How to Identify a Swedish Vallhund

Swedish Vallhunds are members of the herding group, who also referred to as Vasgotaspets or Swedish Cattle Dogs. [1] They share some characteristics with other dog breeds, but they also have many distinguishing ones. This wikiHow will help you with figuring out whether or not a dog is a Swedish Vallhund.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Taking Note of the Body Structure

  1. Male Swedish Vallhunds are usually somewhere between 12.5–13.75 inches (31.8–34.9 cm) tall, while females are typically between 11.5–12.75 inches (29.2–32.4 cm) tall. Both male and female Swedish Vallhunds usually weigh somewhere between 20–35 pounds (9.1–15.9 kg). [2]
  2. Swedish Vallhunds should have a clean head overall that is quite long. When looked at from above, a Swedish Vallhund should have a head with an area under their eyes that is filled in well, and their head should also appear to form a wedge that is even, from the dog's skull to the tip of their nose. [3]
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  3. Swedish Vallhunds should have mobile, prick ears that are pointed and medium in size. They should be set at the outside edge of the dog's skull, and they should be placed above a "line" starting from the corner of the dog's eye. [4]
  4. Swedish Vallhunds have oval-shaped eyes that are medium in size and dark brown in color. [5]
  5. Swedish Vallhunds may or may not have a docked tail, and the tail may be in the form of a stub, bob, or it may also be left long. [6]
  6. Overall, Swedish Vallhunds should have a build that is sturdy and a gait with strong drive and reach that is also sound. [7]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Examining the Coat

  1. Swedish Vallhunds should have a sable pattern on their coat that may be any color from grey to red, though you may notice lighter shades of the color on the dog's feet, lower legs, buttocks, chest, hocks, and belly, along with lighter-colored harness markings. The dog may either have a muzzle that is dark in color or a mask that is defined well and has hair on the muzzle, around the eyes, and under the throat that is of a lighter color. You may also notice a white-colored spot on the dog's neck, markings on their legs, chest, as a "necklace" or as a blaze on the dog's head that is narrow (the white color should not be on more than 1/3 of the dog). [8]
  2. Swedish Vallhunds should have a harsh-feeling coat, along with a soft-feeling undercoat. [9]
  3. Overall, the coat of a Swedish Vallhund should be medium in length, with an undercoat that is dense and a tight, close topcoat. The hair should be shorter in length on the fore parts of the dog's legs and their head and a little longer on the dog's chest, neck, and the back of their hind legs. [10]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Looking at Temperament

  1. While this can be helpful in some situations, this dog will likely need training to know when they are allowed to bark. [11]
  2. Swedish Vallhunds are agile dogs overall, who do well with activities like games of fetch or a hike, in addition to herding. [12]
  3. Swedish Vallhunds have a lot of energy, so activities mentioned earlier on like hikes or a game of fetch can be helpful to make sure they get the right amount of physical activity. [13]
  4. Swedish Vallhunds are friendly dogs overall, who are generally good with other animals and polite towards people. [14]
  5. Swedish Vallhunds are known to be independent, stubborn dogs, so they will need consistent, firm training with a clear leader established. [15]
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      Tips

      • If you would like to know what breed your dog is, consider dog DNA testing. This can help confirm whether or not your dog is a Swedish Vallhund.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/swedish-vallhund/
      2. ↑ https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/swedish-vallhund/
      3. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/SwedishVallhund.pdf
      4. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/SwedishVallhund.pdf
      5. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/SwedishVallhund.pdf
      6. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/SwedishVallhund.pdf
      7. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/SwedishVallhund.pdf
      8. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/SwedishVallhund.pdf
      9. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/SwedishVallhund.pdf
      1. ↑ https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/SwedishVallhund.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.dogtemperament.com/swedish-vallhund/
      3. ↑ https://www.dogtemperament.com/swedish-vallhund/
      4. ↑ https://www.dogtemperament.com/swedish-vallhund/
      5. ↑ https://www.dogtemperament.com/swedish-vallhund/
      6. ↑ https://www.dogtemperament.com/swedish-vallhund/

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