that by the early 1940's they were on the verge of disappearing. If it had not been for the efforts of dog enthusiasts Count Bjorn Von Rosen and Karl.G. Zettersten who literally bicycled and walked their way around the Vara farmlands in search of the remaining few dogs to breed from, the Swedish Vallhund would have become extinct. These men tracked down the best remaining specimens in the country and carefully bred them to a standard written by Count Von Rosen. The breed was recognized by the Swedish Kennel Club in 1943. Swedish Vallhunds have been in New Zealand since 1975. Slowly they are becoming better known as ideal family dogs, great working dogs and faithful companions.
