Intelligent, affectionate and mild-mannered, a Swedish Vallhund is the perfect pet for active elderly couples or families with young children. They need vigorous daily exercise.
Need a laugh? A Swedish Vallhund might just be the pet you need. They are energetic, playful and loving pets that are fond of playing games. Lots of games. They are friendly and sociable and not only love their family, but pretty much anyone who pats them. They are gentle and great with children, as well as other pets including livestock and horses. They like when their family is all-together and may try to encourage this by poking or nipping. While cute, discourage this behaviour. Luckily, they are very intelligent and eager to please, which makes training a breeze. They tend to bore easily, so keep training sessions short. Be firm and consistent or your Swedish Vallhund might start to make up their own rules.
Fun fact: Originating in Sweden in the 8th Century, the Swedish Vallhund
first travelled to Britain with the Vikings. It is believed the Swedish Vallhund
first came to Australia in 1981.
Being athletic dogs, they need copious amounts of exercise. A daily walk or run is important to keep them happy and healthy. They excel at agility, tracking, herding and chasing balls; playing fetch is a favourite pastime. Forget about a small apartment, they need a large space with a yard to run around in. If bored they will become destructive. They have a high tendency to bark and make excellent watchdogs, but are not aggressive – they’re more likely to lick the intruder to death. Swedish Vallhunds shed heavily and have a thick double coat that needs to be brushed weekly.
Scheduled six monthly health checks and visits to the vet are important to ensure that your dog is healthy and happy throughout all life-stages. It’s important that together with your vet a preventative health care program is determined and maintained based on the individual needs of your canine companion. Swedish Vallhunds are prone to hip dysplasia, luxating patella (loose kneecaps) and heart and eye disease.
Size
A medium-sized breed weighing 11-16kgs with an average height of 31-35cms.
Space
Yard space is ideal for this energetic breed.
Energy Levels
They have high energy levels. A daily run and lots of games will keep this dog happy.
Difficulty Of Training
Intelligent dogs that learn quickly.
Family suitability
Great family pets and loyal companions.
Suitability to other pets
If socialised from a young age, your dog will befriend other pets.
Need for company
They have a high need for company and enjoy being by their human’s side at all times.
Hypoallergenic dog breed?
No
Coat and grooming needs
This breed is low maintenance. Brush their coat weekly. They have a medium coat in grey, red-yellow, red-brown and grey-brown.
Shedding
Sheds heavily.
Tendency to bark
Has a high tendency to bark.