Pastoral group · Sweden
Swedish Vallhund
Also called Vastgotaspets, Swedish Cattle Dog, Viking Dog.
What makes them remarkable
This low-built Swedish cattle dog nearly disappeared in the 1940s before a revival saved it.
- Friendly
- Energetic
- Watchful
- Fearless
- Alert
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 9 to 16 kg20 to 35 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 15 years
- Energy
- High
- Trains
- High
- Barks
- High
Training
Training a Swedish Vallhund
Pastoral breeds. Give the brain a job or it will find one. Chasing, nipping and fixating are the breed doing its work.
Heeler Heritage
Start here
May nip at heels like Corgis, redirect this instinct early and consistently.
Vocal Viking
Very vocal breed, train "quiet" command and provide adequate mental stimulation.
Big Dog in Small Body
Don't coddle, treat as a working dog with appropriate training expectations.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Swedish Vallhund and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to herd and guard livestock. Watchful, responsive, and wired to control movement.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsHigh
- StrangersModerate
- CatsModerate
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1-1.5 hours daily. Active play and mental challenges.
- Grooming
- Moderate shedding. Weekly brushing, more during shedding season.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Double coat, Medium length, Hard topcoatGrey, Greyish Brown, Greyish Yellow, Reddish Yellow, Reddish Brown
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Joint condition despite small size
Swedish Vallhund Retinopathy
Moderate
Breed-specific eye condition
Where they come from
History
Ancient Swedish breed dating back over 1,000 years. May be ancestor of Welsh Corgis (or vice versa, historians debate). Used for herding cattle and guarding farms. Nearly extinct in 1942 but revived.
Similar breeds
All breeds
Australian Cattle Dog
Dingoes are part of this cattle dog’s ancestry, alongside imported herding dogs.
Medium · Pastoral
Border Collie
Its name marks its birthplace: the sheep country along the border between Scotland and England.
Medium · Pastoral
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
A long tail helps distinguish this Welsh cattle herder from its better-known Pembroke cousin.
Small · Pastoral
Finnish Lapphund
The Sami people developed this northern dog to work with reindeer.
Medium · Pastoral