Charlotte Lindskog

## Quick Facts

The Havanese is a small FCI-recognised companion dog in Group 9. The FCI lists Cuba as the country of origin and describes how the dog type reached the island from the western Mediterranean. The breed standard gives a height of 23–27 centimetres, with a tolerance of two centimetres in either direction, but no official weight range. Assess likely adult size from height, build, body condition and the parents rather than a promised number of kilograms.

The standard’s ideal is an attentive, affectionate, cheerful, friendly and playful dog. That is a breeding goal, not a guarantee of how every individual will behave with children, unfamiliar people or other animals. Swedish BPH behavioural data instead shows clear variation within the breed.

The long coat is the breed’s biggest day-to-day commitment. It needs to be combed all the way to the skin and may require frequent care, especially during the change from puppy to adult coat. Having little or no undercoat does not make the Havanese allergy-free; dog allergens come from sources including skin particles and saliva and vary between individuals.

## Appearance & Coat

The Havanese should be small, low to the ground and sturdy without becoming heavy or restricted. Body length should relate to height at the withers by roughly 4:3. The front legs should be straight and parallel, and movement light, springy and directed forward. When assessing a dog, look for free movement without obvious lameness, uneven loading or front legs that bow markedly outwards. A profuse coat must not hide poor function.

The breed standard specifies a height of 23–27 centimetres. The stated tolerance extends the accepted range to 21–29 centimetres. The standard gives no ideal weight. Two dogs of the same height can therefore weigh differently because of frame, muscle and body condition. A dog close to either limit is not automatically better or worse, but the Swedish breeding strategy describes a trend towards larger, heavier dogs and stresses that the breed should retain its toy-dog character.

Under the standard, an adult’s outer coat should be very long, about 12–18 centimetres, soft and straight or wavy; it may also form curly strands. The undercoat is poorly developed and often absent. White, fawn, black, Havana brown, tobacco brown and reddish brown occur, as do patches and tan markings in permitted colours. Do not let colour outweigh health, temperament and sound function when choosing a puppy.

The standard calls for a natural coat and does not allow a show coat to be cut to an even length, with limited exceptions around the feet, forehead and muzzle. This is a rule about breed-typical appearance, not a reason to leave painful mats in place. Work a comb through small sections and pay particular attention behind the ears, in the armpits, on the legs and under a harness or collar. Frequency depends on length, texture, moisture and how readily the coat tangles; daily attention may be needed during the coat change.

Introduce the puppy gradually to combing, paw handling, nail trimming and tooth brushing, and pause if it becomes frightened or stressed. Bathe when the coat needs cleaning and dry it thoroughly. Brush the teeth daily with dog toothpaste, as small dogs are more commonly affected by tartar and periodontal disease.

## Temperament & Personality

Under the standard, the Havanese should be attentive, friendly and playful, but individuals differ in how they meet the world. The standard describes a desired temperament. It should not be used as proof that a puppy will automatically be good with children, quiet, fearless or easy for a first-time owner.

The Swedish Kennel Club’s 2026 BPH analysis includes 233 assessed Havanese. Among the participating dogs, there was substantial variation in how intensely they greeted unfamiliar people, how much they played, how curious they were and how they reacted to unstable surfaces. Many showed low social fear and did not threaten strangers, but the data covered only about 1.5 per cent of Swedish-born dogs from the analysed birth years. The findings therefore describe the participating dogs, not every Havanese.

BPH is a description, not a test that a dog passes or fails. Ask to see the parents’ full results and examine the individual reactions. Meet the puppy’s mother in her home environment and observe whether she can greet, choose not to engage, and recover from something unexpected without prolonged fear or stress.

Young children and the dog need adult supervision, and the dog needs a protected resting place. Its small body can be injured by rough play even if the dog seeks contact. Introductions to dogs and cats should be gradual, with distance, escape routes and a way to separate the animals. Previous experiences and the individual dog’s social skills matter more than the breed name.

## Training & Exercise

The Havanese needs daily movement, mental activity and practice in settling. There is no well-supported number of minutes that suits every dog. Adjust walks, play and other exertion to age, fitness, health, weather and recovery.

The breed was developed for companionship and often enjoys cooperation. Scent work, tricks, everyday obedience, rally obedience and appropriately adapted agility can provide useful variety, but competition is not required. Prioritise recall, loose-lead walking, waiting, releasing objects, being examined calmly and settling while things happen nearby. Use reward-based training with clear criteria and avoid physical or psychological coercion.

Alertness may become barking when someone moves through a stairwell or when the dog expects activity. Reduce unnecessary watching at windows and doors, reward calm behaviour and give the dog a clear alternative task. Treat grooming and short periods alone as skills to train from the start. House training is built through frequent opportunities to go outside, supervision and rewards, not punishment or an assumption that the breed is difficult to train.

## Health

The Swedish breed-specific breeding strategy describes the Havanese as a relatively healthy breed, but a careful puppy purchase still requires checking recommendations and actual results. Current Swedish Kennel Club registration rules contain no breed-specific Level 2 or 3 requirement for patellas, eyes or heart in the Havanese. That does not make the examinations unimportant. The breed club’s recommendations are more extensive and must be distinguished from formal conditions for registering a litter.

The breed club recommends that breeding dogs receive a patella examination after one year of age and have no abnormal findings. It also recommends eye examinations roughly annually from one year to at least six years, with a result no more than one year old at mating, and a heart examination with no abnormal findings before mating. These recommendations are conditions for the breed club’s puppy referral service, but they are not the same as an SKK registration requirement.

Ask for the dogs’ registration numbers and verify the result, date and actual status in SKK Avelsdata. The words “health-tested” are not enough. Patella results can be registered from twelve months and are graded from 0, normal, to 3, a permanently luxated kneecap. Even a good individual result should be read alongside information about parents, siblings and previous offspring, because the family picture provides more information than a single examination.

Straight front legs and free movement matter to health as well as show results. The Swedish breeding strategy highlights bowed front legs, isolated cases of a shortened ulna, known as short ulna, and back pain and disc herniation. A study of 355 Norwegian Havanese found an association between an FGF4 variant on chromosome 18 and leg length/front-leg shape. It demonstrates an association in the population studied, but not that every dog with the variant develops clinical problems or that a particular DNA test is a Swedish requirement.

Watch the dog walk and turn, check that it loads its front legs evenly, and ask about lameness, pain, back problems and surgery in close relatives. Also ask about recurring eye problems, heart murmurs and persistent itching or other skin problems, as the Swedish breeding strategy identifies these areas. A veterinarian should assess symptoms; a breeder should be able to show what has actually been examined and why.

## History & Origins

The Havanese has a documented connection with both the western Mediterranean and Cuba. The FCI standard describes small companion dogs developing along the Spanish and Italian coasts and being taken to Cuba at an early stage by Italian sea captains. Cuba is listed as the country of origin, while the FCI holds patronage for the standard.

The old Cuban bloodlines disappeared on the island, but descendant dogs survived in the United States and were used to rebuild the modern population. The Swedish breed-specific breeding strategy describes a very small founder population, which helps explain why genetic diversity and restrained use of individual breeding dogs remain important. This is better documented than claims that the breed is Cuba’s official national dog or has an exactly known founding year.

The first dogs of the breed were imported and registered in Sweden in 1988, and the first Swedish litters were registered in 1989. Since then, the Havanese has grown greatly in popularity as a companion dog.

## Living with the Breed

The Havanese can live successfully in many types of home if the owner has time for coat care, daily activity and training. A flat is not automatically a problem, but stairwell sounds, distance to a toileting area and the opportunity to train calm behaviour must be manageable. A garden does not replace walks, exposure to different environments or companionship.

Time alone must be taught gradually. Start with very short periods when the dog feels secure and increase them only when it can rest without barking, pacing or showing other signs of stress. A puppy cannot be left on the same basis as an adult dog. Plan how working days will be managed before buying.

Try the grooming routine in practice before deciding. Ask the breeder to show how a comb is worked all the way to the skin, how long a complete session takes and how the coat changes during adolescence. If the family cannot keep the coat free of mats, it needs a different care plan developed with a knowledgeable groomer; breed-typical appearance must never take priority over the dog’s welfare.

Before buying, meet the puppy with its mother where the dogs live and verify registration numbers, pedigree and identity. Compare the parents’ patella, eye and heart results with the breed club’s current recommendations, and ask about temperament, front legs, backs and skin in close relatives. A puppy born in Sweden must be at least eight weeks old at collection and have a veterinary inspection certificate no more than seven days old at that time.

The best choice is not automatically the smallest, fluffiest or most outgoing puppy. Choose a dog from parents that move freely, have documented examinations, recover well and can be handled calmly. That tells you more about future daily life than colour, a marketed weight or labels such as “allergy-friendly” and “perfect family dog”.

Havanese

The Kennel Club (UK)

Svenska Kennelklubben (Swedish Kennel Club)

Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

Norwegian Kennel Club

Dansk Kennel Klub (Danish Kennel Club)

The Havanese is Cuba’s national toy breed, a sturdy, lively companion with a long, silky, low‑shedding coat. Affectionate and people‑oriented, it suits families, apartments or houses. It needs regular grooming, daily walks, play, mental stimulation, and dislikes long periods alone.

## Quick Facts

The Miniature Poodle is a small, active size variety of the Poodle with a strong appetite for training and a definite need for coat care. It is a companion dog that usually enjoys learning and taking part in daily life, but it is best suited to an owner who also wants to spend time on activity, settling skills, and regular grooming.

- **Breed and group:** one of the Poodle's four size varieties, placed in Group 9 for companion dogs
- **Official country of origin:** France
- **Height at the withers:** over 28 cm up to and including 35 cm under the breed standard
- **Weight:** the breed standard gives no official weight; a healthy body condition matters more than a generic figure in kilograms
- **Coat:** abundant woolly or corded coat that needs care and clipping
- **Activity level:** daily physical exercise and mental activity are needed, but the amount should suit the individual dog's age, health, and circumstances
- **Swedish health programme:** breeding dogs must have a registered prcd-PRA result or be registered as hereditarily clear before mating

The Miniature Poodle sits between the Toy and Medium Poodle in size. In Sweden, the final size variety can be confirmed by an official measurement only when the dog is at least 15 months old. A young dog near a size boundary may therefore be registered according to its parents' size before it has received its final measurement.

## Appearance & Coat

The Miniature Poodle should look like a smaller, well-proportioned Poodle without signs of dwarfism. Under the standard, the body should be slightly longer than the height at the withers rather than completely square, and the overall build should be harmonious with light, free movement. The dog should look elegant without being excessively fine or frail.

The coat comes in two textures. The woolly coat is fine, dense, curly, and springy, with even curls. The corded coat is also fine and dense but forms characteristic cords. Most family dogs are kept in a shorter trim, but a short coat does not remove the need for care.

Coat length, style, weather, and the individual dog determine how often brushing, bathing, and clipping are needed. Check especially where the coat mats easily, such as behind the ears, in the armpits, on the legs, and under a harness or collar. A comb should pass down through the coat without catching. If mats keep returning despite regular care, a shorter trim or help from a professional groomer is a better solution than following a fixed timetable that does not work for the dog.

Introduce a puppy gradually to standing on a non-slip surface, being combed, having its feet and face handled, and hearing clippers or a hair dryer. Reward calm behaviour and make each step easy to understand. This lays better foundations for safe grooming throughout the dog's life.

Since 1 August 2024, the Poodle standard and Swedish registration rules have covered 16 colour varieties. The solid colours are black, white, brown, grey, and apricot-red. Approved multicoloured varieties include, among others, white combined with another colour, black or brown with tan markings, tricolour, and brindle. Merle is not among the standard colours, and in Sweden offspring cannot be registered if a Poodle parent carries the merle gene.

Poodles do not shed in the same way as many other dogs, and loose hairs can remain in the curly coat until they are brushed out. This does not make the Miniature Poodle allergy-free. Dog allergens come mainly from skin and saliva, and reactions can vary more between individual dogs than between breeds. Anyone with a dog allergy should therefore not choose a breed solely on coat type.

## Temperament & Personality

The Miniature Poodle should be alert, active, responsive, and quick to learn. A well-adjusted dog is often fast at recognising patterns and enjoys cooperation, but the breed description is an ideal, not a guarantee of how every dog will react to sounds, strangers, other dogs, or new environments.

The Swedish Poodle Club's breeding strategy reports BPH results for 630 smaller Poodles. The group includes Medium, Miniature, and Toy Poodles and consists mainly of Medium Poodles. The results describe, among other things, fairly energetic dogs, often with a positive attitude and few threat or aggression responses in the test situations concerned. The same material stresses both variation within the breed and that the number of assessed dogs is small relative to the population. The results can therefore say something about the group but cannot predict the temperament of an individual Miniature Poodle.

Ask the breeder how the puppy's parents and close relatives behave in daily life. Request specific examples of how they recover after surprises, respond to handling, visitors, and noises, meet other dogs, and settle. Those answers reveal more about a potential match than general words such as social, clever, or easy-going.

## Training & Exercise

The Miniature Poodle needs to move and use its brain every day, but no single number of minutes suits every dog. A good routine combines walks, opportunities to sniff and explore, play or other physical activity, and tasks the dog can understand and solve. The workload should change with age, fitness, health, and how well the dog recovers.

Reward-based training suits the breed's willingness to cooperate. Be clear about which behaviour earns a reward, increase difficulty in small steps, and practise the same skill in different settings. Recall, responsiveness, calm handling, waiting, and passing people and dogs are more important in daily life than learning many tricks.

Variety is often more useful than simply extending a walk. Scent work, searches, retrieving, balance and body-awareness exercises, rally obedience, or other skills can provide purposeful activity. At the same time, the dog needs to be able to rest without constant entertainment. If it struggles to settle, review the entire day: sleep, surroundings, predictability, exercise, and training level. More activity is not always the right answer.

Puppies should not be exercised like fully grown dogs. Prioritise brief opportunities to explore, safe exposure to different environments, play on suitable surfaces, and plenty of recovery. For an adult dog, the right level supports good fitness and a workable daily life without recurring stiffness, lameness, stress, or prolonged exhaustion.

## Health

The most important breed-specific health requirement to verify when buying a puppy is the parents' prcd-PRA status. For Toy, Miniature, and Medium Poodles, Swedish registration rules require both parents to have an official DNA result before mating or to be registered as hereditarily clear.

Prcd-PRA is an inherited form of progressive retinal atrophy that breaks down the retina's light-sensitive cells. Night vision is affected first, and an affected dog may eventually become blind. Inheritance is autosomal recessive: a carrier is not the same as an affected dog, but two carriers must not be mated. A carrier may be bred only to a dog that is DNA-tested clear or hereditarily clear, and an affected dog must not be used for breeding.

A clear prcd-PRA result is not a general guarantee of healthy eyes. The test applies only to the prcd form and does not rule out other forms of PRA or other eye diseases. The Swedish Poodle Club therefore also recommends eye examinations for breeding dogs and encourages DNA testing for the rcd4 form of PRA.

Patellar luxation, in which the kneecap can slip out of its normal position, is another relevant breeding concern in smaller Poodles. The Swedish Poodle Club recommends an official patella examination for Miniature Poodles, but this is not the same mandatory registration requirement as prcd-PRA. The club recommends that a dog with patella grade 1 be used sparingly and only with a dog recorded as 0/0.

Ask the breeder to show registered results rather than accepting only that the parents have been “tested.” Check prcd-PRA status, ask about official patella and eye examination results, and enquire about known problems in parents, siblings, and previous litters. DNA tests, veterinary examinations, and an open family history complement one another; no single test can promise that a puppy will never become ill.

## History & Origins

The Poodle is an old European dog type depicted in paintings from the 1400s, while France is the breed's official country of origin. Its name and early use are closely associated with water: Poodles were originally used to hunt waterfowl, and it was mainly the larger dogs that worked as water retrievers.

