Swedish Vallhund
Encyclopedia
The Swedish vallhund is a breed
of dog
. It is believed that the Swedish vallhund distinguished itself during the age of Vikings, more than 1,000 years ago. Known as the "Viking dog", the vallhund were bred to herd cattle
, catch vermin
(such as rat
s), and guard the home. The vallhund were also referred to as "the little cattle dog of the Vikings".
lifestyle and suburban living.
trials, obedience
, Rally obedience
, showmanship
, flyball
, tracking
, and herding
events. Herding
instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Vallhunds that exhibit basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.
. Historian Cliff Hubbard, a foremost authority on Welsh dogs, believed that if they are related breeds then the Swedish Vallhund would have preceded the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. There is sufficient differences between the breeds to suggest they may not have a close connection. The uncertainty may be only settled definitively with future DNA testing. The Swedish name for the breed is Västgötaspets, which translated means 'Spitz from Västergötland
'.
In the early 1920's one Karl Gustave Zetterstén a school teacher and well known Scottish Terrier breeder, took up a position at the local high school in Vara
. Karl had noticed and was interested in the attractive, usually bobtailed little Svensk Vallhund at horse sales and the surrounding farmland district. These dogs were the invaluable working farm dogs that rounded cattle, and cleared the farm yard of vermin. These jaunty dogs had been relatively common right up until WWI. But over the next decade or two their numbers had rapidly declined and had all but disappeared. Fate though was about to intervene. Karl's attention was caught one spring day in 1942 by an advert placed in a in Skarabårg newspaper. The advertisement had been placed by Count Björn von Rosen. Björn, a dog enthusiast and coincidentally a terrier judge, was looking for the little Svensk (Swedish) Vallhund. Having already been involved in the saving of several other Swedish breeds Björn had set his sights on the farm dogs he remembered from his boyhood days. As a child he had spent summers with a friend on their farm in Västergötland. The dogs were a very familiar sight. They were oft observed eagerly running ahead of the horse teams, following the farmers to market and noted at stock sales.
United by an advert, and a passion for dogs Björn and Karl were about to embark upon a rescue. While the world was in the grips of WWII, a search for what surviving dogs remained began in earnest. They toured around the Vara plains, up and down country lanes on bicycle scouring for surviving dogs. They found many crossbreeds and dogs with obvious Svensk Vallhund in their lineage. But hope of finding unmixed dogs was waning. Of historical interest, pertaining to the possible relationship with corgis, Count von Rosen noted that with their extensive search there were no known Pembroke Welsh Corgis in the Vara region.
The summer weeks passed in this endeavour, and then suddenly there she was. They had happened upon Topsy and she was found on Andersson's farm. Topsy was described as a perfect, grey, bobtailed female.
Later discovered, a male called Mopsen. While healthy, Mopsen only had one testicle. Not an ideal situation. But without a lot of choice and considering cryptorchid was not a disqualifying aspect at the time, Mopsen was to become the first recognised stud of the breed. And so with two more bitches, Lessi, and Vivi, the men started upon a breeding programme. It is believed that Mopsen sired a dog pup, Jerry265OTT,out of Lessi. Mopsen also sired a bitch pup, Tessan3999VV, out of Vivi. And Mopsen may have sired Borgalls Mopsan7871VV out of Topsy. Although this is uncertain as at the time she was found Topsy was an older bitch of 12 years. Also in the uncertainty is the belief that Vivi may be a daughter or granddaughter of Topsy, as both Vivi and Topsy came from the same owner, farmer Herman Johansson.
