The breed standard is the guideline that specifies ideal appearance,
temperament, and characteristics of a breed. Soundness is essential and ensures
the ideal is robust and functional. Breeders and judges should always move to
avoid any condition or type that could in anyway jeopardise the health, welfare
and functional soundness of this dog breed.
Responsible and ethical
breeding practice should include any health testing that may identify dogs that
are not suitable for breeding avoiding reproduction of an undesirable health and
welfare aspect.
Hip Dysplasia may occur in all dogs, and it is a
serious condition prevalent in specific breeds. Swedish Vallhunds are not noted
for a high incidence of hip dysplasia, or degenerative eye conditions. However
in the interests of taking a cautious and responsible approach it is recommended
that breeding dogs are both hip scored, and eye tested.
ORIGIN : Sweden.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY
The Swedish Vallhund is considered to be one of the genuine Swedish breeds even if it is not quite clear how it is related to the Welsh Corgi. It is hart to say if the Vikings brought dogs of this spitztype to Sweden from England. Modern cynological research points to that the breed was developed in Sweden. The honor of making the Swedish Vallhund recognized and registered as a Swedish breed goes to Count Björn von Rosen. In the beginning of the 1940s he noticed the existence of these dogs. By making an inventory of the existing dogs in the county of Västergötland and especially around the city of Vara he found a small but evenly typed group of dogs. They were the start of a serious breeding program that was mainly in the hands of the headmaster K.G.Zettersten. He succeded in breeding for an even type without losing the herding instinct.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
A small powerful, fearless, short-legged dog. Appearance and expression denote a watchful, alert and energetic dog.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS
The relation between height and length of body is about 2 : 3.
BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT
The breed is watchful, energetic, fearless and alert.
HEAD
Head rather long and clean cut. When viewed from above, forms an even wedge from skull to tip of nose.
CRANIAL REGION
Skull : Almost flat.
Stop : Well defined.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Pigmentation jet black.
Muzzle : When viewed from the side, looks rather square. The muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull.
Lips : Tightly closed.
Jaws/Teeth : Perfect and regular scissor bite with even and well developed teeth.
Eyes : Medium size, oval in shape and dark brown.
Ears : Medium size, pointed, pricked and ear leather is hard from base to tip, smooth haired and mobile. Set on not too low.
NECK
Long and strongly muscled with good reach.
BODY
Topline : Back level, well muscled.
Loin : Short, strong.
Croup : Broad and slightly sloping.
Chest : Long with good depth. Well sprung ribs. When viewed from the front, the chest is oval, from side, elliptical. It reaches two-fifths of the length of the forelegs and, when viewed from the side, the lowest point of the chest is immediately behind the back part of the foreleg.
Underline : Belly slightly tucked up.
TAIL
Two types of tails occur, long or natural short tail. In both cases all variations are acceptable.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs well boned.
Shoulder : Shoulder-blade long and well laid back .
Upper arm : Slightly shorter than the shoulders and set at a distinct angle. Upper arm lies close to ribs, but is still very mobile.
Forearm : When viewed from the front, slightly bent, just enough to give them free action against the lower part of the chest.
Pastern : Elastic.
Legs : Well boned.
HINDQUARTERS : Hindlegs well angulated at stifle and hock. Seen from behind, they are parallel.
Thighs : Strongly muscled.
Lower thigh : Slightly longer than the distance from hock to ground.
FEET : Medium sized, short, oval, pointing straight foreward with strong pads and well knuckled up.
GAIT / MOVEMENT
Sound with good drive.
COAT
HAIR : Medium length, harsh, close and tight topcoat; undercoat soft and dense. The coat is short on foreparts of the legs, slightly longer on neck, chest and backparts of the hindlegs.
COLOUR : Desirable colours are grey, greyish brown, greyish yellow or reddish brown with darker hairs on back, neck and sides of the body. Lighter hair in the same shade of colour as mentioned above can be seen on muzzle, throat, chest, belly, buttocks, feet and hocks. Lighter markings on shoulders, so called harness markings, desirable. White is permitted to a small extent as a narrow blaze, neckstop or slight necklace. White markings are permitted on fore-and hindlegs and on the chest.
SIZE AND WEIGHT
Height at withers : Dogs 33 cm. Bitches 31 cm.
A variation of 1.5 cm above or below these heights is permitted.
Weight : Between 9 - 14 kg.
FAULTS
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Very rarely, a Swedish Vallhund will be born with coat colouring and markings that leave them outside the standard. They are still purebred and every bit a Swedish Vallhund in character, temperament, and in every other respect. These dogs may not compete in confirmation shows, nor should they be bred from. They can however still compete in dogs sports such as agility and obedience. They make loved family pets. Dogs with large areas of white and patches are called 'mismarks'. And white Swedish Vallhunds are usually very pale 'apricots', genetically they are'dilutes'. Of the less that 300 Swedish Vallhunds in New Zealand there are just two dilute Swedish Vallhunds.
Photos ~ Far Left: a mismarked puppy ~ Middle: a dilute puppy ~ Far Right: A red bitch with two dilute puppies and a grey/sable pup.