The smaller Poodles were developed primarily as companions. During the 1800s, a dwarf variety began to be formed from small examples of the larger varieties. In Sweden, the smaller Poodles were divided into the Small Poodle and Miniature Poodle in the early 1930s; the former was later renamed the Medium Poodle. Today's Miniature Poodle therefore shares the breed's working background and trainability, but it should not be described as though every individual were automatically a water dog or retriever.

All four modern size varieties share the same basic breed type. Differences in size affect daily life, but they do not make the Miniature Poodle a separate crossbreed or a miniature with an abnormal build.

## Living with the Breed

The Miniature Poodle can thrive in many types of home, including a flat, if it receives daily exercise, mental activity, grooming, social contact, and training in how to settle. The size of the home matters less than what daily life actually provides. A small dog whose needs for recovery, walks, and safe alone-time training are not met does not have a good routine simply because it takes up little space.

Time alone should be introduced gradually. Begin with very brief, uneventful periods when the dog feels safe, and increase them only while it remains calm. Take age and signs of distress into account; no one can promise that a particular Miniature Poodle will cope with a set number of hours alone. Arrange a dog sitter or other help if the working day exceeds what the dog has been trained to manage.

The breed can live successfully with children, dogs, and cats, but this depends on the individual, previous experience, and introductions—not on the breed name. Young children and dogs should always be supervised by an adult, and the dog needs a resting place where it will not be disturbed. Introduce other animals gradually, using distance, a barrier, or a lead when needed, separate resources, and the option to end the interaction. Never force contact.

The best match is a home that enjoys a trainable, involved little dog and also accepts the practical work. Expect recurring clipping, thorough coat checks, everyday training, and activity throughout the year. Choose another breed if you want minimal grooming or expect a dog to adapt without planned training and companionship.

Miniature Poodle

Société Centrale Canine (French Kennel Club)

Miniature Poodles are small, athletic, low‑shedding dogs with dense curly coats and a square, balanced build. Highly intelligent, sensitive, and people‑oriented, they thrive on training, daily exercise, and close companionship, and typically enjoy long, active lives with good care.

## Quick Facts

The Toy Poodle is the smallest of the four recognised Poodle sizes. Under the breed standard, its height at the withers should be over 24 cm and no more than 28 cm. The ideal is 25 cm, with a tolerance of 1 cm below the range. Terms such as ‘teacup’, ‘tiny toy’ and ‘micro’ do not describe a fifth official size. Ask how tall the parents and other close adult relatives actually are rather than relying on a sales label.

The Toy Poodle is a small companion dog, but it should have the same normal proportions and clear Poodle type as the larger varieties. The standard describes an attentive, active and highly trainable dog, not a frail miniature with dwarf-like features. Its size does not reduce its need for training, time outdoors, enrichment or coat care.

Important points to consider before buying include:

- The coat grows continuously and must be clipped. Even a short trim requires brushing and bathing.
- The Toy Poodle is not allergen-free. Someone with a pet allergy may react even to a dog that sheds little visible hair.
- The parents of Swedish litters must have an official prcd-PRA result before mating. Kneecap and eye checks are also important, but they are governed partly by different rules and recommendations.
- A sound Toy Poodle should be active and mobile. The home should nevertheless be arranged to prevent falls from height and overly rough play with much larger dogs.

## Appearance & Coat

The Toy Poodle should look like a well-proportioned Poodle in a small package. Its movement should be light and springy and its expression alert. The size boundary is based on height at the withers, not a guaranteed adult weight.

Poodles can have a curly wool coat or a corded coat. The wool coat should be dense, fine, elastic and evenly curled. It grows continuously and does not shed in the same way as the coats of many other dogs. That generally means less loose hair around the home, but not less work: loose hairs can remain in the coat and contribute to matting.

A sensible grooming routine should follow the chosen trim and the condition of the coat, not a fixed weekly timetable. Work through the coat down to the skin, paying particular attention behind the ears, in the armpits and beneath a harness or collar. Bathe the dog when the coat needs cleaning, ease out tangles gently and clip it before the length becomes unmanageable. Owners who do not clip at home will need regular help. Gradually teach the puppy to accept a brush, comb, paw handling, clippers and short periods of standing still.

Since August 2024, the Swedish breed standard has included both solid and multicoloured Poodles. The solid colours are black, white, brown, grey and apricot-red. Other recognised options include two-colour dogs, tan-pointed dogs, tricolours and brindle. There are 16 registered colour variants in total. Colour does not alter the dog's needs for care and training.

## Temperament & Personality

The Toy Poodle should be friendly, cheerful, loyal and willing to cooperate. Many individuals notice changes quickly, enjoy shared activities and pick up household routines readily. This makes the breed rewarding for someone who wants a close companion and also enjoys training.

A breed description is a guide, not a promise about every puppy. In Swedish behaviour assessments, Poodles as a group have generally appeared positive and attentive, with few unexpectedly threatening responses. However, the data for the smaller sizes are limited and include more Medium Poodles than Miniature or Toy Poodles. They therefore cannot predict the behaviour of an individual dog.

Watch how the puppy's mother and other adult relatives settle after something unexpected, approach people and cope with ordinary handling. Ask the breeder about strengths as well as anything that has required extra training. A dog that barks, holds back or becomes overexcited is not automatically ‘typical of a Toy’. Behaviour is shaped by the individual, experience, environment and what the people around the dog reward.

A confident, sociable Toy Poodle can be a lovely family dog, but its small body calls for adult supervision around children. Children need to let the dog rest, sit down before lifting it, and never chase, corner or carry it like a toy. The dog must always be able to move away. The same principle applies to other dogs: choose calm playmates and stop play when the size difference or intensity makes it unsafe.

## Training & Exercise

The Toy Poodle needs to move and use its mind every day. Its shorter stride affects the distance it covers, but a walk, a scent game and a training session serve different purposes and do not fully replace one another. Adjust the amount to the dog's age, fitness, terrain and weather, and how well it recovers afterwards.

Useful everyday activities include searching for food or a toy, following a scent trail, practising attention and calm waiting, or learning a new task. Agility, rally obedience, obedience and nose work may suit a healthy dog when jumps, obstacles and difficulty are adjusted appropriately. Puppies should be allowed to explore and develop coordination without repetitive, heavy impact.

Being highly trainable does not mean the dog will train itself. A Toy Poodle will also quickly learn things that you did not mean to teach. Keep sessions clear, reward the behaviour you want and pause before the dog loses focus. If the dog is restless or frustrated, review the balance of activity, sleep and demands rather than simply adding more exercise.

House training follows the same principles as it does for other puppies: go outside after sleep, food and play, give the puppy frequent opportunities to succeed and reward calmly outdoors. An accident indoors shows that timing or supervision needs to change; it is not defiance or low intelligence. A small puppy may need more frequent toilet breaks, but no single age or timetable applies to every Toy Poodle.

## Health

Prospective owners need to distinguish the Swedish Kennel Club's registration requirements from breed-club recommendations. For Toy, Miniature and Medium Poodles, both parents must have an official prcd-PRA result before mating. This may come from an approved DNA test or show that the dog is hereditarily clear through its parents. A carrier may be mated to a clear dog. Two carriers must not be combined, and a dog tested as affected must not be used for breeding.

prcd-PRA is a progressive retinal disease that can lead to blindness. A clear DNA result shows that the dog does not have the tested mutation, but it does not rule out other eye diseases. The Swedish Poodle Club therefore recommends an eye examination after 18 months of age and another after five years. Ask to see both parents' results and their ages at examination.

Patellar luxation means that the kneecap can move out of its normal position. The official result is graded from 0 to 3: 0 means a stable kneecap, while grades 1–3 indicate increasing degrees of luxation. An official certificate can be issued from 12 months of age. For Toy and Miniature Poodles, the Swedish Poodle Club recommends using a grade 1 dog sparingly and only with a dog graded 0/0. This is a breeding recommendation, not the same type of registration requirement as prcd-PRA. Between 2016 and 2021, 90–95 per cent of officially examined smaller Poodles were graded 0/0, but only part of each year's population was examined. The figure therefore describes the tested dogs, not every Toy Poodle.

Small dogs also have a higher risk of periodontal disease. Accustom the puppy to having its mouth handled and build up to daily tooth brushing. Ask the vet to check the bite, gums and dental deposits during routine visits. Bad breath, bleeding gums, loose teeth or a sudden change in chewing should be assessed by a vet.

## History & Origins

The Poodle is an old European breed, with France listed as its country of origin in the current standard. It was originally used to hunt waterfowl and retrieve from water. This work was performed mainly by the larger Poodle type, so the present-day Toy Poodle did not have the same historical working role.

The smaller Poodles were developed chiefly as companion dogs. During the nineteenth century, a dwarf variety began to be bred from small examples of the larger Poodles, and the size divisions subsequently changed over time. The Toy Poodle was fully recognised as a separate size in Sweden in 1990. It shares the breed's older origins, but the Swedish history of the Toy variety is much younger than the Poodle's history as a water dog.

All four sizes follow the same breed standard, but health advice and registration rules still need to be checked specifically for the Toy variety.

## Living with the Breed

A Toy Poodle can thrive in a flat or a house if it gets daily outdoor time, mental activity and rest. The amount of floor space matters less than whether daily life includes walks, grooming, training and company. A non-slip play area, a quiet bed and a way to prevent high jumps can reduce risk without limiting normal movement.

Time alone should be introduced gradually after the puppy has settled into its new home. Start with very short periods and increase them only while the dog remains comfortable. How long an adult dog can cope alone varies widely. Step back in the training if the dog begins to pace, pant, bark persistently, damage the area by the door or no longer takes a treat.

With a cat or another dog, calm introductions and the ability to move away matter more than a general breed label. Protect a small puppy from rough play, separate the animals around food and chews, and do not allow a new dog to chase cats or small pets. Some become close friends; others are happiest with clearly managed space.

Poodles are often marketed as allergy-friendly because they shed little visible hair. Allergens also come from saliva, skin cells, urine and sebaceous glands, however, and no dog is allergen-free. Anyone with an allergy should seek medical advice and find out how they react to dogs before buying. A Poodle coat is not a guarantee.

Before buying a puppy:

- meet the puppy's mother and see how the dogs live and behave in everyday situations;
- check both parents in the Swedish Kennel Club's Hunddata database, particularly their prcd-PRA, patella and eye results, and ask about the health and temperament of close relatives;
- ask about the adult height of the parents and dogs from earlier litters rather than relying on terms such as ‘micro’ or a promised weight;
- ask the breeder to demonstrate the grooming routine and explain what handling the puppy already accepts;
- read the veterinary inspection certificate and personally look at the puppy's movement, eyes, ears, mouth, skin and general condition;
- make sure you receive proof of registration, a written contract and a veterinary inspection certificate that is no more than seven days old at handover.

The best match is not automatically the smallest puppy. Choose a breeder who shows official results, speaks openly about variation and helps you find a Toy Poodle that suits your home.

Toy Poodle

The Swedish Kennel Club

The Norwegian Kennel Club

The Danish Kennel Club

The French Kennel Club (Société Centrale Canine)

Toy Poodles are the smallest Poodles, square and elegant with dense, curly, low‑shedding coats needing regular grooming. Lively, sensitive and highly trainable, they form close bonds, suit active indoor lifestyles, and, with good care, often live 14–16 years or more.

Luna Siara

## Quick Facts

The Border Collie is a British sheepdog for someone who wants to work with, train and give their dog meaningful tasks throughout its life. The breed is highly trainable and has great stamina, but those same qualities often make it more demanding than a dog bred primarily for companionship.

- **Dog type:** purebred sheepdog, recognised by the FCI in Group 1
- **Size:** medium; the ideal height for males is about 53 cm, with females usually slightly shorter
- **Weight:** approximately 12–20 kg, with variation according to sex and build
- **Life expectancy:** approximately 10–15 years
- **Coat:** smooth or moderately long double coat in many colours
- **Typical traits:** alert, biddable, responsive, intelligent and strongly motivated to work
- **Best suited to:** a committed owner who enjoys regular training and can teach both activity and rest

The key question before buying is not whether the family walks for a set number of hours, but whether daily life allows time for regular training and cooperation. A Border Collie needs to use its brain, express its herding instincts in controlled ways and also learn to settle at home.

## Appearance & Coat

The Border Collie is an athletic, well-balanced dog, built for agility and sustained work rather than for a uniform appearance. The body is slightly longer than the height at the withers, and movement should be free, smooth and efficient. The breed standard gives an ideal height of 53 cm for males and slightly less for females, although both size and build vary noticeably within the breed.

The standard describes two coat varieties: smooth and moderately long. Both have a dense, medium-textured outer coat and a soft, dense undercoat that provides weather resistance. The moderately long coat forms more of a mane, breeching and brush, while the smooth coat lies closer to the body. Many colours and markings occur; black and white and tricolour are common, but the standard permits considerable variety provided white does not predominate.

The coat is basically straightforward to maintain. Brush as often as needed to remove loose undercoat and prevent matting, particularly behind the ears and in areas of feathering. More frequent brushing is needed during periods of heavier shedding. Bathe when necessary. A dog that works or trains outdoors should also be checked afterwards: examine the paws, nails, skin and coat for injuries, grass awns, ticks and debris.

## Temperament & Personality

The Border Collie is attentive, cooperative and extremely quick to notice patterns. It therefore learns not only what its owner intends to teach, but also which sounds predict a walk, how people normally move and which behaviours produce a response. Highly trainable does not automatically mean easy to live with; unclear routines and accidental rewards can establish behaviour just as quickly as considered training.

Herding depends on the dog noticing and influencing movement. In everyday life without sheep, the same sensitivity can be directed towards cars, bicycles, runners, children or other animals. Staring, stalking, cutting off a path and chasing are signals to address early. They should be interrupted calmly and replaced with a trained alternative, not encouraged as an amusing quirk.

A Border Collie can live successfully in a family, but the breed is not universally “good with children” regardless of the individual and environment. Running, shouting and fast play can trigger herding behaviour or stress. Children and dogs therefore need adult supervision, and the dog needs an undisturbed resting place. Living with a cat or other dogs can also work, especially with thoughtful introductions, but cannot be guaranteed on the basis of breed alone. The cat should be able to withdraw and the dog should be taught to leave it alone.

## Training & Exercise

A Border Collie needs both physical activity and tasks requiring concentration every day, but it is not possible to specify a number of hours that suits every individual. Age, health, temperament, previous training and work determine the appropriate load. A good routine alternates movement, problem-solving, cooperation and recovery.

Walks in varied surroundings, free movement where it is safe, scent work, obedience, tracking, herding and other dog sports engage the dog in different ways. Choose activities in which the dog must listen and make decisions, not merely run quickly. Endless ball throwing or other highly arousing repetition is a poor measure of whether the dog’s needs have been met; it can increase anticipation without teaching the dog to settle.

Keep training sessions short, clear and reward based. Give everyday skills such as recall, lead walking, stopping at a distance and disengaging from movement as much attention as tricks or competitive exercises. Reward calm behaviour too: lying in a designated place, waiting while something happens and sleeping after activity. A Border Collie that is always offered more high-speed activity can become extremely fit without learning how to rest.

Puppies and young dogs need controlled experiences, not a miniature version of an adult training schedule. Build confidence in different environments, allow the body to mature and increase physical load and difficulty gradually. If the dog becomes more scattered, noise-sensitive or fixated despite receiving more activity, the answer may be a better balance and professional help rather than still harder exercise.

## Health

The Border Collie is regarded as comparatively healthy, but the breed has documented conditions that a puppy buyer should understand. Hip dysplasia (HD), Collie eye anomaly (CEA), other retinal changes, epilepsy and osteochondrosis affecting mainly the shoulder are among the areas highlighted by the Swedish Kennel Club and the Swedish Sheepdog Society.

