Living with the Swedish Vallhund

Anneka Scholes

 I met my first Swedish Vallhund at Discover Dogs in 2012. Having done some training at home in the garden with our Border Terrier, I was particularly interested in finding a breed that not only suited our lifestyle but that would be suitable to train in agility. Eight years on we now live with two of them, both of whom have competed in the YKC ring at Crufts!

Before Jet was old enough to begin any agility training, we did a lot of trick training together, all of which we both thoroughly enjoyed. When he was aged just one we even got to the semi-finals of CBBC’s ‘Who Let The Dogs Out?’ (dog training competition television programme, hosted by Ashleigh Butler). Days after his eighth birthday this year and during his fifth time competing at Crufts, Jet and I managed to get a second place in the Small YKC Pairs competition. I am still unsure as to what Jet’s favourite part of Crufts is – the agility itself or the endless free treats that he knows exactly how to get from every shop owner! It is definitely his favourite social outing of the year.

After our border terrier passed away and missing the presence of a second dog, we thought long and hard about what breed to get next. After much deliberation we decided that we had to get another Swedish Vallhund! Their constant willingness to please, desire to be with us, sociable character and easy coat really won us over.

Despite being very different to Jet, Otto’s boundless enthusiasm has brought so much joy to our lives and they are well and truly best friends. I have really enjoyed spending more time with them both during the last few months because - with or without agility - they really are my perfect companions.

Debbie Howe

I FIRST met the breed some 30 years ago when I was showing German Shepherds and I was impressed with initially their looks, and secondly their ‘presence’ resulting in me deciding that one day I too would have a Vallhund.

Fast forward to 2012 and so it began….a history of sharing my life with large guarding and giant spitz breeds had given me some insight into managing most aspects of daily dog life. Vallhunds were my first venture into "small dogs", but nobody told them that and I don’t believe they fit the stereotypical view of small dogs.

There are so many superlatives that could (and should!) be applied to the breed – loving, loyal, intelligent, spirited, funny.

Never is a Vallhund more happy than when he/she is sat next to you or on top of you! The Vallhund ‘nose nudge’ was new to me – a cold nose being pushed into your calf or hand, but it is simply a Vallhund reminding you that you’re a team and they’re right there if you need them.

In a similar vein to GSDs, Vallhunds loathe being left behind and will remind you vocally that their place is at your ankle. This requires clear and consistent management if life is to continue harmoniously.

They are a sensitive breed that quickly picks up on mood and will often do their very best to make you laugh. Their easy to care for coats and general good manners make them an uncomplicated breed to live with. I don’t find them demanding in terms of exercise requirements although that may be influenced by the breeds I have owned previously.

We walk daily and I often cycle with them trotting alongside (once they have reached 12 months). I find they are a breed that are happy to potter about but are easier to live with if given regular brain and muscle activity. They do not forget their working roots and neither should we and whilst I do not work my Vallhunds on livestock, I do actively seek other ways for them to exercise their brain – often in the most simplistic way by concealing their dinner in activity toys. It should be mentioned that in typical cattle-dog style Vallhunds do like to chew their toys and one of their secret missions in life is to disprove the manufacturer’s claims of ‘indestructible’ and ‘tough’.

The less desirable aspects of living with the breed? When they moult they really moult! At times it feels like we’re fighting our way through a fog of blonde tumbleweed as their unwanted undercoat drifts along the wood f loor and they do their very best to improve your fashion sense by adding that finishing touch of their unwanted coat just as you’re about to leave the house! I have long lamented why I always seem to buy cars with black upholstery…. But then again, is this just indicative of the Vallhund generosity?

After all, it would clearly be selfish of them to keep that beautiful thick coat all to themselves!

Image copyright of Debbie Howe

Doug Pazineza

What is it like living with a Swedish Vallhund? We developed a whole vocabulary to describe the “Vallisms” we adore so much in our two girls. It would take a glossary and a lot of interpretation to include them all here. They don’t share their most endearing qualities with just anyone and you won’t learn them all until a Vallhund has adopted you as family.

And family means everything to them. They will make it their life’s ambition to keep theirs intact, entertained and contented. They will respect you as pack leader but will observe your every move as they would a herd of cattle they are charged with managing. And they never let you out of their sight.

They are called Velcro dogs for a good reason. Swedish Vallhunds are constant companions. No matter how tired they are, they will follow you from room to room so if this is a little too close for comfort, then a Vallhund is not for you.

After they have posted themselves as sentry to the shower room, they will attend to you getting dressed in the morning in order to inspect every garment within nose reach to determine if they will be involved in your day’s activities. Office clothes and shoes will be met with a despondent resignation or bribery with their favourite toys that will be laid at your feet or pushed into your legs.

We fortunately don’t have to leave our Vallhunds at home alone much but it’s always a big reunion when we return and we’re greeted with a sing song of howls and barks. Then they scramble to find a toy to give us as a token of their love.

