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| Swedish Lapphund |
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The Swedish Lapphund breed profile is sponsored by www.PetWearUSA.com visit PetWear to custom design your Lapphund's next designer dog collar, leash or more and then let PetWear hand make it and then ship for free! Lovely, lush coated, smallish member of the Nordic Spitz breeds, the Swedish Lapphund notable by its preferred solid black or bear brown coat delights those that know it well with its clever nature, remarkable agility and jaunty nature. Currently virtually unknown in the US, it defers to its better known and slightly larger cousin, the Finnish Lapphund here. Links below will help in offering more information as well as history that indicates the common and differing history of these closely related breeds. To the American eye it is most often confused as a black or brown miniature American Eskimo but the breeds are quite unrelated. |
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| General Information |
| Group(s):
Hounds, Sighthound |
Height: 16-20 inches at the shoulder |
| Weight: 24-36 pounds average |
Longevity: mid to high teens |
| Colors: black or bear brown |
Coat type: Lush, long overcoat with dense same colored undercoat. |
| Recognized Registries: Swedish Kennel Club |
| Overall Appearance: Compact, short bodied spitz of lush coat and remarkable agility. |
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| Personaility - Behavior - Training |
| Energy Level: moderate to high |
| General Nature: |
loyal, enthusiastic, tenacious |
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with Children: exceptional if raised with them |
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with other pets: exceptional if properly introduced |
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with dogs: very good |
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| Socialization requirements: moderate; given patient and loving handling they do well in a variety of environments |
| Ideal home characteristics: Significant time to spend with their dog, interest in activities (play, agility, obedience) will develop an exception companion, very adaptable to city or country living |
| Temperament Notes: The general spitz attitude is one of exceptional intelligence and independence, in this regard, the Swedish Lapphund is consistent with a bit more charm and jauntiness |
| Training requirement: moderate, the strong working heritage makes this breed a poor choice for someone seeking a doting sofa cushion |
| Trainer notes: The Swedish Lapphund demonstrates exceptional aptitude in disciplines that require agility, speed and quickness of mind, additionally, it is a breed that is likely not well suited for a home or companion that doesn't seek to challenge them physically and mentally. Commitment to flyball, obedience, agility or other endeavors that the dog shows interest in will make life interesting and compelling for both dog and person. The independent aspect of this dog's personality means that it would likely never respond favorably to training offered with anger or agitation but instead be incredibly motivated by encouragement and play. |
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| Background Information |
| Year range of first recognition: 1944 |
| Country of Origin: Sweden |
| Original Function: Reindeer Herder |
| History: Developed by the Sami people of the Northern Wilderness (also called Lapps by other cultures) for reindeer herding. |
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| Adoption Information |
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| Deviations from Standard: excessive white, too large or small |
| Health Notes: hip dysplasia, eye problems |
| Health Testing: CERF, OFA at a minimum |
| Questions to ask Breeder: http://www.digitaldog.com/breeder_questions.html - The Breeder Questions as listed here provided with explanations and answers you will want to be looking for!
- How long have you had Lapphunds?
- Are all your breeding stock registered with the Swedish Kennel Club?
- Do you plan to keep a puppy from this litter?
- How do you select your breeding stock?
- What do you consider to be a good Lapphund temperament?
- What would you consider an ideal home for a Lapphund?
- Do you have a written contract and puppy guarantee?
- Do you have any suggestions for training and socializing a puppy?
- What criteria (health and temperament) do you have for your breeding stock?
- How did you select this breeding pair?
- What distinguishes the Swedish from the Finnish Lapphund?
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| Web Sites: http://www.glassportal.com/herding/lapphund.htm - Information on the history and variations of the Swedish and two Finnish Lapphund breeds
http://www.lapphund.nu/lih09.htm- Page on Swedish Lapphund, the only discrepancy would be that the breed is independent and very clever (thus outfoxing the occasional trainer) rather than inherently stubborn |
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| Other Resources |
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