When assessing a Swedish-registered litter, start by checking the parents’ official hip status and eye examination. Under Swedish Kennel Club rules, the eye result must be recorded before mating and would normally be no more than one year old. Check the registered results and also ask about epilepsy, recurring seizures, shoulder problems and early deaths among siblings, parents and other close relatives. Normal results for two parents do not describe the health of an entire family line.

DNA tests are available for several inherited conditions in the breed, including CEA, IGS, TNS and sensory neuropathy. Which tests are relevant depends on ancestry and current recommendations. Ask the breeder to explain what has been tested and why. For recessive diseases, a healthy carrier is not the same as an affected dog; what matters is planning the mating so puppies cannot inherit the disease variant from both parents. A DNA test does not replace a clinical eye examination, joint results or knowledge of the wider family.

A dog with Border Collie collapse (BCC) may be completely symptom-free at rest but become disorientated, unsteady or fall during or shortly after intense activity. The dog may appear to recover after 5–30 minutes, but any collapse must be taken seriously and assessed by a vet. BCC is not the same as ordinary fatigue, heatstroke or the dynamin-1-related EIC variant more commonly seen in Labrador Retrievers. Stop the activity immediately if the dog’s focus or movement changes abnormally.

## History & Origins

The Border Collie developed in the border country between England and Scotland as a working dog for sheep farming. Selection was based for a long time on practical herding ability: the dog needed to read livestock, work at a distance and respond to its handler’s signals in demanding conditions. This functional background explains the breed’s eye, stalking movement, endurance and strong drive to control movement.

The FCI recognises the Border Collie as a British sheepdog subject to a working trial. In Sweden, function also has an unusually explicit place in registration. The breed is entered in the Swedish Kennel Club’s dedicated sheepdog register, REG V, and a Swedish-born Border Collie can only be registered when both parents have passed a herding trial held by Svenska Vallhundsklubben (SVaK) or have an approved equivalent qualification from abroad. Appearance can consequently vary more than in many other breeds, while working ability remains central to the Swedish breeding model.

## Living with the Breed

Living well with a Border Collie requires planning, but not constant entertainment. The goal is a dog that can work with focus when needed and rest when nothing is happening. That balance is best suited to a home where someone genuinely enjoys dog training and where responsibility does not depend on children exercising the dog.

Living in a flat is not automatically ruled out, and a large garden does not guarantee a good life. Access to suitable training environments, safe exercise and a routine that can genuinely be maintained matter more. In a busy area, the owner must be able to manage traffic, bicycles, runners, sounds and encounters without the dog becoming stuck in herding or constant vigilance.

Time alone should be trained gradually, beginning with very short periods and adjusted to the dog’s age and reactions. The Swedish Board of Agriculture’s advice that dogs should be taken out at least every six hours during the day is not a promise that a dog will be comfortable alone for that long. Consider filming early sessions and step back if the dog paces, pants, barks, damages things or cannot settle. A routine involving repeated long working days without help is a poor starting point for this breed.

Before buying a Swedish puppy, check at least three things for both parents: a registered hip status, a valid eye result and a pass in an approved herding trial. Then ask about epilepsy and joint health in close relatives, relevant DNA tests, how the parents behave both at rest and at work, and what support the breeder provides after the purchase. The best match is not about finding the “cleverest” puppy, but choosing one whose temperament and working drive suit what you can offer throughout the dog’s life.

Border Collie

Den Danske Kennel Klub (Danish Kennel Club)

The Border Collie is a medium, athletic herding dog known for intense focus, high intelligence and very high energy. Developed to work sheep all day, it excels in herding, sports and training. It needs plenty of exercise, mental stimulation and structured guidance in an active home.

## Quick Facts

The Pomeranian is the smallest variety of German Spitz: a very small but lively companion dog with a dense double coat, an alert nature and a readiness to bark. It is best suited to someone who wants to train and engage a real dog in a small body, rather than someone looking for a dog that will mainly be carried.

- **Breed and origin:** German Spitz, Pomeranian/Zwergspitz, originating in Germany and later developed in England
- **Size:** typically 18–23 cm at the withers and around 2–3 kg; the breed standard specifies 21 cm with permitted variation and says weight should be appropriate for the dog's size
- **Expected lifespan:** approximately 12–16 years is a guide, not a promise for an individual dog
- **Temperament:** often alert, cheerful, affectionate and quick to learn, although the individual, upbringing and daily life all have a major influence
- **Activity:** daily walks, scent work and short training sessions, with time for calm and recovery
- **Coat care:** a thorough groom approximately every other week and more often during shedding
- **Points to consider:** barking, dental care, patella status and safe handling around young children and much larger dogs

“Teacup Pomeranian” and “mini Pomeranian” are not separately recognised size varieties. They are marketing terms that offer no more reliable prediction of adult size, health or temperament. The official variety is called Pomeranian or Zwergspitz. Assess the parents, adult relatives, health information and the breeder's aims instead of relying on a sales label.

## Appearance & Coat

The Pomeranian is compact and squarely built, with a small, pointed head, small upright ears and a profuse tail carried high over the back. Its abundant coat gives it a rounder outline than the body underneath.

The breed has a double coat. The outer coat should be long, straight and standing away from the body, while the undercoat is short, dense and soft. The coat forms a distinct ruff around the neck, breeches on the hind legs and a bushy tail. The standard describes a natural coat that should not look shaped by trimming. Recognised colours include white, black, brown, orange and wolf grey, as well as several other defined colours and combinations.

A thorough groom approximately every other week is a useful starting point according to the Swedish Kennel Club, but many dogs need more frequent brushing while shedding. Work through the coat down to the skin rather than merely smoothing the surface. Increase care as soon as small tangles begin to form. Frequency should follow the dog's coat, the season and its daily routine; one fixed schedule will not suit every individual.

Coat quality matters more than maximum volume. A correct double coat contains both outer coat and undercoat. An abundance of undercoat combined with a lack of outer coat is a recognised problem in the breed and can make the coat difficult to manage. When meeting a breeder, it is therefore useful to see adult dogs, not only a puppy's soft puppy coat.

## Temperament & Personality

Pomeranians are often alert, lively and strongly attached to their people. The breed standard describes a cheerful, affectionate and trainable dog without a pronounced hunting instinct, but this is a breeding ideal, not a guarantee of how every individual will behave with strangers, children or other animals.

The Spitz's watchfulness means it may react quickly to sounds, movement outside a window or someone arriving at the door. Barking has its roots in the breed's alarm role. The aim need not be a dog that never announces anything, but one that can stop, seek guidance from its handler and settle again. Limit opportunities to rehearse long bouts of barking, reward pauses and practise a calm routine around recurring triggers.

Socialisation is valuable but does not promise a particular temperament. Let the puppy meet people, environments and steady dogs at a pace at which it can still think, make contact and recover. More exposure is not necessarily better if the dog feels overwhelmed.

A BPH behavioural assessment can show how the dog being assessed reacted during standardised exercises, but the result is not a pass or fail and does not predict everything. The available Pomeranian data are also limited. Consider any BPH result alongside the parents' everyday behaviour and what the breeder can tell you about adult relatives.

## Training & Exercise

A Pomeranian needs physical and mental activity every day, but there is no universal number of minutes that suits every dog. A sound routine combines walks at the dog's pace with scent work, cooperation, play and undisturbed rest. Judge the balance by the dog's body condition, movement, concentration and ability to settle, not only by the distance covered.

The breed may enjoy nosework, rally obedience and agility when the tasks and setting are adapted to the dog's size and experience. Loose-lead work, recall, tricks and searching for food or objects can also provide worthwhile engagement. Let the dog's interest determine the length of each session rather than following a fixed five- or ten-minute schedule.

Reward-based training helps the dog understand what pays off without making it more uncertain. Prioritise the following early on:

- calm handling of paws, mouth and coat
- attention and recall even when something moves or makes a sound
- being able to withdraw and rest
- a learned pause after the dog has noticed a sound
- confidence on different surfaces and during everyday travel

The small body calls for safety, not inactivity. Pick the dog up when a situation presents a genuine risk, but also let it walk, sniff and solve simple tasks independently. Prevent falls from furniture or people's arms and stop rough play with much larger dogs before the difference in size becomes a problem.

## Health

When buying a puppy in Sweden, the parents' registered patella status, information about teeth and bite, and any coat problems in adult relatives are particularly useful. Identified dogs, registered results and open answers tell you more than a long list of possible diseases.

Patellar luxation occurs in Pomeranians and other small dog breeds. In Sweden, patella examination is not a compulsory health programme for the breed, but the Swedish Pomeranian breed club recommends examining breeding dogs. The club recommends that dogs graded 2 or 3 are not used for breeding and that grade 1 is only paired with grade 0. This is a breeding recommendation, not a guarantee of a puppy's future health.

Ask for the parents' registered names or registration numbers and check the results in the Swedish Kennel Club's Hunddata or Avelsdata databases. Verify the dog's identity, examination date and status for both parents. The statement “the parents have been tested” is not sufficient if the identity and result cannot be traced.

Hair loss is sometimes described as “black skin disease”, BSD or alopecia X. The breed's current Swedish breeding strategy stresses that BSD is neither a disease in itself nor a scientific diagnostic term, but an informal umbrella term for several conditions that can cause coat loss. Unexplained hair loss therefore needs veterinary assessment. Ask how the coats of the parents and older relatives developed, but do not demand definite assurances about inheritance when the causes are unclear.

Teeth, jaws and bite are also important in the breed. Accustom the puppy to having its mouth examined and start toothbrushing early; ideally, the teeth should be brushed daily. Seek help if the dog is in pain, has difficulty eating or if its bite appears to injure soft tissue in the mouth.

## History & Origins

The Pomeranian originated in Germany and belongs to the German Spitz family. Zwergspitz means Dwarf Spitz, while Pomeranian is the internationally familiar name for the same official size variety.

The breed's modern type was developed further in England. The Pomeranian Club was formed there in 1891 and an early breed standard was produced. Its documented history is therefore best summarised as a German Spitz background with important further development in England, rather than an unbroken, certain story about one particular prehistoric type of dog.

The breed's former alarm role helps explain its present-day watchfulness and tendency to bark. Today the Pomeranian is kept primarily as a companion, but it retains the Spitz's alertness and often enjoys tasks that involve cooperation and using its nose.

## Living with the Breed

A Pomeranian can live successfully with children, other animals and in a flat, but only when the adults adapt the environment to a very small, alert dog. Neither the breed name nor early socialisation makes interactions automatically safe.

Young children and dogs should always have an adult close by. The child should sit down for contact, allow the dog to leave and never carry it without help. The dog needs an undisturbed resting place. A Pomeranian is not a toy, and a fall from someone's arms or high furniture can have serious consequences even though the breed is lively and robust for its size.

With other dogs, controlled meetings matter more than numerous meetings. Choose calm individuals, practise calm contact at a distance and interrupt uneven physical play. Introduce a cat gradually, preferably beginning with scent and a barrier. The cat must have its own escape route, and chasing must not become a rehearsed behaviour. Do not leave the animals alone together until their interactions are stable.

Living in a flat can work when the dog receives activity outdoors and can relax indoors. The central issue is often noise rather than floor space. In a building where sound travels, the owner needs to prevent window and door guarding, practise calm routines and take the impact on neighbours seriously.

Pomeranians are often described as strongly attached to their people and should learn to be alone gradually. A puppy cannot be left alone from the outset. Begin with very short periods in a safe setting and increase them only while the dog remains calm. If it begins to bark persistently, pace, scratch or cannot settle, the exercise has become too difficult and needs to be simplified.

Before buying a puppy, check more than colour and a promised adult weight:

- meet the dam and, if possible, other adult relatives
- ask how they behave around sounds, strangers, handling and rest
- verify the identity and patella result of both parents
- ask about teeth, bite and lasting coat loss in the family
- ask the breeder to explain the aim of the mating and how previous offspring have developed
- reject sales claims that present “teacup” or “mini” as a health guarantee

A good match is a Pomeranian whose likely temperament and care needs suit your daily life, from a breeder who provides documentation, knows their adult dogs and can speak as openly about variation and risks as about the breed's charm.

Pomeranian

Norsk Kennel Klub (Norwegian Kennel Club)

Deutscher Spitz Club (Germany)

Tiny, fox‑like Spitz with a fluffy double coat in many colors. Weighing 2–3.5 kg, Pomeranians are lively, alert, people‑focused companions and good watchdogs. They need regular grooming, gentle positive training, daily walks, mental games, dental care and protection of their small joints.

Fantastic Pearl

## Quick Facts

The Finnish Lapphund is a Finnish herding and guarding dog with roots in reindeer husbandry, although most now live as active companion dogs. The breed is best suited to someone who enjoys spending plenty of time outdoors, offers varied training and can also teach the dog to settle. A friendly manner is typical, but it does not predict how sociable, vocal or easily stressed a particular puppy will be.

- **Country of origin:** Finland
- **Breed group:** FCI Group 5, Spitz and primitive types
- **Original purpose:** herding and guarding reindeer
- **Ideal height at the withers:** 49 cm for males and 44 cm for females, with a permitted variation of 3 cm either way
- **Coat:** long, coarse outer coat with a soft, dense undercoat
- **Colour:** all colours are permitted, but the main colour must predominate
- **Best suited to:** an active home that enjoys teamwork, outdoor life and an attentive dog
- **Important points to assess:** vocal behaviour, ability to settle, the parents’ temperament and documented health screening

The breed standard does not specify an official weight. Height is also a guide to breed type rather than a promise of an exact size; the standard states that type is more important than size.

## Appearance & Coat

The Finnish Lapphund is slightly smaller than medium-sized, powerfully built for its size and a little longer than it is tall. The head is relatively broad, the ears are erect or semi-erect, and the well-feathered tail is carried over the back or to one side when the dog is moving. The tail may hang down at rest.

The double coat consists of a long, coarse outer coat over a soft, dense undercoat. Males often have a more pronounced ruff. All colours are permitted provided that one main colour predominates, so two typical Finnish Lapphunds can look quite different.

The coat needs regular brushing, with more frequent attention during a heavy moult. Work right through to the undercoat, particularly behind the ears, in the armpits and where a harness or collar rests against the coat. Bathe only when needed. Normal coat care relies on brushing rather than clipping the coat short; if clipping is medically necessary, follow veterinary advice.

The amount of shedding and coat varies between dogs and through the year. Anyone who wants a hair-free home or expects one fixed grooming day each week needs a different approach: check the coat with your hands and a comb, then adapt the routine to the individual dog.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed standard describes the Finnish Lapphund as intelligent, courageous, calm, docile, friendly and faithful. In daily life, many combine a willingness to work with attentiveness and an ability to stay close to their family. This is still a herding and guarding spitz, however, not a dog that is automatically quiet or straightforward in every setting.

The breed readily uses its voice. Some dogs alert to sounds, people outside the home or movement around them, while others are considerably quieter. Ask the breeder how the parents respond to the doorbell, visitors, passing dogs and quiet time indoors. That is more useful than a general claim that the whole breed is noisy.

The Swedish Kennel Club’s 2019 BPH behavioural analysis provides a useful but limited picture. It included 229 assessed dogs, and the 212 Swedish-born participants represented only about three per cent of the Swedish-born dogs in the reported birth cohorts. Moderate greeting of unfamiliar people appeared as the breed average, but there was also wide variation, from dogs that barely greeted to dogs that greeted intensely. A breed average can describe a population; it cannot predict an individual puppy.

It is worth looking at the parents’ BPH or MH behavioural records, but read the complete assessment and ask what the dogs are like in everyday life. Calm recovery after a surprise, vocal behaviour the household can manage and an ability to relax are often more important to family life than an enthusiastic greeting.

