If you are interested in a Swedish Lapphund, then it can be helpful to know exactly what they are like and how to care for them before bringing one into your home. By properly preparing yourself, you can decide if it is the right breed of dog for you and make an informed decision. Swedish Lapphunds make for excellent pets overall, and they are incredibly loving and lively animals. Whether you are looking for an emotional support animal or a family dog the kids will love, your search for a dog might not need to go any further than a Swedish Lapphund. With that said, they might not make the perfect pet in every occasion.
There are many reasons to consider purchasing a Swedish Lapphund – from an exciting personality to making the perfect guard dog at your home. In this informative guide on the Swedish Lapphund breed, you will learn about their rich history, detailed characteristics that make them different from other breeds and how to properly care for them in an affectionate and safe manner. We also discuss how to find a Swedish Lapphund the right way and how to properly register your animal as a therapy dog, service animal or emotional support animal.
About The Swedish Lapphund
The Swedish Lapphund is a rare breed of dog that originates and is almost exclusively located currently in Sweden. It is a type of herding breed, and they are approximately 16 to 20 inches in height and weigh between 30 and 45 pounds. The typical life expectancy for a Swedish Lapphund is between 10 to 14 years.
Most Swedish Lapphunds are incredibly lively and playful animals, and they have never met a stranger a day in their life. They are most often incredibly affectionate and wonderful around other areas, children and the elderly. Subsequently, they make for amazing therapy dogs the entire family can appreciate or as emotional support animals for those who are in need.
The Swedish Lapphund is fairly easy to care for, although it is important to have them in an environment in which they are able to receive plenty of exercise and fed properly. They are generally easy to train, and they highly intelligent.
Overall, the Swedish Lapphund is a great breed, and it is almost impossible to spend time around one and not immediately begin to feel better and be happier. Anyone who is looking for the perfect companion to serve as their emotional support animal – or more specialized form of service animal – should certainly consider this breed of dog.
The History of The Swedish Lapphund
The Swedish Lapphund is the national breed of Sweden, and they are somewhat rare to find outside of the country. With that said, they are incredibly adaptable pets and thrive in just about any climate. Additionally, the Swedish Lapphund is one of the oldest breeds still around, In fact, they date back as far as the early days of the Sami people – who are known to live in Sweden, Norway, Finland and parts of Russia.
The Swedish Lapphund historically has been used for hunting purposes, although their role in society adapted and started to be used more for the domestication of Reindeer as they were great around other animals and had a loud enough bark to scare off predators in the area. Despite the hunting instincts of the Swedish Lapphund, they are great around other domesticated animals – including cats – and they are sweet and loving by nature.
As of today, the Swedish Lapphund is very rare, and they were even on the brink of extinction at various times in the 20th century. Fortunately, the population of the Swedish Lapphund is beginning to increase, although the current population is still low at approximately 1,200, most of which are in Sweden.
Characteristics of The Swedish Lapphund
It is important to be familiar with the type of animal you are getting when purchasing a dog. While a calm animal that does not require as much exercise might be more suitable in individuals who are less active, more energetic animals – such as the Swedish Lapphund – might be ideal for more active individuals who have the time and living arrangements to allow proper exercise for their pet.
Swedish Lapphunds are incredibly cute dogs both as puppies and fully grown, which leads many to want one to be a part of their family, but the household they go into should be suitable for their personality characteristics. Although each Swedish Lapphund is unique and different, their typical personality traits include:
- Friendly
- Affectionate
- Energetic
- Intelligent
- Talkative
The most notable characteristic of the Swedish Lapphund is their lively attitude and positive outlook on life. They are incredibly affectionate and friendly – especially with those they see each day – and they know how to brighten your day each day. With that said, they can be loud at times, and they have guard dog tendencies, which means they might bark out of excitement when they see another animal or person they are not familiar with. Swedish Lapphunds are also very intelligent, and they are relatively easy to train.
One of the biggest concerns we hear from those considering bringing a Swedish Lapphund into their house is that they might not relate well with the other dogs and cats, but they actually are great around other animals, and it does not take them long to adapt to their new surroundings.
When to Consider a Swedish Lapphund Breed
There are many reasons to consider bringing a Swedish Lapphund puppy or dog into your home, and they can be a great way companion for the entire family. One of the most common reasons people consider the Swedish Lapphund Breed for their choice of dog is because of the emotional support they provide, and they make for excellent ESA animals.
