Swedish Lapphund

The Lapphund's ancestors lived alongside the Sami in northern Sweden, Norway and Finland long before there were kennel clubs, and archaeological finds of spitz-type dogs in the region are very old. Genetic study has identified a mitochondrial lineage in Nordic herding spitzes found nowhere else, evidence of an ancient population that developed in isolation in northern Scandinavia.

Its original job was not herding as a Border Collie herds. Sami reindeer husbandry was semi-nomadic, and the dog's work was to keep a loose herd together on the move, to find and turn strays over long distances, and to guard both the animals and the camp against wolves and bears. Barking was the tool of the trade, which is why the breed is naturally vocal.

When reindeer management mechanised in the twentieth century, snowmobiles displaced much of the dogs' work and the population fell sharply. The Swedish Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1944 and Swedish enthusiasts rebuilt it from a narrow base. The FCI classifies it in Group 5 among the Nordic watchdogs and herders, and the American Kennel Club records it through the Foundation Stock Service. It remains uncommon: Sweden registers only a few hundred puppies a year.

This is a squarely built spitz, slightly longer than tall, with dogs standing about 18 to 20 inches at the withers and bitches about 16 to 18, and most adults weighing between 40 and 45 pounds. The ears are small, triangular and firmly erect, the eyes dark and lively, and the well-furred tail is carried curled over the back when the dog is moving.

The coat is a proper Arctic double coat: a harsh, standing outer coat over a thick, soft undercoat, longer around the neck, on the chest, on the back of the legs and on the tail. Solid black is the classic colour and the one most often seen, with liver also permitted, and small white markings on the chest, feet and tail tip are allowed. Bronzing, a brownish cast to the black coat, is common and acceptable.

Swedish Lapphunds are lively, alert and openly affectionate with their own people. They are attentive and eager to work with a handler, which makes them one of the more straightforward Nordic breeds to train, and they are typically friendly rather than aloof with visitors once introduced.

The herding and guarding background is still very visible. A Lapphund watches its territory, notices everything that changes, and reports it. Barking is not a fault in this breed but part of its working equipment, and it needs managing from puppyhood if you live close to neighbours. Some individuals will also try to herd children or other pets by circling and nudging.

They are generally good with children they are raised with and sociable with other dogs, though a robust spitz confidence means they do not always back down. They form strong attachments and do not enjoy being isolated, and a bored, under-exercised Lapphund becomes noisy and destructive rather than quietly resigned.

A handful of Lapphunds still work reindeer in northern Sweden, and the Swedish Kennel Club runs herding assessments that let owners test the instinct. Elsewhere the breed's trainability has taken it into dog sports, where it does well in obedience, rally, agility, tracking and nose work, and Swedish owners also use it for search work and as a companion in the outdoors.

Its size, sound temperament and eagerness for contact make it a good therapy and visiting dog, and the same qualities suit an active family that wants a dog for hiking, skiing and camping. The heavy coat means it is far more comfortable in cold weather than in heat, and hot climates demand real care with timing and shade.