## Training & Exercise

The Finnish Lapphund needs regular physical exercise, mental activity and a reliable off-switch, but no single time allowance suits every dog. A good week combines walks over varied ground, opportunities to sniff and explore, short cooperative training sessions and quieter days that allow recovery. Tracking, scent work, obedience, rally, agility and carefully managed herding are examples of activities that may suit different individuals.

Judge the balance by the dog’s behaviour. A suitably occupied dog can work with enthusiasm and then settle. Restless pacing, constant surveillance, difficulty sleeping or ever-increasing demands for activity may mean that the dog needs more recovery and clearer calm routines, not simply longer sessions.

Reward-based training suits the breed’s responsive nature. Start early with attention, recall and choosing to disengage from distractions. Practise at an easy distance first and use a long line where recall is not yet reliable. The breed’s herding background may make movement interesting, but hunting and herding drive vary; work with the dog in front of you.

When working on barking, the aim is not to punish an alert but to make the situation clear. Acknowledge that you have noticed the trigger, reward a pause and teach the dog to go to a calm place away from windows or the door. Reduce opportunities to stand guard without interruption. If barking is driven by fear, difficulty being left alone or high stress, address the cause rather than merely suppressing the sound.

## Health

The breed’s breeding strategy describes the Finnish Lapphund as having no major overall physical health problems, but several inherited conditions still need attention in breeding. For a puppy buyer, the most important checks concern hips, eyes and correctly interpreted DNA results; elbow results and behavioural assessments provide further information.

Formal rules must be distinguished from the breed club’s stricter criteria. The Swedish Kennel Club’s 2026 registration rules require both parents to have an official hip score before mating. For a litter to be listed by the Swedish Finnish Lapphund breed club, further criteria include acceptable hip results, an eye examination within 24 months and an appropriate DNA combination. If the parents have been elbow scored, the results must be clear. This does not mean that eye examinations, elbow scoring and every DNA test are identical formal registration requirements of the Swedish Kennel Club.

Prcd-PRA is a form of progressive retinal disease, while Pompe disease, or GSDII, is a serious glycogen storage disease. Both are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. A carrier is not the same as an affected dog and can be mated to a genetically clear or hereditarily clear partner without producing puppies affected by that particular mutation. Two carriers must not be mated together. A prcd-PRA test covers only that specific form of PRA, not every eye disease, which is why a current eye examination remains relevant.

Ask the breeder to show original or independently verifiable registered results, and check:

- both parents’ official hip results and, ideally, the projected hip index for the mating
- the date and result of each eye examination
- the prcd-PRA and GSDII status of the mating, not merely the word “tested”
- elbow results if the dogs have been assessed
- BPH or MH records and how the parents behave at home, around sounds and after surprises
- health problems reported in close relatives

No screening checklist can guarantee a healthy puppy. It can, however, show whether the breeder has carried out relevant checks, understood the findings and chosen a mating that reduces known risks without unnecessarily removing healthy carriers from the gene pool.

## History & Origins

The Finnish Lapphund’s modern breed history begins in Finland. The breed standard records that, for centuries, the Sámi used dogs resembling Finnish Lapphunds to herd and guard reindeer in northern Fennoscandia and Russia. The phrase “dogs resembling” matters: it documents an older working role and type of dog, but it does not prove an unbroken pedigree from ancient dogs to the modern breed.

The modern development has clearer milestones. The Finnish Kennel Club adopted the first breed standard for the Lapponian Herder in 1945. The name was changed to Lapphund in 1967, the breed type stabilised during the 1970s, and the present name, Finnish Lapphund, was adopted in 1993. During this development, the longer-coated Lapphund type was separated from the longer-bodied, shorter-coated Lapponian Herder.

The reindeer-herding heritage helps explain why the standard combines alertness and courage with calmness and responsiveness. A working dog needed to react to movement and remain in contact with its handler without creating unnecessary disruption in the herd. The same versatility can now be seen in the breed’s role as an active companion and in several dog sports, although few dogs work with reindeer today.

## Living with the Breed

The Finnish Lapphund can be an excellent family dog when the household is comfortable with activity, coat care, vocal behaviour and close cooperation. It is less suitable for someone who wants a consistently quiet dog, very little shedding or a dog content with brief toilet walks and no other occupation.

The same safety rules apply around children as with any dog: an adult must supervise young children, and the dog needs a protected place where it can rest undisturbed. Even a friendly dog can feel cornered while sleeping, eating or trying to move away. Teach both children and dog how to interact calmly.

Living with other dogs or cats depends on the individual, early experience and the introduction. Do not assume that the breed name guarantees low prey drive or instant friendship. Ask how the parents and puppy have behaved around other animals, arrange first meetings with space and an easy way to separate them, and give each animal its own resources and resting places.

Flat living can work if the dog gets plenty of varied outdoor activity and the owner actively manages alert barking in shared hallways, lifts and at windows. The size of the home solves neither the need for activity nor barking; daily routines and the surrounding noise are more important.

Time alone must be introduced gradually once the puppy feels secure at home. Begin with very short absences and increase them only while the dog remains calm. Adult dogs vary greatly in what they can manage, and a second dog is not a reliable solution to separation problems. If the dog cannot settle when left, take the training back a step and consider professional help.

A sound buying decision therefore rests on more than the breed’s friendly reputation. Meet adult relatives where possible, listen to how they respond to everyday sounds, see whether they can settle and ask the breeder to explain both the health data and the dogs’ temperament. This makes it much easier to decide whether a Finnish Lapphund suits your home.

Finnish Lapphund

The Finnish Lapphund Club Of Great Britain

Suomen Kennelliitto (The Finnish Kennel Club)

Verein für Finnische Lapphunde Deutschland e.V.

Finnish Lapphunds are medium, sturdy Arctic spitz dogs with a thick double coat and friendly, watchful nature. Bred as reindeer herders, they are people‑oriented, intelligent, bark‑prone, and thrive on daily exercise, mental stimulation, and close family companionship.

Lejoncrona

Barbet

Société Centrale Canine (France)

Deutscher Hundeverband (Germany)

The Barbet is an ancient French water dog, medium-sized and sturdy, with a dense woolly low-shedding coat. Cheerful and people-focused, it thrives on family life, regular grooming, and active exercise, excelling in water work and dog sports, but remains a relatively rare breed.

Vi på Skogsuddens föder upp Barbet i Helsingborg. Vår första kontakt med rasen kom 2016 och vår första egen Barbetkull föddes 2022. I verksamheten tränar vi vardagslydnad, utställning och viltspår, tre områden som följer vår vardag med rasen.

Skogsuddens

Malin Dalén

## Quick Facts

The Medium Poodle is one of the four recognised Poodle sizes, sitting between the Miniature and Standard varieties. It is an attentive, highly trainable companion dog with a coat that demands considerable care.

- **Size:** Height at the withers must be over 35 and no more than 45 centimetres. The breed standard gives no official weight, so assess an adult by its build and body condition rather than a generic weight range.
- **Size variety:** A Poodle that has not yet had its final measurement may change size variety after an official measurement. In Sweden, final measurement is available from 15 months of age.
- **Temperament:** The breed ideal is a positive, sociable and quick-learning dog, but social confidence, activity levels and responses to noise vary between individuals and family lines.
- **Activity:** A Medium Poodle needs physical exercise and mental engagement every day. A fixed number of minutes will not suit every dog.
- **Coat:** The coat may be curly or corded and often sheds very little, but it requires thorough combing, bathing, drying and clipping.
- **Health checks for breeding:** Before mating, both parents must have a valid official prcd-PRA result, either from a DNA test or through valid recorded status as hereditarily clear.

## Appearance & Coat

The Medium Poodle is harmoniously built, with a body that is slightly longer than its height at the withers. It should look alert and active without appearing heavy or low to the ground. Height is what distinguishes it from the Miniature and Standard Poodle.

The dense coat may be curly or form cords. It keeps growing and needs clipping, but the interval depends on coat length, style, daily life and how readily that particular coat mats. A short, practical trim will often reduce the workload, but it does not remove the need for grooming.

Comb all the way down to the skin, paying particular attention behind the ears, beneath a harness or collar, in the armpits and around the legs. Deal with small tangles before they tighten, and check the skin, ears and claws at the same time. Teach a puppy to stand still and accept touch in short, calm, rewarded sessions. This makes grooming at home and visits to a professional groomer easier.

Avoid a rigid timetable for bathing and clipping. Instead, check whether a comb passes through the entire coat, the skin stays clean and dry, and the dog can move freely. The dense coat needs to be dried thoroughly after bathing or swimming. Ask a vet to assess redness, an unpleasant smell or recurring skin or ear trouble rather than routinely plucking hair or using strong products.

Since the new breed standard took effect in 2024, the Swedish Kennel Club has registered 16 colour varieties, including solid and multicoloured dogs. This does not make merle an approved breeding colour. Under the Swedish registration rules, offspring from a merle-carrying parent cannot be registered, and such a mating also results in breeding restrictions.

Medium Poodles often release very little hair around the home because loose hairs can remain in the curls until the coat is combed. It is nevertheless misleading to call the breed non-shedding or allergy friendly. No dog breed is allergen-free, and an allergic person may react differently to different dogs. Anyone with allergies should therefore investigate their own reaction before buying, rather than relying on the breed name.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed ideal describes the Medium Poodle as friendly, sociable, lively and easy to train. Many people are drawn to its combination of willingness to work with a handler and practical medium size. The ideal is not a guarantee that every dog will be confident with children, strangers, other dogs or unfamiliar environments.

Sweden's Behaviour and Personality Assessment for Dogs (BPH) provides better evidence than claims that the breed is always easy. In the Swedish Poodle Club's Medium Poodle report from February 2026, 565 dogs had started a BPH. It is not a pass-or-fail test and does not tell you everything about an individual. It does, however, show responses to contact, play, surprises, noise and a person approaching in an unusual way.

Ask the breeder to put results in context. How do the parents and close relatives behave in everyday life? Do they seek contact without becoming intrusive? Can they settle, cope with sudden noises and recover after an unexpected event? Have several relatives been assessed, or is the opinion based on one dog? Questions like these say more than labels such as “clever”, “good with children” or “perfect for a first-time owner”.

A Medium Poodle may be quick to notice movement and noise, but barking tendency varies. Look at the parents' responses to sound and teach the dog to leave a window or door and settle in a quiet place. Activity combined with help to wind down gives a dog better prospects in a home where neighbouring sounds carry easily.

## Training & Exercise

A Medium Poodle needs to use both body and mind every day, but that need cannot be reduced to a set number of walking minutes. Age, health, fitness, surroundings and the individual dog's ability to settle determine a sensible level. A good daily routine includes walks with time to sniff, short training sessions and a task that involves thinking or searching.

Reward-based training suits the breed's willingness to cooperate and makes learning clear without causing fear. Start with attention, recall, staying with you, handling and resting in a chosen place. Increase difficulty gradually and use something the dog values as the reward: food, play, contact or permission to continue investigating something.

Scent work, tracking, retrieving, tricks, obedience, rally and agility are possible activities, not requirements. Vary physical exercise, problem-solving and recovery. A puppy needs shorter, simpler sessions, while a healthy adult can gradually be prepared for longer outings or more demanding sport.

Judge the balance of the daily routine, not just the amount of activity. If the dog can concentrate, recover and rest afterwards, the load is often better judged than when it remains constantly over-excited. Restlessness can mean the dog needs a task, but it can also mean it needs help to slow down. Give calm, sleep and settle training as much deliberate space as new tricks.

## Health

The formal health requirement when breeding Medium Poodles in Sweden concerns prcd-PRA, an inherited form of progressive retinal atrophy. Before mating, both parents must have official status through a DNA test or a valid hereditary-clear registration. A carrier may only be mated to a dog that is tested clear or hereditarily clear. A genetically affected dog must not be used for breeding.

A prcd-PRA result applies only to this genetic variant. It does not exclude other forms of PRA or other eye problems. The Swedish Poodle Club therefore also recommends repeat eye examinations for breeding dogs. The club also wants more Medium Poodles to be hip-scored and recommends that a dog with grade C hips be used sparingly and only with a hip-clear mate. These are recommendations, rather than the binding prcd-PRA requirement.

Ask to see dated official results and verify the dogs' identities rather than simply accepting that a litter is “health tested”. Ask about illness, mobility problems, eye trouble and temperament in the parents, full siblings, previous offspring and older relatives. One clear test does not sum up the health of an entire family.

Before buying a puppy, ask the breeder to explain:

- the prcd-PRA status of both parents and why the mating complies with the rules
- when the parents last had an eye examination and what hip results are available
- which other official results, such as BPH, exist for the parents and their close relatives
- which health problems have actually occurred in the family, even where no DNA test exists

Because the breed standard gives no ideal weight, assess an adult's body condition with both hands and eyes. You should be able to feel the ribs and see a waist that makes sense for the dog's build. Rapid weight change, lameness, a change in vision or recurring skin and ear problems are reasons to consult a vet.

## History & Origins

The FCI records France as the Poodle's country of origin. In the standard's historical note, the breed's French name, *caniche*, is linked to the French word for a female duck, and Poodles were used in wildfowling. The standard also describes the breed as descending from the Barbet, an older French water dog. That is the documented core; theories proposing one precise route of development across Europe should be treated with caution.

The Poodle developed into four sizes that share the same basic type. In Sweden, Poodles were divided into large and small varieties in 1932. The smaller variety was named the Medium Poodle in 1952, before Miniature and later Toy Poodles became further sizes. The Medium Poodle is therefore not a cross or a modern mixed breed, but a recognised size variety within the Poodle breed.

The breed's water-working past may inspire retrieving and swimming for dogs that enjoy them. It does not mean every Medium Poodle automatically likes water or must be trained for hunting. The modern breed is classified as a companion dog, and the individual dog's interest should guide the activity.

## Living with the Breed

Living with a Medium Poodle combines close companionship, daily activity and regular coat care that cannot be skipped. The breed can live in a flat or a house, but the size of the home matters less than the dog's ability to settle, cope with noise and have its needs met outside.

In a family with children, an adult must take responsibility for their interactions. Children should learn not to disturb the dog while it eats or rests, and the dog needs a place of its own where it will be left alone. Choose a dog and breeder based on evidence of sound temperament, not on the assumption that medium size automatically makes a dog sturdy or safe with children.

Time alone must be taught in small steps once the dog feels secure. Begin with very short periods and increase them only when the dog remains calm. Do not plan for a puppy or untrained adult to cope immediately with a full working day alone. Working hours, toilet breaks and help when needed must be arranged before the dog comes home.

The same individual approach applies to other animals. When introducing a cat, give the cat a safe escape area, prevent the dog from chasing and keep meetings short and controlled. Do not leave them alone together until both are relaxed and their interactions have remained stable over time. Living with other dogs or small animals depends on experience, chase and play drive, and the way introductions are managed, not just on breed.

Before buying, make sure you can provide three things throughout the dog's life: time for training and company, a plan for coat care, and the cost of professional clipping or your own equipment. Visit adult relatives if possible, ask to see how they settle and accept handling, and check the official health results. This lets you choose on evidence from the dogs themselves and your own routine, rather than an idealised image of the Medium Poodle.

Medium Poodle

The Poodle Club of UK

Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK)

Svenska Pudelklubben (Swedish Poodle Club)

Verein für Deutsche Spitze e.V.

Medium Poodles are medium‑sized, athletic dogs with a curly, low‑shedding coat that needs regular grooming. Highly intelligent and easy to train, they are lively outside but calm indoors. Affectionate, people‑focused, and versatile, they excel in family life and many dog sports.

Sweet Rockstars

Trollungar Fjället

Chibang's

Enerums

## Quick Facts

The Whippet is a British, FCI-recognised sighthound in Group 10. The breed was developed for speed and work, and the breed standard describes a combination of muscular power, strength and elegance without exaggeration. It is therefore an athletic dog, not merely a slender companion.

The desired height at the withers is 47–51 cm for males and 44–47 cm for females. The breed standard does not specify an ideal weight. Assess weight and body condition in relation to the individual dog's size, muscle and fitness rather than against a fixed number.