I love this description by Andy Bergstrom of New York. The breeder enclosed it with our f irst Swedish Vallhund’s puppy pack. “They are part cat, part lapdog, part wolf, part German Shepherd, part Rhodes Scholar and part escape artist. They are able to become invisible – when you see your Vallhund playing in the yard, then call it, and call it and call it - eventually you will turn around to find the dog sitting calmly right behind you staring at you with a curious expression.”

This versatility earns them the description of being a big dog in a small package. Their short legs pack strength, speed and flexibility and belie the true size of this breed. Vallhunds can do a high jump like a track and field athlete, burst into a sprint like a rugby player and f lex like a gymnast. When they go to sleep they stretch out their hind legs with a powerful kick as good as any footballer. Like a Slinky their bodies miraculously become longer and longer until you think you’re sharing your bed with a German Shepherd.

They also favour lying on their backs by using their strong neck to spin themselves into the “banana position”. This is when you can’t resist giving them tummy tickles. And they will gently and lovingly thank you with delicate little licks.

Their portability makes them adaptable to city and country life though having done both, I can see that they really shine on the farm. Our first Vallhund started her life with us in London. She rode the Underground, buses and intercity trains. She’s pub friendly, café cultured, shop secure and a lady dog who does lunch and stays at city centre hotels and country inns. She was even shop assistant in an antiques shop.

Not only do they excel at agility but they are a natural at search and rescue, too. Ask me about her ball that was lost in a thicket of dense gorse bushes and the elder one led me to the exact place where it had gone missing for two days.

She is a certified therapy dog and co-therapist in my counselling practice in which we offer Animal Assisted Therapy. For two years, we volunteered for Pets As Therapy and made weekly service visits to the local hospital.

Swedish Vallhunds are a constant source of amusement. When you’re out for a walk you will detect a little nudge or “nose blatt” to remind you that they are trailing you right on your heels.

They expect to share your ice cream, cheese, carrots and organic free range roast turkey. And you will want to spoil them. They know what every kitchen sound effect indicates but they are not greedy or mean around food.

We can trust our girls and they have a lovely mischievous side to them. They have become partners in crime and I have busted them in the act of breaking and entering into their sealed toy box.

You don’t need to be a strict disciplinarian with Vallhunds and that works well for us. They are inclined toward good behaviour and obedience. They are intelligent working dogs and may occasionally evaluate a command momentarily before heeding.

Along with being loyal and protective, they are sensitive – so always exercise restraint when telling them off if on the rare occasion they have been naughty. They really do their best to please you and nobody is perfect after all.

Like most spitz types, they are very clean and shed considerably a few times a year so if you are house proud or allergic, you had best prepare yourself for daily vacuum cleaning. They never need a haircut nor do they need frequent bathing so that eliminates the grooming salon. They have the most fabulous trousers that we call culottes.

Not only are they free of odour, in rare cases some Swedish Vallhunds are naturally perfumed with a floral fragrance around the neck that comes and goes. The older bitch is blessed with this trait that seems endemic to the breed.

Our girls were not born barkers but they learned quickly from others and have excelled at this so we are working on some mitigation in this area.

If you’re like many of us, you’ll find that one is not enough. We weighed the pros and cons of breeding from our 4 year old and decided to leave that to others. Instead we adopted a puppy bitch from her littermate sister bred at another kennel.

Now ages 5 and 1, our girls are bonded with each other and virtually inseparable. They both exhibit typical Swedish Vallhund characteristics but are individually as different as chalk and cheese.

They share toys, dog bowls, sleep together and show a great deal of affection for one another and us. We adore them.

 

Gill Seaton

MY LOVE affair with Swedish Vallhunds began in 1984. I had already left home and we’d never had a dog when I was growing up. Then my parents suddenly decided to get a puppy! My mum had seen an article in our local paper about this little known (at the time almost unheard of) breed. I really wasn’t terribly impressed being much more of a ‘cat person’. But this cute little bundle arrived and I was smitten! That little dog called Lenka (Hurstfield Bibi) came to live with me for the final year of her life and the grief when she died was palpable. I knew I would have another Vallhund.

Lenka died on my birthday in 1998 and it was three months to the day that Holly arrived. She was a two-and-a-half year old rescue - very unusual in the breed because normally they’re placed in good homes. She was perfect! I even used to take her to work with me after my boss had said “have you ever thought about bringing your dog to work?”

A few months later I started a job at a high school and knew I wouldn’t be able to take the dog to work. There was only one thing for it – get another Vallhund! What could possibly be better than having one Vallhund than having two?! Caspar arrived – another rescue. The two were introduced to each other on the Saturday and on the Monday I started the new job and they just got on with it! I was so fortunate that Holly and Casper were both young when I got them and we had 10 happy years together. After Casper died in 2013, there was a huge Vallhund-shaped hole in my life.

It was three years before I was to get another dog but well worth the wait – Sugar and Spice arrived in January 2017. Sadly I lost my beloved ‘Spice girl’ in February 2019 but later that year we were joined by ‘Precious Gem’ and haven’t looked back.