Björn von Rosen recognised early that Topsy was the best specimen of them all and began to write the first breed standard based on her qualities. This standard, along with photos of the other dogs was sent to the Swedish Kennel club. Credit must also be paid to the Swedish Kennel Club, they too were very keen to see the breed saved and recognised. So by that autumn a total of six initial dogs, along with their owners, traveled to a Göteborg dog show where the dogs were assessed by three judges. The first being Count von Rosen, also Colonel Bertil Burén, and Baron Carl Leuhusen. The gentlemen were of one mind that Topsy was indeed the ideal specimen. She was regarded as having a beautiful body, a strong head and perfect quality of hair [fur] and the correct grey colour. All the initial dogs were grey. Although Karl-Gustaf Zetterstén managed to have the acceptable colors include brown, yellow and red-brown in the 1950's. There was much determination to ensure that in ongoing breeding the dogs should still "look like grandfathers dog" and retain the ability to herd. The men also believed that a correct Swedish Vallhund's coat was maintained as vital. The breed should always have half-long coat with undercoat. It should not be soft or open. After a year of exhibition shows the kennel club recognized the breed in 1943.
Björn von Rosen had been writing articles about the breed, published in Svenska Dagbladet, a major newspaper. This prompted a lot of public interest and demand. Karl Gustave Zetterstén, still breeding terriers and initially with no intention to breed Sewdus Vallhund established the kennel Borghälla. This was prompted by the Swedish Kennel club continually referring puppy seekers to him. Karl felt a duty to care for and continue the breed, Karl continued with the bicycling and the search for more dogs and managed to find a lovely bitch, Tyra. Tyra sported a white chest, and had a good length of leg. And her breeding was known back three generations (of dams). And her father was known as Nicke. Tyra was mated to Pelle, a Mopsen son out of Tessan. One very beautiful boy, Borghällas Ajo from the litter of five that resulted went on to become a very notable stud with his very straight forelegs, close fitting, short & hard grey coat. Karl also bred the 'Borghällas Delila', the very first Swedish Vallhund Champion.
Then in 1964, the Swedish Breed standard was revised and the name Västgötaspet was officially adopted acknowledging the region of Västgötaland were the rescue was initiated. The Swedish Vallhund is also known as the Swedish cattle dog, and Svensk Vallhund
The breed remains quite rare
worldwide.
In 2008, the vallhund, the Plott hound, the Tibetan mastiff, and the beauceron competed for the first time, in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
. It is believed that the Swedish vallhund distinguished itself during the age of Vikings, more than 1,000 years ago. Known as the "Viking dog", the vallhund were bred to herd cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, catch vermin
Vermin
Vermin is a term applied to various animal species regarded by some as pests or nuisances and especially to those associated with the carrying of disease. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included will vary from area to area and even person to person...
(such as rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s), and guard the home. The vallhund were also referred to as "the little cattle dog of the Vikings".
Appearance
The vallhund are a powerful, fearless, watchful, energetic, alert, intelligent, friendly, and healthy small breed of dog. They have few known genetically inherited health issues, and are considered hardy, healthy and robust with a good long life span of typically over 14 years. However, they are sometimes prone to spine illnesses because of their short legs. Swedish Vallhunds are suitable as working farm dogs and as companion pets. They fit well into the ruralRural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
lifestyle and suburban living.
Size and weight
Height for these little dogs at withers : Males 33 cm. Females 31 cm. A variation of 1.5 cm above or below these heights is permitted. Weight : Between 9 - 14 kg or 19.8 - 30.8 pounds." They should be strong for their size and have a muscular body. They are quite a substantial dog, with short legs.Color and coat
The dog's coat should be of short to medium length, and harsh. The topcoat is close and tight and undercoat is soft and dense. The hair is short on the head and on the foreparts of the legs, while a little bit longer on the neck, chest and back parts of the hind legs. Desirable colours are grey, greyish brown, greyish yellow or reddish brown with darker hairs on back, neck and sides of the body. Lighter hair in the same shade of colour as mentioned above can be seen on muzzle, throat, chest, belly, buttocks, feet and hocks. Lighter markings on shoulders, so called harness markings, desirable. White is permitted to a small extent as a narrow blaze, neckstop or slight necklace. White markings are permitted on fore-and hindlegs and on the chest. White patching that exceeds more than 30% over the overall coat coloring is considered a fault.Temperament
This breed makes a great companion and can also be used for herding and ratting. They love human attention and are very devoted to their owners. They are a clownish type dog and can be a show-off at times. The Swedish vallhund is responsive and even-tempered with most people, but they can be wary of strangers and should be properly socialized and trained as a puppy as to avoid over-protective behavior as an adult. They will try to guard your home even if they are three sizes too small, so to say, for the job at hand. They are also known for heel nipping due to their inbuilt herding traits. This is a habit that can either be encouraged for working farm dogs or discouraged in companion pets. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/swedishvallhund.htm http://svclub.org.nz/breeders.phpActivities
The Vallhund can compete in dog agilityDog agility
Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles...
