Swedish Vallhund

by Kate Barrington

Published: February 18th, 2015

About Swedish Vallhund

Weight

20-30 lb

Lifespan

12-14 years

Group

AKC Herding Group

Best Suited For

Families with children, active singles and seniors, houses with yards

Temperament

Even-tempered, friendly, energetic, intelligent

Comparable Breeds

Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Height

11.5-13.5 inches

Swedish Vallhund Basics

The Swedish Vallhund is a member of the Spitz family, so you might recognize its thick double coat and curled tail. Unlike many Spitz-type breeds, however, the Vallhund has a short, stout stature that is more like that of the Corgi than the Siberian Husky. These little dogs are energetic and playful, eager to make friends and to spend time with family. As well, this breed comes with one of three different types of tail: no tail (bobtail), a stub tail or a full curl tail. If you are looking for a friendly dog with a loving personality, the Swedish Vallhund may be right for you.

These little dogs are energetic and playful, eager to make friends and to spend time with family.

Origin

The origins of the Swedish Vallhund can be traced back more than 1,000 years to Sweden in the days of the Vikings. At that time, these dogs were known by the name “Vikingarnas Hund” – the Viking dog. It is unclear whether the Vikings brought the Viking dog to Wales where it was developed into the Welsh Corgi breed or if the Corgi was brought to Sweden where it became the Swedish Vallhund. What is known is that the breed nearly went extinct in Sweden during the 1940s until Count Bjorn von Rosen of Sweden stepped in to rescue the breed.

Pedigree

The Swedish Vallhund is a relative of the Welsh Corgi, but it is unclear whether the Welsh Corgi breed was used to develop the Swedish Vallhund or if it was the other way around. What is known is that it is considered an ancient breed.

Food/Diet

The Swedish Vallhund is a fairly small dog, so it is recommended that you feed it a dog food diet specially formulated for small-breed dogs. It is also important to note that these little dogs are active, so an active-breed formula may also be a good option depending on your individual dog’s activity level.

The Swedish Vallhund is an intelligent breed that loves to learn.

Training

The Swedish Vallhund is an intelligent breed that loves to learn. This being the case, these dogs typically respond well to training as long as you start it at a young age. The longer you wait to train your dog, the more likely he is to develop an independent streak – he may also develop problem behaviors out of boredom. Always use positive reinforcement-based training methods and be firm and consistent in your training with your dog.

Weight

The Vallhund is a short dog with a substantial build, standing between 11.5 and 13.5 inches at maturity. There is no standard weight for this breed, but they typically weigh between 20 and 30 lbs. at maturity.

Temperament/Behavior

The Swedish Vallhund is a confident and active breed that thrives when given a job to do. These dogs are intensely loyal to their families and they are friendly by nature. Because these dogs are typically calm and adaptable, they are well suited to a variety of housing situations as long as they get the exercise they need on a daily basis. This breed is known for having a sense of humor and an eager-to-please attitude. Like most dogs, this breed requires early socialization to ensure that the dog gets along well with children, strangers, and other pets.

Common Health Problems

In general, the Swedish Vallhund is a healthy breed not overly plagued by inherited medical conditions. That being said, all dogs are prone to developing certain health conditions. The conditions most likely to affect the Swedish Vallhund breed include patellar luxation, hip dysplasia and eye problems like retinopathy.

Life Expectancy

The average life expectancy of the Swedish Vallhund breed is between 12 and 14 years.

Exercise Requirements

The Swedish Vallhund was bred to be a herding dog so they are a fairly active and energetic breed. These dogs tend to thrive when given a job to do and they are excellent at a number of dog sports including obedience, agility trials, herding, flyball, and tracking. This dog requires a long walk every day to meet his exercise requirements.

The Swedish Vallhund is a confident and active breed that thrives when given a job to do.

AKC

Even though the Swedish Vallhund was brought to the United States in 1983, the breed was not accepted for AKC registration until 2007. Currently, the Swedish Vallhund is accepted for AKC registration in the Herding Group.

Coat

As a Spitz-type breed, the Swedish Vallhund has a double coat and a full curled tail. These dogs have a soft, dense undercoat with a topcoat that is short and harsh. The color of this breed may vary, including various shades of gray, brown, and red with lighter shades of color on the throat, chest, belly, and buttocks. The Vallhund also typically exhibits harness markings on the shoulders. Twice-weekly brushing is recommended to keep shedding under control.

