Finnish Lapphund

The Finnish Lapphund is the reindeer-herding spitz of Lapland, bred by the Sámi to work animals that fight back.

History

The Sámi have kept herding dogs of this type in northern Finland for centuries, working semi-wild reindeer — dangerous stock that a dog controls by barking and agility rather than force. The breed was standardised in the 1940s and remains one of the most popular dogs in Finland.

Temperament

The breed is known for being friendly, calm and notably good with children, alert and vocal, and quick to submit rather than confront — a dog that survived among reindeer by getting out of the way.

Care and training

It needs regular exercise and mental work. The barking needs managing. The thick double coat sheds enormously twice a year and suits cold far better than heat.

Health

Generally healthy and long-lived, with hip dysplasia and hereditary eye conditions among the known tendencies. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.