Lapphunds

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Lapphund is also known as Finnish Lapphund. The Finnish Lapphund is a medium size hardy dog breed of Spitz type originating in Finland. It is also called Lapinkoira or Suomenlapinkoira. The is an old breed that was used by nomadic people of Northern Scandinavia and Keralian Russia as reindeer herding dogs.

Developed north of Arctic Circle to live and work outside, the dog combines the looks of northern type dog with the temperament of a herding dog. This is an intelligent, alert, agile and eager to learn breed. A typical Finnish Lapphund stands between 18-21 inches and weighs between 33-53 lbs. The head is strong and broad with slightly rounded forehead. Short to medium length erect, triangular shaped ears are set far apart and high on the head. Oval shaped eyes are darker in colour but can be lighter in dogs with lighter coat colours. Strong, broad and straight muzzle tapers slightly towards black nose. Medium length neck is strong and muscular and blends smoothly into the body. Back is broad, strong and straight with short and muscular loin and long and deep chest. Ribs are slightly arched. The tail is set on rather high and is covered with a profuse coat. When moving, the tail is carried over the back or side. When at rest, it is often dropped, particularly in females. A mobile tail is desirable. Forelegs and hindlegs are strong and powerful. The dog has a profuse coat with outer coat being long and coarse and undercoat short and fluffy. It can come in any colour and pattern with a single predominant colour.

This breed is recognized by AKC, FCI, ANKC, CKC and UKC among others.

Color

Breed standards for Finnish Lapphund allow any colour and marking for this breed but a single colour should dominate the body colouring. Though the dog can be found in any colour, it is mostly seen in white, black, red, brown, sable and wolf-sable colouring. One of the most common colour combination is black and tan: a predominantly black dog with tan legs and face.

Coat

The profuse double coat of Finnish Lapphund is short, fluffy and abundant on undercoat while top coat is longer, straight and coarse. The coat is water-repellent and weather-resistant. Profuse hair around neck and head gives a unique impression of 'mane'.

Personality

Highly valued for their herding abilities in old times, the Finnish Lapphunds are now loved for their nature. Gentle, calm, submissive, the dog has all the qualities required in an excellent family pet. Though alert, agile and vocal when working with cattle, the dog is obedient, even tempered and loving when interacting with humans. It is very gentle and affectionate with children and get along with them very well. Very devoted and faithful to its family, the dog is also very intelligent and coupled with innate characteristic to please its family, the dog becomes very trainable. This dog knows what behavior is right and what is wrong. This self-correcting breed does not normally require to be treated in a harsh way. Infact corrections considered acceptable for many other dog breeds are often too much for the Finnish Lapphund. In most cases, a Lapphund is aware of its error even before the action is completed. Eager to please and serve, the dog forms a strong bond with its master and family members. It is sociable and friendly dog that does retain its strong herding instincts. Submissive and obedient as it is, the dog still needs early age socialization and training. A Finnish Lapphound, without proper training, will try to herd anything moving in the house. It is an alert dog that will effectively keep intruders at bay by signalling their arrival. Friendly disposition and usefulness and not to mention, excellent temperament makes this dog a very desirable family companion and one of the most popular dogs in the country of its origin, Finland.

Care

Despite a long and profuse outer and abundant undercoat, the dog does not need high levels of grooming. The non-mating coat is easy to take care of with simple brushing once or twice a week. Grooming needs will rise during shedding season which happen during spring and fall. Ears should be checked for infection, and nails trimmed every other week.

Training

The Finnish Lapphound is among those dog breeds that are considered very trainable. With its submissive nature and eagerness to please and learn new things, the dog trains with minimum of effort. As a working dog, it can get bored with same repetitive routines and ideally would suit best to short and innovative training sessions. With its high intelligence and trainability, the dog is ideal for dog sports such as flyball, agility, showmanship, carting, mushing, obedience, Rally obedience, tracking and herding events.

Activity

As a working dog, the Lapphunds require lots of physical and mental stimulation. The dog should be taken on daily walks while it can also be an ideal companion during jogging and hiking. It is not a dog for apartment dwellers and will best suit the families with a large yard where the dog can play and run. Accustomed to large open spaces, the ideal setting for this dog is a house in rural or suburban area.