Puppies

The average litter size for the Swedish Vallhund is six to eight puppies and puppies are born with a naturally bobbed tail, a stub tail or a long spitz-type tail. Swedish Vallhund puppies are little more than energetic bundles of fur. These dogs require early training and socialization but, as long as you fulfill these needs, your Swedish Vallhund will get along just fine with children and other pets in the household.

Photo credit: CaptureLight/Bigstock.com; Marcel van den Bos/Shutterstock; Olga Aniven/Shutterstock

Kate Barrington

Kate Barrington is the loving owner of two cats (Bagel and Munchkin) and a noisy herd of guinea pigs. Having grown up with golden retrievers, Kate has a great deal of experience with dogs but labels herself a lover of all pets. Having received a Bachelor's degree in English, Kate has combined her love for pets and her passion for writing to create her own freelance writing business, specializing in the pet niche.

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As of June 1, 2024, pet parents can get the FIP treatment they need for their cats, but there is some confusion about this. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal condition, but pet parents have been using a drug, GS-441524, to cure their cats (though the drug is not always effective in all cases). Despite the success of the treatment, the problem has been that the drug was only available on the black market, so people would access it with the help of groups on social media since vets weren’t able to prescribe it.

Kevin the Gentle Giant Crowned World’s Tallest Dog

Some dogs are simply born to be famous! Some do it with their accomplishments, others with their latest tricks, but Kevin the Great Dane did it with nothing else but his size. He is officially recognized as the world’s tallest living dog, and he is described as a true gentle giant.Named after the main character from the movie “Home Alone”, Kevin officially claimed the world record title after he was measured at 3ft 2in (0.97 meters) from his feet to his withers. For comparison, that is the average height of a three-year-old child. An average Great Dane, on the other hand, is around 2ft 6in (0.76 meters) to the withers. The record was previously held by another Great Dane, Zeus, who tragically died at the age of three this past year, leaving the title to Kevin. Living in West Des Moines, Iowa, USA, Kevin is in the loving care of his owners – Tracy and Roger Wolfe, and their children, Alexander (12) and Ava (10). He is not the only pet in the family: he is accompanied by three other doggos, four cats, and a multitude of chickens, horses, and goats. And, besides being so tall and majestic, Kevin is just an ordinary pooch. He loves to snooze on the couch and won’t hesitate to protest if his favorite spot is taken. Still, his owners describe him as a real gentle giant. According to Tracy Wolfe, he is a true fan of snuggles and is very afraid of the vacuum cleaner. He was similarly spooked by the officials who came to measure him for his record. The measuring tape really gave him the heebie-jeebies. “Kevin is the epitome of a gentle giant,” Tracy said. “In fact, he is scared of most things. He is terrified of the vacuum. He won't let it come within 6 feet of him! He will jump and run to get away from it.”Kevin’s owner Tracy, herself employed at a vet clinic, says that he is just a big baby, and often acts as if he has no idea how big he is. “When Kevin, or any of my dogs, come to my clinic, I put a baby gate up in the door of my office. That way I can keep my door open, but keep the dogs in,” she added. “Kevin is hilarious. He will be in there and stay whenever I am in there. However, if I leave, he just steps right over the baby gate like it's nothing! I don’t think he’s aware he is as big as he is. He’s continuously trying to squeeze into small beds and sit on top of us, and do everything that the smaller dogs do.”Of course, as all dogs do, Kevin also has his naughty side. He is adept at snatching food off of counters, aided by his great height. “Kevin can be stubborn,” Tracy said. “He can be naughty. It’s usually food-related. Otherwise, he’s usually a pretty good kid.”

Can You Potty Train a Parrot?

Parrots are known as very fun pets and quite intelligent creatures. They are adored all across the globe, in all their various sizes and colors. But, as many parrot owners know, they can be messy with how and where they poop. And often, it can require a lot of cleaning up. So it is only natural that owners are wondering - can you potty train a parrot? While this might seem like a daunting task, with a bit of patience and consistency, it is actually doable. These birds are smart and are capable of learning behaviors, including where and when to poop. Now, keep in mind that training them won’t be the same as with a dog, but with the right approach, it can be a simple process.How to Potty Train a Parrot: Step by StepBefore you tackle this process of potty training your bird, it is crucial to understand how parrots behave. Naturally, these are rather clean animals. In their wild, natural habitat, parrots tend to relieve themselves away from their nests, as to avoid attracting predators. And this exact instinct can be utilized during potty training. However, keep in mind that parrots don’t have control over their bowel movements like humans do. They often relieve themselves every 15 to 30 minutes, depending on their size and diet. Knowing this, you can plan your training sessions accordingly.#1 The first step in your potty training process is to choose a specific command or cue. This could be a simple word, such as “poop” or “potty”, or even a specific hand signal. The key is consistency - use the same command each time. #2 Next, you want to pay close attention to your parrot’s natural behavior. Notice when they are about to relieve themselves - common signs include tail lifting or squatting. Understanding this routine will help you anticipate when they need to “go”.#3 Decide on a specific spot where you want your parrot to go potty. This can be their perch, a spot in their cage or enclosure, or a paper-lined area. By repeatedly taking your parrot to this spot when you see they need to “go”, they will begin to associate the area with the act.

