If you’re up on your Viking legends, you may already have spotted the ancient Swedish Vallhund, depicted at the prow of a Viking longship. These sturdy, long and low dogs have a look of the Welsh Corgi to them, but they’re rugged working dogs, bred to keep cattle in check. Smart, sociable and endlessly energetic, Swedish Vallhund have an always-up-for-adventure attitude, coupled with relentless cheerfulness. Small they may be, but they pack a large voice - Vallhunds are known for their almost constant vocalisations.
Swedish Vallhund Facts
The Swedish Vallhund is an ancient dog breed, with its history going back over 1,000 years to the Scandinavian Vikings. At some point, the Vallhund was bred - thought to be the result of crossing Scandinavian Spitz dogs with Welsh Corgis.
- Breed Group: Herding
- Height: Female: 29cm - 32 cm; Male: 31cm - 35cm
- Weight: 9kg - 16kg
- Life Span: 12 - 15 years
- Coat: Short, double
- Colour: Grey or Red
What Does a Swedish Vallhund Look Like?
Sturdy and proud, Swedish Vallhunds look like they belong on the prow of Viking longships. Fast forward over a 1,000 years and they’ve still retained their signature looks: long and low to the ground and somewhat Corgi-like. That’s because these dogs are herders and their low profile is ideal for nipping at the heels of cattle, while avoiding swift kicks to the head. Watch a Swedish Vallhund move and you’ll be impressed by their power, balance and smoothness.
A thick, medium-length double coat ensures Swedish Vallhunds stay warm and dry on the high seas (or while exploring muddy puddles in your garden). Their coats are either grey or red, but they’re not solid. Instead, they have markings, including white patches on their chest. Their large v-shaped ears always stand upright, all the better to hear potential intruders with.
Swedish Vallhund
Swedish Vallhund Temperament: Chatty Cathy
Life with a Swedish Vallhund is never quiet - literally. These dogs are known for being talkative and for not having a filter. Whatever’s on their mind, they’re going to share it with you. They’re also not familiar with the concept of an ‘inside’ voice. As well as being big barkers, Swedish Vallhunds have quite the vocal repertoire. Expect to hear whines and groans too.
Swedish Vallhunds are incredibly friendly, cheerful and loving dogs when it comes to their humans, but they’re not shy about reminding you of your place. Sure, this could be called bossy but they’d say they’re just protecting you. (While also having their in-built herding instincts kicking in.) Swedish Vallhunds have a strong protective and guarding streak, so it’s normally best to stick to prearranged pup playdates, rather than taking them to the dog park.
With an ability to get on well with everyone (once they’ve been judged and found to not be a threat of course), Swedish Vallhunds make great family pets. They’ve got enough energy and enthusiasm to play for hours with the kids in the garden. They even share their home nicely with cats and other pets.
Keeping Swedish Vallhunds Healthy: 2 Issues to Watch Out For
Swedish Vallhunds are sturdy, healthy pups with an expected lifespan of up to 15 years. They’re not prone to many health problems and the ones that they are can be screened for by responsible breeders.
Eye Problems
Vallhunds can develop a range of eye problems, including a type of Progresive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) called Swedish Vallhund Retinopathy and cataracts. Swedish Vallhund Retinopathy can cause night-blindness and other vision problems in older dogs (10 years and beyond). But researchers have found the genetic markers that cause it, so it can be screened for. Cataracts can also affect older Vallhunds, and surgery can help. Other eye problems include distichiasis, corneal dystrophy, Persistent Pupillary Membranes (PPM), vitreous degeneration and retinal dysplasia. Some of these conditions affect a Vallhund’s vision, irritate their eyes or have no symptoms. As part of a yearly vet check up, your Swedish Vallhund’s eyes will be checked and tested which should pick up any problems.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia can affect a lot of dog breeds, including the Swedish Vallhund. A genetic condition, it causes the hip socket to not develop properly, leading to walking and mobility problems and arthritis. There are many treatment options, including weight management, medications and surgery, depending on how severe it is.
Caring for Your Swedish Vallhund Dog
As a sturdy Viking, Swedish Vallhunds are fairly low-maintenance, although they do need plenty of daily exercise and playtime to keep them happy.
Grooming
A Swedish Vallhund’s thick coat does a pretty good job of caring for itself. Occasionally you’ll need to do a thorough, down-to-the-skin brushing. Aim for every few weeks with a decent brush that’s sturdy enough to get through their coat. When they get dirty, it’s time for a bath.
Twice a year, a Swedish Vallhund will shed their undercoat. You can expect piles of hair everywhere when this happens. Pop them in a warm bath and give them a good massage when you’re shampooing them. Then dry them off with a dryer and give them a proper good brushing. This will get rid of most of the loose hair.
Other than that, listen out for the tell-tale clacking of their nails on your floors - that lets you know it’s time for a nail clip. Finally, give their teeth a brush every day to keep their mouth healthy and decay-free.
Nutrition
Like their easygoing, cheerful demeanour, Vallhunds are easy to please when it comes to food. Not known for being fussy eaters, they should happily tuck into quality commercial dog food that’s suited to their lifestage: puppy, adult or senior.
Even if your Swedish Vallhund is incredibly active, these dogs tend to need less food than you think they might. This is especially true because they have a tendency to become overweight. Keep set meal-times, rather than leaving food out for them to graze on throughout the day, and watch how many treats they’re getting - treat calories can quickly add up.
Exercise
Unlike other breeds, there’s a lot of difference in exercise needs for Swedish Vallhunds. Some need plenty of exercise every day (at least 1 hour), while others are happy with a walk and some outdoor playtime. Most Vallhunds need at least one decent walk daily, as well as games of fetch or some time playing sport or agility training. Remember that Swedish Vallhunds aren’t designed to run all day. Instead, these working farm dogs need regular exercise throughout the day.
Alongside physical exercise, Vallhunds need daily mental exercise too. This can include puzzle games and training.
Training
Swedish Vallhunds love to work with their humans. As long as you’re clear about what you want and you keep training positive, training a Swedish Vallhund should be a breeze. Bred to herd animals much bigger than themselves (cattle), Swedish Vallhunds can be strong-willed. Your job is to get them to work happily alongside you. Although they can be a little bossy, Swedish Vallhunds are also known to be very biddable.
With their naturally high intelligence, Swedish Vallhunds can quickly get to grips with whatever training you throw at them. Training can also help temper your Vallhund’s chattiness. Although you’ll never train barking out of them, you can help your Vallhund learn when it’s ok to be noisy (there’s someone outside!) and when it’s less ok (let me tell you all about my day!).