Swedish vallhund

I met my 2nd Swedish vallhund today. These are supposedly in corgi ancestry. The resmblance is obvious. Imagine a Pembroke crossed with a Spitz (that was my first guess). Pembroke-sized but not quite as long. Shorter ears. Otter-like tail, sometimes curled spitz-like opver the back, sometimes lowered like a Pem tail, not long (vallhunds are often born bob-tailed or tailless). Slightly stockier. Slightly sturdier-looking legs than a Pem. This one had a black-and-white husky-like coat pattern. Shorter ears. I didn't think it looked as sleek and graceful as a Pem, but it did look strong and sturdy; shorter body, strong legs. A more arctic-looking animal; looked like it would be at home in Scandanavian winters and not at home in Arizona.
The owner made it sound like they're a ton of fun. Herding dogs, like corgis. In our brief encounter, a not-unpembrokelike personality: calm, inquisitive, friendly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Vallhund

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on April 10, 2011 at 9:07am

Lucky you! I checked into buying a Swedish Vallhund a few years ago (very expensive) and found out that many Vallhund owners had Pembrokes first. The 2 breeders I checked with would never go back to Corgis.I don't remember many specifics but it was fun checking them out!

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on April 10, 2011 at 12:46pm

Is that the Fire and Ice valhunds???? I have a great very specific contract from wherever I checked one out.

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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on April 11, 2011 at 12:12am

Well... there's lots of Swedes in Minnesota (I'm from Duluth).

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Permalink Reply by Beth on April 10, 2011 at 2:28pm

I do really really like Vallhunds and may one day look for one. I'm torn. I really like the Corgi personality and worry the Vallhund might be a little too Spitz-like. The Spitz dogs tend not to listen at all unless it suits them, are often escape artists, and can be quite manipulative. What appeals to me is their slightly more "natural" back-lenght-to-leg-height ratio; they look to be a bit sturdier, at first glance. It's hard to know much about health because they are so rare in this country.

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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on April 11, 2011 at 12:13am

I thought I saw a breeder's website somewhere -- said they were trying to breed Pems with somewhat shorter backs. ??

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Permalink Reply by Nicola Porter on April 10, 2011 at 5:26pm

I love em, but would be hard pressed to get one over a corgi. It would seem that I was dissing my corgs.

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Permalink Reply by Kari & Quin on April 10, 2011 at 9:42pm

Was that Ariz crack for me John?:)

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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on April 11, 2011 at 12:22am

Hey, you people in Arizona don't even know what lutefisk IS. Whaddya gonna do, pickle some cactus in lye, let it rot for a year, and then try to pass it off as some kind of Scandanavian tequila? :-)
I could definitely see the arctic physique in the vallhund: everything was a bit shorter and warmer-looking, ears, nose -- like the difference between an arctic fox and a desert fox. I'd think a slimmer physique like a corgi's would do better in a warm climate.

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Permalink Reply by Ace and Jen on April 11, 2011 at 12:32am

I remember when i was sitting out in front of a Dairy Queen in my Oregon town and a lady drove up in her great big SUV and there yapping was her little Vallhund he was the cutest thing.. Ace kept tilting his head everytime that little fella barked.. Ace was about 6 months at the time and the Gal got out and was all "Aww a Corgi Puppy!" I asked her immidiatly if that was a Vallhund i saw and she beamed telling me he was i grinned and we talked a bit about how her Vallhund could be a great great distant cousin to Ace lol

They re cute little things but ill stick with my Corgis =)

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Permalink Reply by Edison on April 11, 2011 at 8:41am

We very nearly adopted a Swedish Vallhund puppy (I could not possibly make up his given name: Bodacious Tidbit of Thor) but decided against it on account of not having enough time to raise him properly.

I rather like the idea of corgis having a common ancestry with Vallhunds. It gives me the mental image of Edison riding with Vikings, exploring new shores and eventually deciding in Wales, "I think I'll FRAP here!"