Cat Learns to Turn on the Sink Faucet, Causing Cat-astrophic Flood

A typically easy-going cat named Sam surprised his owners by learning how to turn on the bathroom sink, causing some major damage to the house. Alana Matson, asked for some pet destruction stories on TikTok while recalling how her cat, Sam, flooded her house. Like many other felines, Sam discovered how to use the bathroom sink to drink water. Sam’s newfound skill led to utter chaos when he left the water flowing one night, flooding the upstairs bathroom.To make matters worse, Matson was heavily pregnant at the time, and about to give birth to twins. “Sam is normally a really low-key cat. He is an indoor cat, so typically, he’s just lounging or tucked under a blanket somewhere. He generally only makes his presence known when the terror of his food bowl being empty sets in, or he is looking for a pet,” Matson told the PEOPLE.Matson and her husband assumed their kids, 10 and 12 at the time, were to blame for the first few times the sink was left running. The couple thought one of their kids was getting up at night and leaving the water running, but the children denied it. It wasn’t until they caught Sam in the act that they realized it had been him all along.The family tried several things to discourage Sam from turning on the sink, including putting a rubber band around the handle. Unfortunately, nothing could stop Sam from turning on the sink to drink water and flooding the bathroom one night.“Little did I know that after I went to sleep that night, Sam the cat would venture into the bathroom and turn on the faucet and then sit on the drain to close it in the bottom of the sink, causing the Wet Bandits to come into my house and flood the bathroom into the kitchen,” said Matson in a video.The morning of the cat-astrophe, Matson's husband woke up first, only to discover a flooded upstairs bathroom. He cleaned the mess and went downstairs, thinking the problem had been solved. But as soon as he entered the kitchen he discovered water damage on the ceiling and water dripping on the kitchen floor. Although her husband thought he could fix the damage with some paint and towels, the ceiling started to buckle and Matson knew there wasn’t anything they could do to save it.“I immediately knew we had to notify our insurance company and figure out what to do. They are the ones who had a service crew to our house within hours to begin demolition and the dreaded industrial fans,” said Matson.While the crew worked on repairing the damages, Matson went to the hospital and delivered her twin daughters. “When I left, the kitchen floor and ceiling and the bathroom floor had been torn out and three massive dryers were running nonstop. Due to the pandemic, I was only in the hospital for 36 hours, so the house was in the same state when we arrived home.”Meanwhile, Sam was completely unaware that he was responsible for the chaos and even had the nerve to be annoyed by the presence of construction workers and dryers. Eventually, the family had to replace the sink, because Sam couldn’t be stopped. “We tried keeping the doors closed at night, but inevitably, it would be left open from time to time, and Sam would immediately go in and turn the water on. We realized it was more proactive to replace the vessel sink with a traditional model with an overflow valve.” Most TikTok users are happy that the family didn’t get rid of the cat instead of the sink. And although Sam has access to a cat fountain, he still prefers to drink water straight from the tap. Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