Before buying, you should focus particularly on safe exercise, prey drive, cold weather and documented health in the family. A Whippet can be an adaptable companion, but needs opportunities to run safely, gradual training to be left alone and careful management around wildlife and small animals.

## Appearance & Coat

The Whippet should be built to function at speed. The standard calls for, among other things, a deep chest, power over the loin, strong hindquarters and free, long movement with powerful drive. Movement should be parallel and neither short, stilted nor exaggerated. An extremely thin or weak dog is therefore no more typical of the breed than a heavy, cumbersome one.

The difference in desired height between the sexes is small, yet individuals can still differ clearly in build. Because the standard gives no weight, a single number on the scales is a poor criterion for choosing a dog or judging its health. It is better to assess proportions, muscle, movement and current body condition with the breeder or a veterinarian.

The coat should be fine, short and close. All colours and colour combinations are permitted except merle. The breed standard does not state whether the Whippet has an undercoat. You should therefore assess the individual dog's coat density and tolerance of cold rather than assume that every Whippet has exactly the same protection.

The fine coat provides little protection from cold and wet weather. Some Whippets need a well-fitting coat on cold walks, while the weather, activity and individual dog determine when it is necessary. Shivering, slowing down or clearly seeking warmth are signs to stop or provide more protection. Grooming is otherwise straightforward, but the skin, paw pads and nails should be checked after activity in scrub, crusted snow or uneven terrain.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed standard describes the Whippet as gentle, affectionate and even-tempered, with the ability to adapt both at home and in sporting settings. This is the breed ideal, not a guarantee for every individual. Breeding, early experiences, health and everyday training all affect how an individual dog behaves.

Swedish BPH behavioural assessment results provide a more nuanced picture. By July 2024, 373 Whippets had been assessed. Among Swedish-born dogs from 2004–2023, participation amounted to 323 of 8,641 dogs, or 3.7 percent. On average, the assessed group was moderately social, relatively playful and fairly secure and curious. At the same time, there was greater variation in areas including greeting, curiosity and play. The results describe the participating dogs and should not be treated as a promise about a puppy or the whole breed.

With children, calm handling and an undisturbed resting place matter more than the label “family dog”. An adult needs to supervise, and children should not disturb a dog that is eating or resting. Meetings with other dogs should also be introduced in a controlled way, particularly if the dogs differ in size, play style or experience.

A Whippet can live with a cat, but the breed name does not guarantee success. Prey drive and reactions to fast movement vary. Start at a distance with a physical barrier, keep the dog on a lead, give the cat a safe escape route and supervise until both animals are relaxed. A dog accepting the family cat does not reliably predict how it will react to unfamiliar cats or small animals outdoors.

## Training & Exercise

A Whippet needs daily physical and mental activity, but neither the breed standard nor Swedish authority guidance specifies a fixed number of minutes or requires the dog to run off lead at full speed every day. Adjust the workload to age, health, fitness and surface. Walks, scent work, everyday obedience and occasional opportunities to stretch out in a safe place provide a good mix.

Training should be reward-based, progressive and tailored to the individual. Short sessions with a clear goal often work better than many repetitions. Prioritise recall, checking in around movement, waiting calmly, accepting paw handling and settling after activity. Start in easy environments and increase distractions once the behaviour is reliable.

Prey drive is a safety consideration, not a character defect. The breed's background means that fast movement can trigger pursuit, but the strength of that response varies. Recall reduces risk without making every open space safe. Use a lead or long line where wildlife, traffic, cyclists or small animals may appear, and choose properly enclosed areas when the dog is to run free.

Swedish rules also require particular care around wildlife. From 1 March to 20 August, dogs must be prevented from running loose in the countryside, and during the rest of the year you must still be able to stop the dog from driving or pursuing wildlife. Lure coursing and other organised sighthound activities can provide a controlled outlet for the chase, but they are options rather than requirements for a good life.

## Health

The Whippet is not included in any of the Swedish Kennel Club's health programmes, so there are no breed-specific health examinations that must be completed before mating in Sweden. This does not make documentation unimportant. The Swedish Whippet Club's current breed-specific breeding strategy recommends examinations and follow-up that a puppy buyer should ask about specifically.

The breed club recommends cardiac auscultation of breeding dogs, meaning that a veterinarian listens to the heart with a stethoscope. If a murmur is heard, the dog should be examined further by a veterinarian specialising in cardiology. MMVD occurs in the breed, but a murmur is a finding, not a diagnosis in itself. The club also recommends eye examination and BPH behavioural assessment, and advises waiting until the dog is at least two years old before breeding. These are recommendations, not Swedish registration requirements for the breed.

The eye situation needs equally careful wording. A small number of Swedish PRA cases have been documented, while only a small proportion of dogs have been examined for inherited eye disease. The issue can therefore neither be described as common nor dismissed. Ask to see dated results for the parents and how the breeder uses results from relatives.

Injuries deserve more attention than a long list of possible diseases. In the breed club's 2020 health survey, which received responses concerning 367 individual dogs, owners reported that 42.7 percent had experienced an accident requiring veterinary care; wounds were the most common. A survey does not show the risk for every dog, but it supports checking skin, paws and movement after fast activity and choosing surfaces and enclosures carefully.

Also ask about testicular status in males and immune-mediated disease among close relatives. The breed strategy describes clustering in families but not a simple mode of inheritance that a single DNA test can resolve. Information about parents, littermates and older relatives can therefore be more useful than a general statement that the line has been health tested.

Cardiac findings in a Whippet also need to be interpreted with knowledge of the breed. Studies of healthy Whippets show that some ECG and ultrasound measurements can differ from general canine reference values. Tell the veterinarian that the dog is a Whippet and how it is trained. This can reduce the risk of misinterpretation, but must not be used to dismiss a murmur, symptoms or the need for further investigation.

## History & Origins

The Whippet's documented history begins in Great Britain. The breed was mentioned in an official show context in England in 1876, and The Kennel Club recognised it in 1890. Whippet racing is documented from the 1890s, while the breed standard states that the dog was originally used for hunting by sight or scent.

The breed is associated particularly with northern England and racing, but the earliest breeding decisions are not fully documented. Greyhounds and some terrier breeds are often cited as possible influences, while the Swedish breed strategy notes that written accounts from the earliest breeders are lacking. These crosses are therefore best described as likely theories rather than a precise recipe.

The breed's earlier work is still apparent in its construction and interest in movement. Today's Whippet is also an established companion and sporting dog. Its history helps explain speed and prey drive, but should not be used to claim that every individual must compete or reacts to wildlife in the same way.

## Living with the Breed

A Whippet can live successfully in a flat if daily life provides enough time outdoors, activity and opportunities to settle. The size of the home matters less than access to suitable outdoor areas, the noise environment and how often the dog needs to be left alone. For an individual that reacts to sound or struggles to settle, a noisy apartment building can be more demanding than the floor plan suggests.

Being left alone should be trained gradually. Start when the dog feels secure at home, leave for a very short time and increase it only while the dog remains calm. The breed often being described as affectionate does not mean every Whippet develops separation problems, and a second dog is not a reliable solution. Assess the individual dog's behaviour and take a step back in training if it shows signs of distress.

Plan for warmth, rest and safe transport as well. A short-coated dog may need extra protection in cold weather, but fit and freedom of movement matter more than a long equipment list. A quiet, sheltered sleeping place and gentle handling after strenuous activity also help you notice wounds, soreness or changes in movement early.

Before buying a puppy, ask for specific evidence:

- registered information and dated heart and eye results for both parents;
- BPH results or a clear description of temperament in the parents and close relatives;
- information about injuries, heart disease, eye disease, testicular status and immune-mediated disease in the family;
- the breeder's plan for socialisation, habituation to different environments and support after the puppy goes home.

The Whippet is best suited to someone who values a close companion while respecting that it is a fast sighthound. The deciding question is not whether the breed is always calm, easy or family-friendly, but whether you can provide safe exercise, consistent training and room for the variation between individuals.

Whippet

Swedish Kennel Club

Medium sighthound combining racing speed with calm companionship. Sleek, lean and Greyhound‑like, with a short, easy‑care coat but little weather protection. Sensitive, gentle and people‑oriented, it needs kind training, safe chances to sprint, soft warm bedding and a stable, quiet home.

## Quick Facts

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a large, athletic dog from southern Africa, best known for the strip of hair along its back that grows in the opposite direction from the rest of the coat. The breed is best suited to someone who has plenty of time for physical activity and training, and who can manage an independent dog with a background in hunting and guarding.

- **Origin:** southern Africa. South Africa and Zimbabwe are responsible for the breed standard.
- **Breed group:** FCI Group 6, scent hounds and related breeds.
- **Height at the withers:** the desirable range is 63–69 cm for males and 61–66 cm for females.
- **Desirable weight:** approximately 36.5 kg for males and 32 kg for females under the breed standard.
- **Coat:** short, dense and smooth, ranging from light wheaten to red wheaten.
- **Temperament:** the breed ideal is dignified and intelligent, with some reserve towards strangers but without aggression or fearfulness.
- **Activity level:** high. A Rhodesian Ridgeback needs varied exercise, mental challenges and time to settle.

A breed description is not a promise about an individual dog. Parents, close relatives, upbringing and training will tell you more about the puppy in front of you.

## Appearance & Coat

A Rhodesian Ridgeback should be powerful and muscular while remaining agile and balanced, never heavy or cumbersome. The standard gives 63–69 cm and about 36.5 kg as desirable for males, and 61–66 cm and about 32 kg for females. These are breed ideals, not a guarantee of every adult dog's eventual weight.

The ridge is the breed's defining feature. It should begin behind the shoulders, taper towards the hip bones and be symmetrical. The standard requires two matching whorls, known as crowns, placed opposite one another. The wrong number of crowns is a conformation fault, and absence of the ridge is a disqualifying fault in conformation judging. This does not determine how the dog will cope with everyday life. The appearance of the ridge and examination for dermoid sinus are separate matters.

The coat should be short, dense, smooth and glossy, neither woolly nor silky. Colour ranges from light wheaten to red wheaten. A little white on the chest and toes is allowed, as are a dark muzzle and ears, while extensive white and excessive black hair are undesirable. The nose may be black or brown, and the eyes should harmonise with the coat and nose colour.

This short coat does not require specialist grooming. Brush and bathe as needed, keep the nails at a comfortable length and check the skin, ears and paws. Adapt care to the individual dog and its daily routine rather than following a rigid weekly schedule.

## Temperament & Personality

A typical Rhodesian Ridgeback is independent, alert and reserved with people it does not know. Reserve means the dog may prefer to stand back; it is not the same as fear. The breed standard does not consider either shyness or aggression desirable, while the breed club's behavioural material shows that social confidence, reactions and recovery vary between individuals.

The breed has a background in both hunting and guarding. Hunting interest, vigilance and independent decisions may therefore be evident in daily life, although their intensity differs from dog to dog. A dog that notices visitors is not automatically a reliable guard dog, and being quiet during a behavioural assessment does not guarantee a quiet dog at home.

The Swedish BPH behavioural assessment can provide useful information about how a dog reacts in a defined test situation. It is a description, not an examination that the dog passes or fails. Read the full result in the Swedish Kennel Club's Avelsdata, paying particular attention to social confidence, fear and recovery. Ask to meet the dam and, if possible, other adult relatives as well. Their behaviour in ordinary situations provides better evidence than labels such as “family-friendly” or “stable” in an advert.

A Rhodesian Ridgeback can live successfully in a family with children, but the breed name is not a safety guarantee. An adult should always supervise interactions, and the dog must be allowed to eat, sleep and withdraw without being disturbed. Choose the individual dog and breeder to suit your actual family circumstances rather than relying on a general label.

## Training & Exercise

A Rhodesian Ridgeback needs a great deal of physical and mental activity, but no single number of minutes suits every dog. A sound routine includes walks through varied environments, opportunities to move more freely in secure places, scent work and tasks that involve cooperation, followed by time to settle.

Tracking, search exercises and other scent-based activities make constructive use of the breed's abilities. Strength, speed and stamina should be developed gradually, especially in a growing youngster. Adjust the load to the dog's body, the surface and its recovery rather than following a simple age formula.

Independence does not make the breed untrainable, but it does make motivation and clarity important. Reward-based, varied sessions are more effective than long repetitions or harsh confrontation. Start engagement, loose-lead work and recall training early. If the dog is inclined to pursue wildlife, use a long line or a securely fenced area until the training remains reliable in the presence of distractions.

Introduce the puppy to people, dogs, places and sounds at a pace that still allows it to engage with you and recover. The goal is not to greet everyone, but to feel secure in everyday situations.

## Health

Before buying a puppy, official hip and elbow results and a documented examination of the puppy for dermoid sinus are key checks. Match every result to the identity of the dog, and distinguish between the Swedish Kennel Club's registration rules and the breed club's stricter conditions for its puppy-referral service.

For a Rhodesian Ridgeback litter to be registered, the Swedish Kennel Club requires both parents to have an official hip dysplasia result before mating. The breed also has a specific requirement for official elbow dysplasia status. Nordic breeding dogs covered by the rule must not be bred from if they have ED grade 2 or 3, or clinically diagnosed or surgically treated elbow dysplasia. A known result is not automatically a good result, so read the grade itself and ask how the mating was planned.

The puppy-referral criteria of the Swedish Rhodesian Ridgeback Club go beyond these basic requirements. They include conditions relating to parental age, hip grades and pairings, ED grade 0 and behavioural documentation for certain dogs. If a litter is advertised through the referral service, check what that meant for the particular mating. If it is not listed, ask which condition was not met; the label alone does not reveal the entire health picture.

Dermoid sinus, commonly shortened to DS, is a congenital developmental abnormality in which the skin and underlying tissue do not separate completely during foetal development. It can form a tract of varying depth. Puppies should therefore be examined carefully by someone with appropriate experience, and buyers should be told who performed the check and what was recorded.

Research has linked the genetic change that produces the ridge with a higher risk of DS, but a ridge test is not a diagnostic test for dermoid sinus. The breed club stresses that the complete genetic cause of DS has not been established and advises against a newer commercial risk test that lacks published validation. A visibly correct ridge can therefore never replace a physical examination of the puppy.

DNA tests for conditions such as juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, JME, and degenerative myelopathy, DM, should not be treated as a compulsory standard panel for every Swedish mating. The breed club recommends assessment based on relationships and known results. Ask the breeder why a particular test was chosen, which dog the result belongs to and how it influenced the mating. That is more informative than an unspecified claim that the dogs are “DNA tested”.

Keep the dog at a healthy, functional body condition as well. Monitor weight, waistline, how easily you can feel the ribs and stamina over time. Let a vet assess changes or symptoms rather than drawing conclusions from a generic list of diseases.

## History & Origins

The Rhodesian Ridgeback was developed in southern Africa and is the only internationally recognised dog breed to originate there. In the Cape Colony, the dogs of early settlers were crossed with local, semi-domesticated ridge-bearing hunting dogs. The official history does not provide a definitive list of every European breed behind the modern dog, so precise recipes are speculative.

The breed's original work led to the name “lion dog”, but that description needs context. The dogs were expected to track game, especially lion, and use their agility to hold it at bay from a distance until the hunter arrived. They often worked in pairs or groups of three; their role was not to kill a lion on their own.

F.R. Barnes drew up the first breed standard in Bulawayo, in what was then Rhodesia, in 1922, using the Dalmatian standard as a model. It was recognised by the South African kennel organisation in 1926. The current standard is maintained by South Africa and Zimbabwe and still describes a fast, functional dog with stamina rather than a heavy-bodied one.

## Living with the Breed

A Rhodesian Ridgeback is best suited to a home that can provide close company, daily activity, consistent training and clear opportunities to rest. The size of the home does not determine suitability on its own. Flat living can work if the dog's needs are met outside and it can relax indoors; a large garden replaces neither walks, scent work nor cooperation with its owner.