trials, obedience
Obedience training
Obedience training usually refers to the training of a dog and the term is most commonly used in that context. Obedience training ranges from very basic training, such as teaching the dog to reliably respond to basic commands such as "sit", "down", "come", and "stay", to high level competition...
, Rally obedience
Rally obedience
Rally obedience is a dog sport based on obedience. It was originally devised by Charles L. "Bud" Kramer from the obedience practice of "doodling" - doing a variety of interesting warmup and freestyle exercises....
, showmanship
Dog showmanship
Dog showmanship is a set of skills and etiquette used by handlers of dogs in a dog competition. Dog showmanship is not a competition in itself but a qualification of the handler to present a dog to its best advantage. Skills are technical as well as artistic...
, flyball
Flyball
Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball.Flyball is run in teams of four...
, tracking
Tracking (dog)
Tracking is a technique in which dogs are trained to locate certain objects, such as a downed bird, using the object's scent. Many bird and rabbit hunters train their dogs in tracking. The scent hounds are generally regarded as having the best tracking abilities among all dog breeds.In dog sports,...
, and herding
Herding
Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group , maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. While the layperson uses the term "herding", most individuals involved in the process term it mustering, "working stock" or...
events. Herding
Herding
Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group , maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. While the layperson uses the term "herding", most individuals involved in the process term it mustering, "working stock" or...
instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Vallhunds that exhibit basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.
History and revival
The Swedish Vallhund is a National Breed of Sweden. Thought to date back some 800 - 900 years there is believed to be a possible connection between the breed today and the Pembroke Welsh CorgiPembroke Welsh Corgi
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a herding dog breed, which originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is one of two breeds known as Welsh Corgi: the other is the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. The corgi is one of the smallest dogs in the Herding Group. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are famed for being the preferred breed...
. Historian Cliff Hubbard, a foremost authority on Welsh dogs, believed that if they are related breeds then the Swedish Vallhund would have preceded the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. There is sufficient differences between the breeds to suggest they may not have a close connection. The uncertainty may be only settled definitively with future DNA testing. The Swedish name for the breed is Västgötaspets, which translated means 'Spitz from Västergötland
Västergötland
', English exonym: West Gothland, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden , situated in the southwest of Sweden. In older English literature one may also encounter the Latinized version Westrogothia....
'.
In the early 1920's one Karl Gustave Zetterstén a school teacher and well known Scottish Terrier breeder, took up a position at the local high school in Vara
Vara Municipality
Vara Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Vara.The present municipality consists of 25 original local government entities . Between 1974 and 1982 the territory of present Essunga Municipality was also included.-External...
. Karl had noticed and was interested in the attractive, usually bobtailed little Svensk Vallhund at horse sales and the surrounding farmland district. These dogs were the invaluable working farm dogs that rounded cattle, and cleared the farm yard of vermin. These jaunty dogs had been relatively common right up until WWI. But over the next decade or two their numbers had rapidly declined and had all but disappeared. Fate though was about to intervene. Karl's attention was caught one spring day in 1942 by an advert placed in a in Skarabårg newspaper. The advertisement had been placed by Count Björn von Rosen. Björn, a dog enthusiast and coincidentally a terrier judge, was looking for the little Svensk (Swedish) Vallhund. Having already been involved in the saving of several other Swedish breeds Björn had set his sights on the farm dogs he remembered from his boyhood days. As a child he had spent summers with a friend on their farm in Västergötland. The dogs were a very familiar sight. They were oft observed eagerly running ahead of the horse teams, following the farmers to market and noted at stock sales.