For some, one of the only drawbacks to the Swedish Lapphund is actually a strength. While many do not like the fact that they bark more than the average dog, the barking actually makes them the perfect guard dog, and they can help keep you safe in your home at night.
With that said, they do require the right environment where they are able to exercise most days and might not be the most ideal in apartment complexes, especially those that have a strict dog policy.
How to Care for Your Swedish Lapphund
The Swedish Lapphund does require a fair amount of care to ensure they are in a healthy environment in which they can thrive and be as happy and healthy as possible. By understanding what your Swedish Lapphund needs each day, you can make the necessary arrangements to ensure they have a proper daily routine.
From a nutritional standpoint, the Swedish Lapphund does not need a special diet to stay healthy, and typical store-bought, high-quality dog food should be all that is needed. With that said, Swedish Lapphunds do have a tendency to gain weight faster than the average dog when fed too much, so be sure to manage the number of treats and ensure proper weight management.
The Swedish Lapphund has a fairly thick coat, and it is important to brush him or her frequently. Although their coat is not quite as thick as a Siberian Husky, they do shed their coat once or twice a year, which can lead to the need to sweep and vacuum along with proper grooming. A weekly bath can also help keep their coat soft and itch-free year round.
As far as exercise is concerned, they are very active animals, and they love to run and play. It is important to keep them in a fenced area if not properly trained as they do have a tendency to be distracted and run off chasing other people or animals. With that said, they are not energetic 24/7 and giving them a short, daily exercise routine should be all that is required.
They are also easy to train and overall incredibly intelligent animals, although keeping their attention while they are still young might be somewhat difficult. Be sure to find the right treat they enjoy to use while training and stay patient with them if they do not pick up on a command right away.
Swedish Lapphunds are healthy dogs, but they do require regular visits to the vet to ensure health issues do not develop. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian about how to properly manage your Swedish Lapphunds weight and keep him or her healthy and feeling great each day.
Where to Find a Swedish Lapphund
A Swedish Lapphund can be hard to find as there are only around 1,200 pure bread alive today, making it one of the more rare breeds on the planet. They also exist almost exclusively in Sweden, rather than being prevalent in the United States. However, there are ways to find a Swedish Lapphund in the United States to take into your home and make a part of your family.
The most trustworthy way to find a Swedish Lapphund is to go through the American Kennel Club. Be sure to use their “marketplace” feature and conduct a search for the Swedish Lapphund Breed specifically. They do not always have dogs available in the specific breed, but with patience and consistency, you can eventually stumble upon one for sale using their website.
There are also other ways to find a Swedish Lapphund near you – or from abroad – although it might take consistently searching and verifying the credentials of the breeder to ensure they are legal and are in fact of the breed the breeder claims they are.
If you cannot find a Swedish Lapphund and do not have the time to wait for your new pet, then there are other related breeds that are great as well, including the Swedish Vallhund, Finnish Laphund, and the Yakutian Laika. Perhaps a related breed that is the most prevalent in the United States is a husky, although there are some very notable differences between the two to familiarize yourself with.
Once you find the right dog for you and your family – whether it is a Swedish Lapphund or a related breed – it is important to ensure you have the right environment for them and they are able to receive the physical and emotional attention they need.
Register Your Swedish Lapphund Today
If you have a Swedish Lapphund – or another type of animal, that plays a large role in your emotional well-being, then you should consider having him or her registered as an emotional support animal or service animal. An emotional support animal is an animal that helps support someone with a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety.
However, it is important to understand the difference between a therapy dog and an emotional support animal. A therapy dog is a dog that helps pick up the spirits of another person or group of people, but they most likely do not have special privileges. An emotional support animal, however, is recommended by a mental health professional after the evaluation of a patient, and they are exempt to pet policies from landlords and housing complexes. A Swedish Lapphund might also make for great service animals as well, which is similar to an emotional support animal but might be used for a physical complication rather than a mental one.
If you are interested in registering your Swedish Lapphund as either a therapy dog, emotional support animal or service animal, then consult with us and allow us to guide you through the entire process. Here at US Service Animals, we provide verified documentation for your animal, which declares them either a therapy dog, emotional support animal or service animal, depending on what they are applied for. No one should have to live with a mental disability that they are unable to control daily, and having a loving Swedish Lapphund – or another affectionate animal – close by at all times can be a great way to deal with depression, anxiety or another form of mental health disorder.