Time alone must be introduced gradually, without leaving a puppy before it is ready. Begin with very brief, uneventful periods and increase them only while the dog remains comfortable. There is no breed-based hourly limit that suits every adult. Plan around the dog you actually have and arrange help if it shows distress, vocalisation, destructive behaviour or difficulty settling.

Whether a Rhodesian Ridgeback can live with other dogs or cats depends on the individual, previous experience and the introduction. Keep initial meetings controlled, give each animal a separate safe space and prevent chasing. A puppy raised with a cat may develop good habits, but that does not predict with certainty how it will react to unfamiliar small animals outdoors.

Before buying, the following checks are more valuable than general promises:

- verify the parents' identities and official HD and ED results in SKK Avelsdata;
- ask whether the litter meets the breed club's puppy-referral conditions and what any exceptions mean;
- request documentation of the puppy's dermoid sinus examination;
- read the BPH results of parents and close relatives as descriptions, not scores;
- ask why any DNA tests were performed and how the results affected the mating;
- meet adult relatives and assess confidence, recovery, hunting interest and the ability to settle in daily life;
- be honest about the time you have for training, exercise, daytime care and gradual alone-time training.

The right dog should not merely conform to the breed standard. It should come from parents with well-documented health and have traits that suit the life you can offer.

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Verein für Deutsche Doggen (Germany)

Svenska Kennelklubben (Sweden)

Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of Great Britain

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a powerful, athletic African hunting dog with a distinctive ridge of reverse-growing hair. Loyal and affectionate with family but reserved with strangers, it needs ample daily exercise, consistent positive training, and suits active, experienced owners.

Abbetorps

## Quick Facts

The Miniature American Shepherd is a small, athletic herding dog and a distinct, internationally recognized breed—not simply an informal name for a small Australian Shepherd. Although the breed was developed from small Australian Shepherds in the United States, it now has its own breed standard and is registered separately.

- **Origin and purpose:** United States; developed as a farm, herding and companion dog.
- **Breed group:** FCI Group 1, Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs.
- **Height at the withers:** males 35.5–46 cm and females 33–43.5 cm.
- **Weight:** the breed standard gives no fixed range. A healthy weight depends on the dog's height, sex and build.
- **Coat:** a medium-length double coat that may be straight or wavy.
- **Activity level:** high, with a need for physical activity, mental work and recovery.

This is a compact dog, but not an easy shortcut to herding-dog traits in a smaller package. The breed is best suited to someone who wants to train, spend time outdoors and also teach the dog to settle. It can work for a first-time owner who has the time, patience and interest in reward-based training. It is a poorer choice for someone mainly looking for an uncomplicated dog with low demands for activity and everyday training.

## Appearance & Coat

The Miniature American Shepherd should be well balanced, agile and strong without looking heavy or exaggerated. The body is slightly longer than tall. There is a clear size difference across the permitted heights, which is why a single weight range is misleading. Assess body condition, proportions and muscle with a veterinarian rather than comparing every dog with one number for the whole breed.

The coat consists of weather-resistant outer hair and an undercoat whose amount can vary by season and climate. Regular thorough combing is often enough for routine care, but loose undercoat needs more attention during shedding. Bathe the dog when it is actually dirty. The coat should generally be left natural; extensive shaping is not part of normal grooming for the breed.

Accepted base colors are black, red, blue merle and red merle, with or without tan points and white. White may occur in defined areas but should not dominate the head or body. Eyes may be brown, blue, hazel or amber, and a dog may have eyes of different colors or more than one color in the same eye. An unusual eye color is a permitted variation in appearance, not evidence by itself of vision, health or temperament.

The tail may be long or naturally short, known as a natural bobtail, NBT. A short tail is therefore not automatically docked. Docking is prohibited in Sweden, and a Swedish buyer should distinguish a natural bobtail from a surgically shortened tail on an imported dog.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed standard describes the Miniature American Shepherd as intelligent, biddable, adaptable and loyal, with herding and guarding instincts. It is often alert to its surroundings and quick to react. This can produce excellent responsiveness in training, but also a dog that notices movement, sounds and changes its owner barely registers.

The breed may be reserved with strangers. Reserve means that the dog may wait and observe without seeking contact; it is not the same as being shy, fearful or threatening. Forced greetings rarely make a reserved dog more confident. Instead, give it space, let it observe and reward calm initiatives of its own.

Swedish BPH behavioral-assessment data shows above all that variation within the breed is considerable. Some dogs greet readily, others show little interest, and reactions to surprises, noise and uncertainty differ between individuals. BPH describes the dog's reactions on that day and does not issue a pass or fail. When choosing a puppy, the behavior, recovery and everyday function of the parents and close relatives are therefore more informative than a single label such as “typical temperament.”

The breed's close attention to its family should not be romanticized into a claim that every individual is automatically confident, sociable and easy-going. Ask the breeder how the adult dogs manage visitors, new environments, handling, sounds and quiet inactivity. Request concrete examples and consider any BPH results in context.

## Training & Exercise

The Miniature American Shepherd needs an active life, but there is no fixed schedule that suits every individual. A good routine includes walks and free movement where safe, scent work or problem-solving, short training sessions and genuine rest. The dog's age, fitness, health and ability to recover should determine the workload.

Agility, rally obedience, tracking, nosework, obedience, search work, herding and trick training are examples of suitable activities. No particular sport is compulsory. What matters is that the dog uses both body and mind without every day escalating to a higher level of intensity. If the dog still struggles to settle after activity, clearer pauses and better-adjusted training may be the answer—not automatically more exercise.

Reward-based training with clear criteria suits a quick and responsive dog. Start early with engagement, recall, leash skills, handling and waiting calmly. Also train the skills that are easily forgotten: lying quietly while the family eats, disengaging from a task, watching people or dogs pass without intervening, and returning to calm after play.

In daily life, herding and guarding behaviors may appear as following movement, trying to control running or sounding the alarm when something happens. This does not mean that every dog chases children, herds cats or barks a great deal. Observe what triggers the individual dog and teach alternative behaviors before a pattern becomes a habit. Puppies need short, positive experiences and age-appropriate movement; they should not be exercised like fully grown dogs.

## Health

Hip dysplasia, HD, occurs in the Miniature American Shepherd, but the Swedish population is young and evidence for reliable frequency estimates for several other conditions is limited. Insurance coding, small datasets and the low average age of the dogs have made older summaries difficult to interpret. A long list of possible diagnoses therefore says less than verified results from the puppy's parents and close relatives.

It is important to distinguish the Swedish Kennel Club's formal registration rules from the breed club's breeding recommendations. The Miniature American Shepherd has no special breed-specific health program marked as a registration condition in the Swedish Kennel Club's current registration rules. The Swedish Miniature American Shepherd Club does, however, recommend that before mating both parents have:

- an HD result of A or B and an ED result of 0
- a clear eye examination no more than 18 months old
- known prcd-PRA status, with a carrier bred only to a genetically clear dog
- known NAD status, using a clear-to-clear or clear-to-carrier combination.

Ask to see the actual result, examination date and how the parents' results are combined. The word “health tested” is not enough. A DNA test can answer only for the variant it targets and does not replace a clinical eye examination.

MDR1, also known as ABCB1, is a gene variant that can affect how the dog handles certain medicines. If the dog has been tested, keep the result and show it to the treating veterinarian. Medication choice and dosage should never be decided from general online breed advice.

Merle must not be bred to merle because the combination can produce puppies with two copies of the merle allele and an increased risk of serious sight and hearing problems; such a mating conflicts with Swedish Kennel Club basic rules. A natural bobtail is associated with the NBT trait. The breed club urges caution with NBT-to-NBT combinations while the issue continues to be monitored, which should not be confused with the explicit prohibition of merle-to-merle matings.

## History & Origins

The Miniature American Shepherd was developed in California in the late 1960s by breeding small Australian Shepherds. The aim was a smaller, enduring herding dog that could work sheep and goats, among other livestock, while fitting into a mobile ranch and equestrian life. From 1980 the name Miniature Australian Shepherd was used in registration before the breed later received its current name.

The American breed club was formed in 1990, and the breed entered the American Kennel Club's development registry in 2011. Full American recognition followed in 2015, and the FCI recognized the breed in 2019. The first Swedish litter was born in 2006, while Swedish registration as Miniature American Shepherd began in 2017.

Sweden also has a controlled crossbreeding program in which Australian Shepherds may be used under Swedish Kennel Club registration rules and the offspring are registered as Miniature American Shepherds. This does not alter the dogs' status as members of the recognized breed; the program is a regulated breeding tool. For a buyer, it makes the pedigree and the breeder's aims especially relevant, because traits and size can vary even within the breed standard.

## Living with the Breed

The Miniature American Shepherd can live well in either a house or an apartment. The size of the home matters less than how daily life works: the dog needs to get outside, use its senses, train and be able to rest without constantly monitoring the stairwell, windows or garden. A garden can be convenient but does not replace shared activity or environmental training.

With children, adult supervision, clear rules and a resting place where the dog is left undisturbed are essential. Running and loud noise can attract the attention of a herding dog that is sensitive to movement, so calm interactions and breaks before the dog becomes over-aroused matter more than assuming the breed is “good with children.” Children should never be responsible for reading or handling a dog under pressure.

Living with another dog or a cat depends on the individual, previous experience and the introduction. Let meetings happen gradually and under control, give the cat escape routes and its own resources, and interrupt fixation or chasing early. The breed comes with no guarantee of compatibility, but its herding background does not make problems inevitable either.

Alone-time training should progress gradually when the dog feels safe, has been exercised and is ready to rest. Start with very short periods and watch how that particular dog responds; prolonged barking, pacing or an inability to eat and rest indicate that training has progressed too quickly. A closed crate may not be used as routine confinement or as a solution to separation problems in Swedish homes.

Before buying a puppy, check more than registration and color. Ask to see the parents' health results and dates, ask about MDR1 and other relevant DNA results, examine temperament and recovery in the family, and discuss how the breeder prioritizes working drive, noise reactions, reserve and the ability to settle. A responsible match is about the kind of daily life the dog was bred and raised for—not just finding the right appearance.

Miniature American Shepherd

Dansk Kennel Klub (DKK)

Compact, athletic herding dog bred in the U.S. as a smaller Australian Shepherd. Intelligent, devoted, and “velcro” with family, often reserved with strangers. Needs regular training, mental work, and exercise. Medium double coat in varied colors; generally healthy with 12–15 year lifespan.

Skathemmets

## Quick Facts

The Japanese Spitz is a Japanese companion dog in FCI Group 5. Its defining features are a pure white double coat, small upright ears and a plumed tail carried over the back. This is a lively, observant breed that is often keen to train, but it can also be quick to bark. Anyone considering a Japanese Spitz should therefore assess noise tolerance just as carefully as exercise needs.

- **Origin and purpose:** Japan; companion dog, FCI number 262.
- **Size:** the standard sets a height of 30–38 cm for males, with females slightly smaller. It does not specify a weight.
- **Proportions:** the body is slightly longer than it is tall, with a height-to-length ratio of 10:11.
- **Coat:** pure white, with a straight, stand-off outer coat and a short, soft, dense undercoat.
- **Temperament:** the ideal is intelligent, cheerful and alert. A Japanese Spitz may give an alert bark, but should not be habitually noisy, fearful or aggressive.
- **Everyday needs:** daily physical activity, scent work and mental tasks, and early training around sounds, visitors and being left alone.

A Japanese Spitz can resemble a small Samoyed or a white German Spitz, but these are separate breeds with different standards and histories. Appearance alone cannot tell you how they compare in temperament, size or health.

## Appearance & Coat

The Japanese Spitz is sturdy yet elegant, without exaggerated proportions. Its pointed muzzle, dark almond-shaped eyes and small triangular ears create an alert expression. The back should be short and level, and movement should be quick and active. The tail is carried over the back but should not be tightly curled.

The coat has two distinct layers. The outer coat is straight and stands away from the body, while the undercoat is short, soft and dense. Hair is shorter on the face, ears and fronts of the legs, but longer over the body. The ruff around the neck and chest and the well-feathered tail are especially prominent. Pure white is the only accepted colour.

A thorough brush and comb down to the skin about once a week is usually a sound starting point. Work through small sections so the comb reaches the undercoat, paying particular attention behind the ears. More frequent grooming is needed during a moult. The Swedish Kennel Club describes females as often moulting twice a year and adult males usually once, although timing and volume vary.

Bathing should be based on dirt and need, not a fixed timetable. A white coat does not have to be washed whenever it becomes dusty. Introduce a puppy calmly to a brush, comb and paw handling before a full grooming session is necessary.

## Temperament & Personality

The Japanese Spitz notices changes in its surroundings quickly and generally likes to stay close to its family. The breed standard describes it as intelligent, cheerful and alert. Some individuals have little interest in interacting with unfamiliar people or dogs. Reserve is not the same as fear: panic, threats or difficulty recovering are different from calm self-possession.

Barking needs a balanced explanation. The Swedish Kennel Club's breed description says the Japanese Spitz is quick to bark, while the standard says it should not be noisy. These statements are compatible when a brief alert is distinguished from barking that continues at every sound. The aim is not to remove the dog's awareness, but to help it notice a sound at the door and then settle again.

Barking, shyness and fear of unfamiliar people recurred in the breed club's owner surveys in 2014 and 2020. The respondents were self-selected and the question was broad, so the answers do not show how common any trait is across the breed. If possible, meet the puppy's mother in an everyday setting, ask how close relatives respond to visitors and sounds in communal hallways, and read any BPH behaviour descriptions as profiles rather than scores.

The breed can suit a first-time owner who is willing to train actively and address barking consistently. It is a poorer fit for someone who assumes that a companion breed will automatically be quiet, always come when called or greet everyone enthusiastically.

## Training & Exercise

An adult Japanese Spitz needs physical and mental activity every day, but no fixed number of minutes suits every dog. Vary walks, sniffing, play and short co-operative tasks. Rally obedience, nose work, agility, tracking, tricks and everyday training are all possible choices; match them to the dog's health, interests and fitness.

Judge the amount by recovery. The dog should be able to settle and move without stiffness after rest. A dog that alerts to every small disturbance may need clearer rest, scent work or better training around distractions — not necessarily a longer walk. Puppies need short, playful experiences suited to their age, not a miniature adult routine.

Reward-based, progressive training makes good use of the breed's attention and willingness to work. First identify what triggers barking: the doorbell, a lift, people outside a window or excitement during play. Create distance or block the view, and reward the dog while it can still remain quiet and engage with you. Then teach a simple alternative, such as going to a mat when the bell rings. Punishment may increase anxiety without changing how the dog feels about the sound.

The Swedish Kennel Club describes the breed's hunting instinct as relatively low, but that does not guarantee safe off-lead exercise or a reliable recall. Begin in an easy setting, increase distractions gradually and use a long line until the dog responds to the first cue even when something moves. A percentage for recall tells you less than the dog's behaviour in the place where you intend to let it off the lead.

## Health

The Swedish Kennel Club describes the Japanese Spitz as generally healthy, with few breed-specific diseases, but a puppy buyer should still examine knees, eyes, heart and relevant family history. One normal test cannot replace information about parents, siblings and previous offspring.

**Patellar luxation**, in which the kneecap can move out of its normal position, occurs in the breed. In its published breeding strategy, the breed club recommends a voluntary patella examination at around two years of age, when the dog is physically mature. Ask for the parents' official results and whether relatives have had recurring lameness, difficulty jumping, or reluctance to run and turn sharply.

**Eyes and heart** are also monitored voluntarily. The breeding strategy records a small number of PRA diagnoses in older dogs and recommends regular eye examinations for breeding dogs, especially after six years of age. It also notes a small number of older dogs with heart murmurs and MMVD. The advice is for a vet to listen to the heart at routine visits and arrange an ultrasound if a murmur is found. This is surveillance, not evidence that every dog will be affected or that an old normal result provides lifetime clearance.