United by an advert, and a passion for dogs Björn and Karl were about to embark upon a rescue. While the world was in the grips of WWII, a search for what surviving dogs remained began in earnest. They toured around the Vara plains, up and down country lanes on bicycle scouring for surviving dogs. They found many crossbreeds and dogs with obvious Svensk Vallhund in their lineage. But hope of finding unmixed dogs was waning. Of historical interest, pertaining to the possible relationship with corgis, Count von Rosen noted that with their extensive search there were no known Pembroke Welsh Corgis in the Vara region.
The summer weeks passed in this endeavour, and then suddenly there she was. They had happened upon Topsy and she was found on Andersson's farm. Topsy was described as a perfect, grey, bobtailed female.
Later discovered, a male called Mopsen. While healthy, Mopsen only had one testicle. Not an ideal situation. But without a lot of choice and considering cryptorchid was not a disqualifying aspect at the time, Mopsen was to become the first recognised stud of the breed. And so with two more bitches, Lessi, and Vivi, the men started upon a breeding programme. It is believed that Mopsen sired a dog pup, Jerry265OTT,out of Lessi. Mopsen also sired a bitch pup, Tessan3999VV, out of Vivi. And Mopsen may have sired Borgalls Mopsan7871VV out of Topsy. Although this is uncertain as at the time she was found Topsy was an older bitch of 12 years. Also in the uncertainty is the belief that Vivi may be a daughter or granddaughter of Topsy, as both Vivi and Topsy came from the same owner, farmer Herman Johansson.
Björn von Rosen recognised early that Topsy was the best specimen of them all and began to write the first breed standard based on her qualities. This standard, along with photos of the other dogs was sent to the Swedish Kennel club. Credit must also be paid to the Swedish Kennel Club, they too were very keen to see the breed saved and recognised. So by that autumn a total of six initial dogs, along with their owners, traveled to a Göteborg dog show where the dogs were assessed by three judges. The first being Count von Rosen, also Colonel Bertil Burén, and Baron Carl Leuhusen. The gentlemen were of one mind that Topsy was indeed the ideal specimen. She was regarded as having a beautiful body, a strong head and perfect quality of hair [fur] and the correct grey colour. All the initial dogs were grey. Although Karl-Gustaf Zetterstén managed to have the acceptable colors include brown, yellow and red-brown in the 1950's. There was much determination to ensure that in ongoing breeding the dogs should still "look like grandfathers dog" and retain the ability to herd. The men also believed that a correct Swedish Vallhund's coat was maintained as vital. The breed should always have half-long coat with undercoat. It should not be soft or open. After a year of exhibition shows the kennel club recognized the breed in 1943.
Björn von Rosen had been writing articles about the breed, published in Svenska Dagbladet, a major newspaper. This prompted a lot of public interest and demand. Karl Gustave Zetterstén, still breeding terriers and initially with no intention to breed Sewdus Vallhund established the kennel Borghälla. This was prompted by the Swedish Kennel club continually referring puppy seekers to him. Karl felt a duty to care for and continue the breed, Karl continued with the bicycling and the search for more dogs and managed to find a lovely bitch, Tyra. Tyra sported a white chest, and had a good length of leg. And her breeding was known back three generations (of dams). And her father was known as Nicke. Tyra was mated to Pelle, a Mopsen son out of Tessan. One very beautiful boy, Borghällas Ajo from the litter of five that resulted went on to become a very notable stud with his very straight forelegs, close fitting, short & hard grey coat. Karl also bred the 'Borghällas Delila', the very first Swedish Vallhund Champion.
Then in 1964, the Swedish Breed standard was revised and the name Västgötaspet was officially adopted acknowledging the region of Västgötaland were the rescue was initiated. The Swedish Vallhund is also known as the Swedish cattle dog, and Svensk Vallhund
The breed remains quite rare
Rare breed (dog)
Rare breed is any breed of dog that is small in number. Since dogs have greater genetic variability than other domesticated animals the number of possible breeds is vast...
worldwide.
In 2008, the vallhund, the Plott hound, the Tibetan mastiff, and the beauceron competed for the first time, in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a two-day, all-breed benched conformation show that takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City every year. The first Westminster show was held in 1877....
.