There is something very special about this breed. Swedish Vallhunds are small dogs with huge personalities – they are intelligent, comical, intensely loyal and utterly enchanting.

Losing a Vallhund doesn’t become any less painful and you know you will put yourself through the agony all over again and I am longing for the day I will have a puppy of my own…

Image by Gill Seaton

Lyn Etches

WHAT IT’S like living with a senior Vallhund. My eldest Vallhund is 16 years young, still up for a gentle walk and looking well. He is not a one off, there has been plenty of others living a long life. He truly shows what a strong breed this is when just over a year ago he was diagnosed with cancer. Yet with only a liver supplement he is still unchanged in his behaviours, looks and health.

Recently he had his latest health checks and the vet was amazed at how well he is, he still plays with his favourite toys etc, I believe it helped I didn’t overdo more strenuous things too soon in his life. Vallhunds are not mature until around five years, so don’t over do things and you too will get to live and enjoyable life with a Vallhund.

Image by Lyn Etches

Sophie Linney

Simply put, one does not just ‘live with this breed’, they share their lives with you! Throughout my time within the Vallhund fold, I have come to take great joy in how little known these big characters are. Expect many guesses as to ‘what’ breed your charming short legged, long backed, spirited canine is. ‘Is it a corgi, shepherd cross?’ - ‘look mum, a mini wolf!’ Or perhaps my favourite encounter, ‘he (who is really a she) is a German shepherd from Australia!’ I’m still not sure how this individual arrived at their guess!

Getting my first Vallhund opened up my eyes to the dog show world. Ownership has provided me with many friends, hobbies and has given me confidence to do more with my dogs. I hadn’t intended to ‘show’ Blix, (Tanellis Bloomin Tigerlily) was to be (and will always be) my pet, albeit a very beautiful one. Her breeder suggested coming along to a championship show and that was it, I fell, hook, line and sinker. A show is fantastic place to network and to learn and admire all things dogs.

Don’t be fooled by their charisma in the show ring. From my experience, as a busy and active breed standing still and being patient doesn’t always come naturally. Ring side and benching can sometimes be noisy, as a spitz, some do like the sound of their own voice, a little too much at times.

A Vallhund does need focus. They are a working breed and many do still have the drive and desire to work. They’re strong willed and intelligent. Swedish Vallhunds are extremely versatile, they have a real aptitude to lend themselves to any task or job, they never like to disappoint.

When we aren’t showing or enjoying a walk, my dogs enjoy scent work, obedience and Man Trailing. In layman’s terms Man Trailing is when a dog uses its nose to find a person who is missing or just for fun. We give the dog an article contaminated with the missing persons scent to sniff. The dog then follows the trail of the scent to locate the missing person. My youngest, Beni, (Cecil Vom Brüggener Land), is currently working through his ManTrailing UK level 1 workbook with much success.

As a breed they are extremely rewarding, in both fulfilment of life and love. As a result I have found it impossible to stop at just one! As part of a family they adapt to changes in life well and enjoy even the simplest of things. They are fast to learn, however this is also the case when discovering how to win you over. They soon enter your heart and get you under their paw.

Image by Sophie Linney

Vicky Warren

My husband and I first encountered the Swedish Vallhund about four years ago, after we lost our beloved corgi cross rescue dog.

A close friend of ours pointed us in the direction of the Vallhund as they had very similar characteristics to our dear Fonzi, so we did lots of research on the breed and fell in love when we finally got to meet some Vallhunds at Discover Dogs 2017. Once we visited the lovely ladies at the SVS stall they pointed us in the direction of their website where we could contact breeders in the UK and show our interest, it was a long wait, but so worth it!

We had an email January 2018 from our Lovely breeder Debbie Howe saying her bitch Peppertyme on a Rainbow AKA Rain was expecting puppies and were we still interested. We eagerly wrote back we would love to come meet Debbie, Rain and the puppies when the time was ready. We first met Debbie, Rain and her beautiful brood in March 2018, Debbie was so welcoming and had a lovely cosy set up for Rain. She answered all our queries with ease and checked with us that we knew what we were getting into. Fast forward to March 2019 my husband went on the long car journey to pick up our beautiful newest member of the Warren Clan, Mara!

We had one very excited little girl when Steve bought Mara home. We also have a retired greyhound, Star. Mara was a bit scared of Star when she first met her, but now they have such a strong sister bond, Mara doesn’t like leaving her behind! Mara is truly a wonderful example of the Vallhund breed, very loyal, loving and super intelligent. When the time came for puppy training she was so eager to please she aced the whole course no problems.

When it comes to being part of the family, Mara has stolen our hearts especially our little girl Flossy. Mara has all the patience in the world for Flossy and will follow her everywhere on their little adventures in the garden of if she’s needed as an extra at a tea party!

I also started taking Mara to Ringcraft classes to help with socialisation and improving our show skills for dog shows. Vallhunds are a very loving breed and can be very vocal sometimes too! We certainly don’t need a doorbell when Mara’s about!