**X-linked muscular dystrophy** has been documented in a limited number of Irish families, and researchers have developed a DNA test for the mutation. The breed club's strategy states that no cases were known outside the affected Irish families. DNA testing is therefore particularly relevant when a pedigree includes Irish ancestry: ask for the genetic status of the relevant branch. There is no evidence, however, that a specific PRA DNA test should be routine for the whole breed.

The Swedish Kennel Club's 2026 registration rules do not impose any breed-specific health-testing requirements on the Japanese Spitz, and the breed has no compulsory central health programme. Patella, eye and heart checks are voluntary breed-club recommendations. Always check the latest rules before breeding and distinguish binding conditions from recommendations.

## History & Origins

The Japanese Spitz was developed in Japan during the first half of the twentieth century. The official standard cautiously says that the breed is thought to descend in part from white German Grossspitz brought to Japan via Siberia and north-eastern China around 1920. That is a documented account of its background, not a reason to describe the modern breed as a variety of German Spitz.

White spitz dogs were shown in Tokyo around 1921. Two pairs were imported from Canada in 1925, followed by further dogs from Canada, the United States, Australia and China up to 1936. These dogs were crossed to establish a more consistent breed type. After the Second World War, the Japan Kennel Club wrote the standard adopted in 1948.

More detailed claims involving Samoyeds, American Eskimo Dogs or other breeds in the early breeding programme are common, but they are not supported by the history in the official standard. It is therefore best to keep documented import routes separate from later theories.

## Living with the Breed

A Japanese Spitz can live in a flat, but noise becomes a more important consideration. Can you hear the lift, entrance door or neighbours? Place the dog's bed away from the front door and windows overlooking passing activity, and reward calm behaviour before alerting becomes a habit. Easy access to good walking and training areas matters more than the number of rooms.

Being left alone must be taught gradually. A young puppy cannot be left alone, and adult dogs also differ widely. Begin when the dog feels secure at home, use very brief absences and extend them only while the dog can rest without barking, pacing or showing stress. A camera can show what happens after the door closes. If anxiety increases, shorten the absence and return to an easier stage rather than pushing on.

With children, adult supervision and the dog's right to an undisturbed resting place matter more than the breed label. Teach children not to carry, hug or disturb the dog while it is eating or sleeping. With other dogs, cats and small animals, previous experience and individual behaviour matter more than the general statement about relatively low hunting instinct. Introduce a cat and dog at a distance, using a gate or lead, prevent chasing and give the cat high places to retreat to. Do not leave them unsupervised until their relationship is stable.

Before buying, you should be able to get clear answers to these questions:

- How do the parents and close relatives respond to sounds at the door, visitors and new places?
- What dated patella and eye results are available, and what does the breeder know about heart or mobility problems among relatives?
- Is there Irish ancestry and, if so, is the muscular-dystrophy status of the relevant branch known?
- How have the puppies practised handling, everyday sounds, rest and brief separations?

The best match is a home that appreciates an alert, trainable companion and is prepared to work calmly on noise and self-control. The white coat is the most visible feature, but in daily life how readily the dog barks, how quickly it recovers and whether it can settle determine whether the breed is a good fit.

Japanese Spitz

Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

The Japanese Spitz is a small to medium, people‑oriented companion with a pure white double coat that’s easy to maintain with regular brushing. Lively, intelligent, and trainable, it suits apartments with daily exercise. Naturally alert and vocal, it is usually friendly once introduced.

Klippliljans

## Quick Facts

The Dachshund is a German hunting dog in FCI Group 4, developed to work both below and above ground. The breed comes in nine varieties: standard, miniature and rabbit, each combined with a smooth-haired, long-haired or wire-haired coat. It is therefore wiser to choose a Dachshund by size, coat, the breeder's aims and the dogs' actual characteristics than by the breed name alone.

- **Uses:** hunting below ground, hunting by scent, tracking wounded game and companionship.
- **Working style:** persistent, independent and strongly scent-oriented.
- **Size:** determined by chest circumference, not height at the withers or a general weight figure.
- **Coat:** smooth, long or wire, with distinctly different care requirements.
- **Important health issue:** intervertebral disc degeneration and herniation, often grouped under the term IVDD.
- **Best suited to:** someone who wants a low-set hunting dog with a strong desire to work and can provide daily exercise, scent work and consistent training.

The final size variety is not confirmed until the dog is at least 15 months old. The parents provide a reasonable indication, but the puppy's final variety cannot be promised before measurement.

## Appearance & Coat

The Dachshund should be low and long-bodied, yet compact, muscular and agile. Its body was built to work freely in confined spaces, not to be extremely long or heavy. The breed standard specifies ground clearance of about one-third of the height at the withers and a ratio of height to body length of approximately 1:1.7–1.8.

Chest circumference is measured after 15 months of age, from the highest point of the withers to the lowest point of the ribcage. The current ranges are:

- **Standard Dachshund:** males more than 37 cm but no more than 47 cm; females more than 35 cm but no more than 45 cm.
- **Miniature Dachshund:** males more than 32 cm but no more than 37 cm; females more than 30 cm but no more than 35 cm.
- **Rabbit Dachshund:** males 27–32 cm; females 25–30 cm.

The three coat types are more than a difference in appearance. The smooth-haired Dachshund has a short, dense, close-lying coat that normally needs limited routine care but should still be checked after time in rough country. The long-haired Dachshund has an undercoat and longer feathering that should be combed where tangles form easily, particularly behind the ears and on the legs, belly and tail. The wire-haired Dachshund has a topcoat, undercoat, beard and pronounced eyebrows. A correct wire coat is hand-stripped when needed; clipping it does not produce the same coat texture.

Accepted colours and patterns depend partly on coat type. Red, black or brown with tan markings, merle (dapple) and brindle are included in the standard, while wild-boar colours are typical of wire coats. Coat colour is not a shortcut to temperament or hunting drive, but some colour combinations matter for health. Ask the breeder to explain both the registered colour and its inheritance if the puppy is merle.

## Temperament & Personality

The ideal Dachshund is friendly and even-tempered, without fear or aggression, but is also energetic, persistent and self-assured. Its independence comes from work in which the dog must make decisions at a distance from its handler. In daily life, the same trait may appear as a Dachshund checking whether a rule really applies every time.

Hunting drive, sociability, vocality, interest in play and ability to settle vary between individuals and family lines. The Swedish analysis of the Behaviour and Personality Assessment for Dogs, BPH, describes many confident Dachshunds but covers less than one per cent of the Swedish-born population studied. It cannot therefore promise the personality of an individual puppy. Claims that a particular coat type is always calmer, easier to train or less interested in hunting are also too broad.

Instead, ask how the parents and close relatives behave at home, with visitors, on walks and in unfamiliar settings. For a working Dachshund, trial results and practical use are relevant; for a companion, it is equally important to hear specific examples of how the dogs settle after activity, how vocal they are and how they respond to handling. A responsible breeder should be able to describe both strengths and areas that require work.

## Training & Exercise

A Dachshund needs daily physical activity and meaningful scent work, but one fixed number of minutes will not suit every dog. Age, fitness, surface, size variety, health and the way the dog works all affect the appropriate load. A healthy adult can be an enduring walking and outdoor companion, while a puppy should build strength and coordination gradually and a dog with back symptoms needs a veterinary plan.

Tracking, search games, human scent trails and carefully placed food searches allow the Dachshund to use its greatest asset: its nose. Short, clear sessions with a reward the dog genuinely values often work better than repetitions without a clear purpose. Start recall, stop cues, staying with the handler and disengaging from a scent trail early. Obedience does not remove hunting drive, so a long line and thoughtful choice of environment are important when recall is not reliable. In Sweden, dogs must not chase or pursue wildlife outside hunting, and particular supervision is required where wildlife may be present from 1 March to 20 August.

Protecting the back does not mean that a healthy Dachshund should live a sedentary life. There is no evidence that a total ban on all stairs or jumping on and off furniture prevents IVDD by itself. Instead, develop good basic fitness, keep the dog at a healthy body condition, reduce slipping hazards at home and avoid uncontrolled high jumps or collisions. Tailor help on stairs and when lifting to the dog's age, size and health.

## Health

Intervertebral disc degeneration and herniation are the Dachshund's most important breed-specific health issue. IVDD means that the discs between the vertebrae change and may press on nerves or the spinal cord. Seek veterinary care promptly if a Dachshund suddenly develops obvious back or neck pain, arches its back, refuses to move, walks unsteadily, loses strength in its legs or has difficulty controlling urination or defecation. Do not wait for mild neurological signs to resolve on their own.

The Swedish Kennel Club's official spinal X-ray screening for Dachshunds counts calcified discs. It is performed from the dog's second birthday until the day before its fourth birthday, and the result is reported as K0, K1–K2, K3–K4 or K5–K26. K0 means that no calcifications were detected, while a higher K number means more fully or partly calcified discs. The result provides breeding and risk information; it does not guarantee that a dog will never develop, or will definitely develop, clinical problems. Information about disc herniation in parents, siblings and previous offspring is therefore also important.

Spinal screening and eye examinations are voluntary for Dachshunds in Sweden. The Swedish Dachshund Club's breed-specific breeding strategy nevertheless recommends considering back and family history and having breeding dogs' eyes examined before first breeding and later in life. PRA occurs in the breed. The current registration provisions for Dachshunds regulate matters including variety, coat, colour and final size measurement, but do not list back or eye examinations as compulsory conditions for registration. A buyer should therefore ask for the actual results rather than accepting the phrase “health-tested parents”.

Monitor body condition too: a waist should be visible and the ribs should be easy to feel with light pressure. When merle is part of a mating, the breeder should be able to explain the colour genes. Inheriting merle from both parents can result in double merle, which in dogs is associated with an increased risk of hearing and eye problems.

## History & Origins

The Dachshund was developed in Germany from low-legged hunting dogs for work below ground. Such dogs have been known since the Middle Ages, while organised breeding took clearer shape during the nineteenth century. The German Dachshund club was founded in 1888, and breeding came to encompass the three sizes and three coats that make up today's nine varieties.

The breed's low outline, powerful forequarters, stamina and independence have a practical explanation. The Dachshund needed to follow quarry below ground, but could also work as a scent hound or flushing dog and assist in tracking wounded game. In Sweden, it became particularly important as a slow-working scent hound when the roe deer population increased during the 1940s. The Swedish Dachshund Club was founded as early as 1901.

That historical role is still apparent in daily life. A Dachshund that will never hunt still needs outlets for scent work, problem-solving and movement. This is also why a buyer should ask what the breeder genuinely prioritises: work below ground, scent hunting, tracking wounded game, showing or primarily companionship.

## Living with the Breed

A Dachshund can live well in a flat if it receives enough time outdoors, activity and training around sounds in the stairwell and outside the door. The size of the home matters less than the content of the dog's day. Plan several opportunities to go out, time to sniff at an unhurried pace and a place where the dog can rest undisturbed. Time alone should be taught gradually; stop and make the exercise easier if the dog shows distress. The Swedish Board of Agriculture's advice to take an adult dog out at least every six hours during the day concerns toileting and exercise, not how long an individual Dachshund should be left alone.

A Dachshund can be a good family dog with children, but young children and dogs should always have an adult present. Children need to learn not to disturb the dog while it is eating or resting. Young children should not carry a Dachshund; a small dog is easily dropped, and the back and hindquarters need proper support when it is lifted. The dog should always have a safe, undisturbed resting place.

Living with other dogs or cats depends on the individual, previous experience and hunting drive. Make introductions calmly, use a barrier and give both animals separate safe areas. A Dachshund with a strong drive to chase may not become reliable with a rabbit, guinea pig or cat simply because introductions are practised. Secure physical separation may be the right long-term solution.

Before buying, ask for specific answers to the following questions:

- Which size and coat is the puppy expected to have, and how confidently can this be predicted?
- What are the parents used for, and how do they and their close relatives behave in daily life?
- Is there an official K result and information about clinical back problems in parents, siblings or previous offspring?
- When were the parents' eyes last examined, and what do the results show?
- Which BPH, hunting or show results are registered and relevant to this particular litter?
- How have the puppies been introduced to handling, household sounds, people and short periods away from their littermates?

The best match is not automatically the smallest puppy, the quietest one during a visit or the colour that first catches your eye. Choose the combination in which the breeder's aims, the dogs' documented health and temperament, and your own daily life all point in the same direction.

Dachshund

UK Dachshund Club

British Veterinary Association

FCI - Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Dachshund: bold, long‑backed, short‑legged hunting dog, originally bred for badger and rabbit. Comes in smooth, long and wire coats, standard and miniature sizes. Loyal, scent‑driven, independent and vocal. Needs regular but careful exercise and weight control to protect its spine.

Makvicks

Wave Of Happiness

## Quick Facts

The Great Dane (Grand danois) is a very large German breed now kept mainly as a companion. It combines power with an elegant build and, according to the breed standard, should be friendly, affectionate and confident. Its size affects every part of ownership: everyday manners, transport, housing, veterinary visits and costs all require more planning than they would with a smaller dog.

- **Country of origin:** Germany
- **Breed group:** FCI Group 2, Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs
- **Purpose:** companion, guard and protection dog in the breed standard; now primarily a companion
- **Height at the withers:** dogs at least 80 cm and preferably no more than 90 cm; bitches at least 72 cm and preferably no more than 84 cm
- **Coat:** very short, dense, close-lying and glossy, with no undercoat
- **Temperament:** friendly, affectionate and devoted; may be reserved with strangers
- **Questions for the breeder:** ask about hip dysplasia results, heart examinations in the family and any history of gastric dilatation-volvulus

The breed standard does not set a weight range. Figures found in breed guides should therefore be treated as estimates rather than a substitute for assessing an individual dog's body condition, proportions and health.

## Appearance & Coat

The Great Dane is tall, powerful and almost square in outline, without appearing heavy or clumsy. Dogs should be especially close to square, while bitches may be slightly longer in body. The head is long and clearly defined, the natural ears hang down, and the overall impression should balance strength with elegance.

The current standard divides the colours into three varieties: fawn or brindle; harlequin, merle or black; and blue. Merle is therefore included in the present standard, although older breed descriptions do not always reflect this. Each colour has detailed requirements, but a puppy buyer should place health, temperament and sound construction above a particular marking.

The coat is easy to care for but not maintenance-free. A soft brush or rubber grooming mitt removes loose hair, particularly in spring and autumn when shedding is often more noticeable. Bathe the dog when it actually needs it and use the opportunity to check the skin, nails, feet, teeth and hanging ears. With no insulating undercoat, a Great Dane may need protection in cold, windy or wet weather. Judge this by the individual dog, its activity and the conditions rather than by a fixed temperature.

## Temperament & Personality

A typical Great Dane should be friendly, affectionate, self-assured and willing to be guided. It may be reserved with strangers but should not be aggressive. Many people are drawn to the breed's close bond with its family, but the label “gentle giant” cannot guarantee how an individual dog will behave.

Size magnifies both good and bad habits. A dog that pulls on the lead, jumps up or charges towards a visitor is difficult to manage even when its intentions are friendly. Early work on calm greetings, loose-lead walking, recall, waiting and cooperative handling is therefore basic safety, not simply polished manners. Consistent, reward-based training suits the breed's intended willingness to cooperate. Harsh methods can create insecurity and do not make up for missing training.

Temperament varies between individuals and family lines. If possible, meet the puppy's mother and other close relatives, ask how they respond to strangers and unfamiliar settings, and request results from official behaviour assessments where available. Previous experience with dogs is useful, especially for anyone who has not trained a dog of this size before.

