Finnish Lapphund / Lapinkoira, Suomenlapinkoira

Breed history:

 The Finnish Lapphund and the Swedish Lapphund are very old breeds with common origins. They were raised and developed by the Scandinavian people, the Sami. It was used as a watchdog for reindeer herds and for hunting.

Description:

 It is a medium-sized dog, with a square look. The head is wide, trapezoidal, with a conical, short muzzle, similar to the fox's. The eyes are medium-sized and hazel. The ears are small, wide apart, triangular, pointed and erect. The bushy tail is carried on the back. The fur is double-layered with a short, soft, thick inner layer and an outer layer made of thick, long, rough hair. The fur is longer on the neck, the back, the lower side of the legs and tail. It can be any colour as long as it has a dominant colour.

Personality:

 It is an intelligent, active, dynamic, friendly dog that likes to bark and that sometimes can be stubborn. It is devoted to its master, loving and tolerant with children. It announces strangers by barking, but is not dangerous. It is sociable with other dogs and other animals.

Grooming:

 The fur will be brushed during the shedding period to remove dead.

Living conditions:

 This dog is resistant to weather changes and feels better in the open, in a colder climate, with a loving and active family. It likes exercise and it enjoys long walks. It doesn't run away from its master.

Training:

 It is a dog which is easy and pleasant to train, because it is smart and eager to learn. With a consistent, gentle and varied training, one can obtain good results, even participating in agility and flyball competitions.

Usefulness:

 It is a watchdog for houses and herds, having similar instincts to those of sheepdogs.