Guide Dog Trigger Retires After Fathering Over 300 Puppies

A nine-year-old golden retriever, nicknamed The Dogfather, is going to a well-earned retirement after fathering a grand total of 323 puppies. Trigger has spent his years being the star stud dog of Guide Dogs. This charity organization specializes in breeding and training guide dogs for people with visual impairment in the United Kingdom. Since the beginning of his stud career in December 2016, Trigger has fathered 39 litters, including a record-breaking litter with 16 puppies in 2021. According to Guide Dogs, 294 of Trigger’s puppies have been bred by the charity itself, and an additional 29 puppies by other assistance dog charities and guide dog schools, bringing his grand total to 323 puppies.The Dogfather’s final litter consisted of six puppies, including five daughters named Rita, Jenny, Hermione, Indy, and Sandy, and a son, named Billy. The last of Trigger's offspring are eight weeks old and about to start their guide dog training and will be living with volunteer puppy raisers for the next year. “Trigger’s legacy can be seen in the independence and confidence his progeny has brought to the lives of blind and partially sighted people all over Britain,” shared Guide Dogs in a news release. The Dogfather’s puppies have been affectionately nicknamed Triglets by guide dog owners and volunteers. These pups have been guiding visually impaired and partially sighted individuals across the United Kingdom, including London, Cardiff, Glasgow, and even the Isle of Wright. Two of Trigger’s litters have been bred abroad at guide dog organizations in France and the Netherlands, creating guide dog partnerships in both countries. “Trigger’s wonderful, gentle nature and excellent health have made him the perfect asset to our breeding program. We can’t overstate the impact that Trigger has in helping us to provide so many guide dogs for people with sight loss,” said Janine Dixon, Head of Breeding Operations at Guide Dogs. Dixon added the charity hopes that Billy, Trigger’s son, will continue his father’s legacy by joining the breeding program in a few years.“In the meantime, nine of his daughters, as well, as his half-French son Pierre, are helping us to bring forward a new generation of dogs with Trigger’s fantastic genes,” shared Guide Dogs.When it comes to Trigger’s future, he will spend his well-earned retirement in Branbury with his Breeding Dog Volunteer Sarah Bryne, who has been looking after him for the past seven years and will now officially adopt him. Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

How Do I Get My Dog Used to Car Rides?

Getting your pooch accustomed to car rides can make travel more enjoyable and less stressful for both of you. Whether it’s simply running errands, a trip to the vet, a visit to the park, or a longer journey for a vacation, you will need to make sure that your pet feels comfortable and at ease while driving around with you. Whether you’re looking to train a puppy to be calm and well-behaved during car rides or to help your adult dog feel less anxious when you are driving him, here are some general guidelines you should follow.How Do I Get My Dog Used to Car Rides?First and foremost, you want to take things slow and steady. Begin by allowing your pooch to get used to the car environment while the car is not running. Let them sniff around, explore, and sit in the car when the engine is off. This will help them get familiar with the car’s smells and space without the anxiety of movement. After this, you will want to create positive associations with the car itself, by offering treats, praise, and toys when your dog is in or around the vehicle. This positive reinforcement will help your dog associate the car with good experiences – and nothing says a good experience for a pooch like a yummy snack or being told you’re a good boy (or a girl). Once your doggo is comfortable just being inside a car that’s not moving, it’s time to start driving – but start with short trips first. A quick drive around the block or a short journey to the nearby park can be a good start. Keep these initial trips short to prevent overwhelming your dog.

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Why Does My Herding Dog Nip People?

Does your playful pup turn into a little velociraptor anytime they are around guests or even family members (especially children)? It’s a common struggle with herding dogs, but it doesn’t have to continue frustrating you for the rest of their lives! Herding dogs were bred with strong instincts to manage and control the movement of livestock. While that behavior is helpful when working in the fields, it can translate into unwanted nipping in everyday life. In this article, we’ll explain why herding dogs nip and, more importantly, how to train them to show their affection in a more acceptable way. What are the Personality Traits of a Herding Dog? Before focusing on this specific problem behavior, let’s take a step back and start at the beginning. What is a herding dog, and what personality traits are they most known for? Dogs classified in the Herding Group were bred specifically to gather, herd, and protect livestock. This means that they were bred with instincts that would help them perform their jobs safely and effectively. Some of the more common herding breeds include: Australian Cattle Dog Australian Shepherd Bearded Collie Belgian Malinois Border Collie Collie German Shepherd Dog Old English Sheepdog Pembroke Welsh Corgi Shetland SheepdogThese dogs are athletic and agile, allowing them to work with livestock on any terrain. They are also incredibly smart and can learn to follow even the most subtle hand movements. This means they are highly trainable but also have high exercise needs. Why Does My Herding Dog Nip People? Okay, these dogs are highly intelligent and full of energy – but how does that translate to nipping? If this is your first time living with a herding dog, you may be concerned that your dog has aggressive tendencies after seeing them nip at peoples’ ankles. You may be relieved to learn that this isn’t actually a sign of aggression. When your herding dog nips at someone’s feet or heels, they are tapping into their natural instincts. They are attempting to herd that person, just as they would with livestock in the field. Understanding this can help you view their behavior in a different light. The herding behavior is more likely to be triggered when someone mimics livestock in their eyes, running or playing around. Children are often on the receiving end for this reason, which can create a concerning situation.

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