## Training & Exercise

A Great Dane needs daily physical activity and mental enrichment, but the amount should reflect age, health, fitness and recovery. There is no well-supported minute-by-minute formula that suits every adult or puppy. Regular walks, time to sniff and move over varied ground, and short training sessions provide a better foundation than occasional strenuous outings.

Puppies grow for a long time and should neither be overloaded nor kept inactive. Let them develop coordination and strength through free but supervised movement and gradually longer walks. While the body is developing, limit repeated jumping, sharp turns, long runs beside a bicycle or runner, and boisterous play on slippery floors. The appropriate rate of progression varies; consult a vet or canine physiotherapist if a puppy is lame, stiff or recovering poorly.

A giant-breed puppy needs a complete food formulated for the growth of large or giant breeds. The aim is steady growth and a lean, healthy body condition, not the fastest possible growth. Do not add calcium or other minerals to a complete diet unless advised by a vet. In giant breeds the skeleton may still be maturing at around 15–16 months, although the timing differs between individuals.

Prioritise skills that make the adult dog safe and manageable: standing still, stepping onto scales, accepting nail care and examination, giving up objects, and passing people and dogs without lunging. Scent work, practical obedience and problem-solving provide mental stimulation without placing the body under heavy strain.

## Health

Prospective owners should discuss several important health risks openly with the breeder, particularly gastric dilatation-volvulus, dilated cardiomyopathy and hip dysplasia. Great Danes also have a shorter average lifespan than many smaller breeds. Longevity figures, however, describe a particular study population and cannot predict how long an individual dog will live.

**Gastric dilatation-volvulus, or GDV, is an acute, life-threatening emergency.** Seek veterinary care immediately if the dog repeatedly tries to vomit without bringing anything up, becomes restless, drools, develops a swollen abdomen, grows weak or collapses. Do not wait to see whether the signs pass. GDV is multifactorial and not fully understood, so no feeding routine can promise to prevent it. Ask whether close relatives have been affected and decide in advance which emergency hospital can receive the dog. A prophylactic gastropexy can be discussed with a vet. It reduces the risk of the stomach twisting but does not stop the stomach from dilating.

**Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, may be present before the dog shows obvious signs.** An echocardiogram, ECG or ambulatory ECG, and sometimes blood biomarkers, may form part of a veterinary cardiac investigation. A normal result describes the dog at the time of examination; it is not a lifetime guarantee. Ask which heart examinations the parents and older relatives have had, how old they were when examined, and whether the family has a history of DCM or sudden death.

**Swedish hip dysplasia requirements are not the same as the breed club's recommendation.** For puppies to be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club, both parents must have an official hip dysplasia result before mating; Great Danes can be officially radiographed from 18 months of age. The Swedish Kennel Club's general rules prohibit breeding from grade E dogs and allow a grade D dog only when paired with an A or B dog. Dogs with clinical signs of hip dysplasia must not be bred from. The Swedish Great Dane Club goes further and recommends that breeding dogs are hip dysplasia-free. Ask to see the actual results rather than accepting the description “health tested”.

The Swedish Kennel Club also notes tonsillitis in the breed. Assessments pay particular attention to loose eyelids, weak feet, the construction of the forequarters and hindquarters, exaggerated breed features and temperament. A responsible breeder should be able to explain both the strengths and the problems in the line, including how older relatives have fared.

## History & Origins

The Great Dane is a German breed, despite the English name and the French-derived name Grand danois used in Sweden and several other countries. In its country of origin it is called the Deutsche Dogge.

The official breed history describes predecessors including the Bullenbeisser and boar-hunting dogs of a type between the heavy mastiff and the faster sighthound. In Berlin in 1878, judges and breeders agreed to unite the different names under Deutsche Dogge. The first breed standard was established in 1880, and the German breed club was founded in 1888.

Organised breeding began in Sweden in 1908. Older accounts take the story much further back, but claims about Celtic war dogs or an unbroken line from antiquity are considerably harder to substantiate. The documented German milestones give a more reliable account of how the modern breed developed.

## Living with the Breed

A Great Dane can live in a flat if its needs for exercise, rest and training are met, but the home and daily routine must work for a giant dog. A house with a large garden does not replace walks or company, and a small home is not automatically unsuitable. The practical questions are more useful than a simple house-or-flat rule.

Is there room for a large, supportive bed where the dog can rest undisturbed? Are the floors non-slip? Will the dog fit safely in the car, and could it use a ramp when old or injured? If the lift breaks down, can daily life still work with the stairs? How would two adults take an ill dog to the vet if it could not walk? The answers reveal more than the address alone.

The breed can live in a family with children, but friendly intentions do not remove the physical risk created by its size. A young or excited Great Dane can knock over a small child accidentally. An adult should always supervise dogs with young children, and the dog needs a resting place where children leave it alone. An adult must take responsibility for walks and handling.

The same caution applies to other animals. No one can promise that a particular Great Dane will live safely with a cat or another dog. Make introductions gradually, prevent chasing and overly rough play, and give the cat dog-free spaces and high escape routes. Do not leave the animals alone together until their interactions are reliably calm and safe.

An adult dog that has been trained to be alone can often manage a few hours, but individuals differ greatly and a young puppy cannot be left alone. Begin once the puppy feels secure in its new home, increase the time gradually, and arrange a dog sitter or another solution if the working day is longer than the dog can manage. Distress in a giant dog can quickly affect the whole home, so time alone must be taught and monitored rather than assumed to come naturally to the breed.

Great Dane (Grand danois)

The Great Dane Club of Germany (Deutscher Doggen-Club 1888 e.V.)

The Great Dane Club of UK

The Danish Kennel Club (Dansk Kennel Klub)

The Great Dane (Grand danois) is a giant, elegant dog, among the tallest breeds. Once a boar‑hunting and estate guard dog, it is now a loyal, people‑oriented companion. Calm indoors with moderate exercise needs, it requires space, careful training, health care and close daily companionship.

Lloyd Willners

Stabyhoun

The UK Stabyhoun Association

Deutscher Stabyhoun Club e.V. (Germany)

Swedish Kennel Club (Svenska Kennelklubben)

The Stabyhoun Association (NL)

The Stabyhoun is a rare Dutch farm and gundog: medium‑sized, athletic, with a silky feathered coat that sheds seasonally. Gentle, sensitive and people‑oriented, it suits active families, needs daily physical and mental work, and is generally healthy when responsibly bred.

Maria Carlsson

Anette Nygren

Trellelyckans

## Quick Facts

The Spanish Water Dog (Perro de Agua Espanol) is a medium-sized Spanish working dog with a strong capacity for learning, a watchful nature and a need for both physical and mental activity. It is best suited to an engaged owner who wants to train regularly, can devote time to careful early socialisation and is prepared to learn the breed’s unusual coat care.

- **Origin:** Spain, with the largest historic population in Andalusia.
- **Purpose:** Water dog, hunting dog and herding dog; in Sweden, it is primarily an active companion and dog-sport partner.
- **Size:** Males 44–50 cm and 18–22 kg; females 40–46 cm and 14–18 kg.
- **Character:** Faithful, hard-working, watchful, quick to learn and adaptable according to the breed standard, although sociability and fearfulness vary considerably between individuals.
- **Coat:** Always curly and woolly; it is not brushed, but managed through an even clip and careful separation of curls or cords.
- **Everyday demands:** Expect a loud, sharp bark, a strong need for tasks and a dog that must learn how to be active and how to settle.

The curly appearance can suggest an easy family companion, but the working background matters more than the hairstyle. A Spanish Water Dog given only routine walks may start inventing jobs, such as watching the window or reacting to sounds.

## Appearance & Coat

The Spanish Water Dog is rustic, athletic and slightly longer than it is tall. Males and females have different standard measurements: males should stand 44–50 cm and weigh 18–22 kg, while females should stand 40–46 cm and weigh 14–18 kg. A deviation of up to two centimetres either way may be tolerated if the dog remains well proportioned.

The coat must always be curly and woolly in texture. A short coat forms curls, while a long coat may form cords. The coat may be clipped, but the whole body should then be clipped evenly rather than styled into a decorative trim. Coat quality and the amount of undercoat vary between dogs, so two Spanish Water Dogs may need quite different care.

This coat should not be brushed or combed like a conventional long coat. Curls and cords are gently separated with the fingers. If solid matting has formed close to the skin, the coat should be clipped because it pulls and can be painful. Pay particular attention to the armpits, groin, paws, the area beneath a collar or harness, and the hanging ears. Bathe the dog when it is dirty and clip when length or matting makes it necessary. One fixed timetable will not suit every coat.

Accepted colours are solid white, black or chestnut, and bicolour white and black or white and chestnut. Tricolour, black and tan, and brown and tan are not accepted under the standard.

The tail may be full length or naturally short in several different lengths. In Sweden, the breed’s tail is registered as absent, bobtail, short, full length or docked. Tail docking is prohibited in Sweden, even though the international standard still describes it. A short tail on a Swedish-born puppy should therefore be natural, not altered for appearance.

The breed normally releases very little loose hair, but that does not make it allergy-free. Dog allergens are found in skin particles and saliva as well as elsewhere, and people react differently. Anyone with an allergy should therefore meet the individual dog several times rather than choose the breed solely because of its coat.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed standard describes the Spanish Water Dog as faithful, obedient, cheerful, hard-working, watchful, well balanced and exceptionally quick to learn. This is a useful picture of the breeding ideal, but not a promise that every dog will be easy, fearless or sociable with everyone.

The breed is often reserved or only moderately interested in unfamiliar people. Reserve is not the same as fear: a confident dog can choose not to greet and still accept handling when necessary. Persistent flight, intense distress, slow recovery or threatening responses should not be dismissed as typical breed behaviour.

The Swedish breeding strategy describes wide variation in temperament and has an explicit aim of reducing fearfulness. Swedish BPH data also show variation in greeting, play, curiosity and responses to surprises. In a Finnish study of 5,932 dogs, the Spanish Water Dog was among the breeds showing the most fear of strangers, while less socialisation between seven and sixteen weeks was associated with greater risk. This is a group result, not a verdict on every dog, but it underlines the value of calm, early exposure to the world.

Since 2024, Sweden has had a mental index for the breed covering sociability, playfulness, environmental confidence and threat-related behaviour. It is a breeding tool and does not certify an individual dog. Consider the parents’ BPH results and index alongside meeting the dogs yourself: how do they recover after a surprise, accept handling and behave in everyday settings?

Watchfulness is often expressed through a high, fairly sharp bark. Train from an early age so that the dog can notice a sound and then let it go. Trying to remove all watchfulness is unrealistic, but the dog should be able to settle and respond to its handler.

## Training & Exercise

The Spanish Water Dog needs to use both body and brain every day, but a fixed number of hours says less than the content and the dog’s recovery. A workable week includes varied movement, scent work, problem-solving, cooperation and deliberate practice at resting.

The breed learns quickly, including things you did not intend to teach. Reward-based training in small steps suits its learning ability and reduces conflict with a sensitive or watchful dog. Prioritise loose-lead skills, recall, releasing objects, calm behaviour at doors and windows, handling of paws and ears, and a clear cue to settle in its own place.

Socialisation does not mean exposing a puppy to as much as possible in a short time. Instead, let it encounter people, sounds, surfaces, traffic, water and other dogs at a distance where it can still think, take a reward and recover. Do not force greetings. One good experience is more valuable than many overwhelming encounters.

Scent work, tracking people or game, specialist search, nose work, obedience, rally and agility are examples of activities that can suit the breed. Water work may be an excellent fit, but the breed’s name does not guarantee that every dog wants to swim. Introduce water gradually and let the dog’s confidence set the pace.

An adult needs substantial walks and tasks that demand concentration. Judge the level by body condition, fitness, sleep, ability to settle and how the dog feels the next day. A highly aroused dog does not always need more speed; it may need scent work or trained calmness. A puppy should have short explorations, free play, simple exercises and plenty of rest. Increase longer distances, jumping and heavier work gradually.

## Health

The clearest binding Swedish breed rule concerns the hips: both parents must have an official hip dysplasia result before mating for the puppies to be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club. The breed club goes further and recommends that the average hip index of Swedish-born parents should exceed 100 at the time of mating.

The club also recommends BPH, a current eye examination, and DNA information for prcd-PRA and neuroaxonal dystrophy, or NAD. These recommendations should not be confused with the formal hip requirement. Ask the breeder to show the results, dates and parental combination rather than merely saying that the dogs are “health tested”.

Prcd-PRA is an inherited retinal disease that can cause blindness. The DNA test identifies the prcd variant only; it does not exclude other eye diseases and therefore does not replace a clinical eye examination. The Swedish Kennel Club can centrally record prcd-PRA results for the breed, but that recording is not in itself a separate breed-specific requirement for litter registration. A carrier can be mated to a clear dog without affected puppies being expected, whereas two carriers must not be mated and a genetically affected dog must not be bred from.

NAD is a serious neurological disease that, in documented cases, began during the dog’s first year and affected gait, coordination and behaviour. Research in the breed has identified a TECPR2 variant and evidence of recessive inheritance. The breed club recommends clear dogs, or carriers only when paired with a clear dog. NAD results are not recorded by the Swedish Kennel Club, so ask to see the laboratory certificate and check both parents.

The Swedish breeding strategy draws in part on a health survey with 871 complete owner responses. Such a survey provides an overview but is not the same as veterinary-diagnosed prevalence. Ask instead about documented results and illness in parents, siblings and previous offspring rather than relying on a long generic list of diagnoses.

A stated lifespan range cannot predict the life of an individual dog. Sound breeding, suitable body condition, free movement, pain-free skin and prompt veterinary attention when signs appear are more useful when choosing and caring for a Spanish Water Dog.

## History & Origins

The Spanish Water Dog has been present on the Iberian Peninsula for a long time. The FCI standard describes a shared origin with the older French water-dog type, the Barbet, and the large Andalusian population whose dogs were known as “Turkish dogs”. The exact early history remains disputed, however, and the Swedish breeding strategy also records several theories.

Work differed between regions. The standard describes herding, hunting and helping fishermen, particularly in areas where the woolly coat offered protection in both wet and dry conditions. There is not enough support, however, for every detailed story about retrieving nets, carrying messages between boats or one specific route by which the dogs reached Spain.

The modern breed took shape when enthusiasts began selecting dogs and drawing up a standard from 1975. The three traditional types are known as North, Sierra and Marismeño, but today’s population is mixed and forms one breed. The FCI granted provisional recognition in 1989 and definitive recognition in 1999. The first dogs arrived in Sweden in 1997; accounts differ on exactly how many there were.

## Living with the Breed

The Spanish Water Dog can become a close and entertaining family companion, but it needs more than an opportunity to run off energy. Daily life must include training, recovery, coat and ear checks, and thoughtful management of watchfulness and new environments.

With children, adult supervision and an undisturbed resting place are basic rules. A lively dog can knock over or attempt to control a running child without aggressive intent, and children should not pull the curls or disturb the dog while it eats or rests. Assess the confidence and recovery of the parents rather than assuming the breed name guarantees family suitability.

The breed can live with other dogs and cats, but the relationship depends on the individual, experience and introduction. Keep meetings calm, prevent chasing and give a cat safe escape routes. Small animals need separate, secure spaces; the breed’s herding, hunting and guarding background makes it unwise to promise that every Spanish Water Dog will be reliable with every animal.

Flat living can work if the dog receives suitable activity and can settle, but its loud bark and possible sensitivity to people, sounds and movement make a poorly soundproofed or very busy home more demanding. A garden is useful but does not replace walks, tasks or socialisation.

Being left alone should be introduced in very small steps after the puppy feels secure at home. If the dog follows its owner everywhere and never practises resting behind a gate or in another room, longer absences can become unnecessarily difficult. Arrange other care if the working day regularly means many hours away.

The breed suits someone who wants an active life with a clever, quick and watchful training partner and is prepared to monitor coat and health carefully. It is less suitable if you want an automatically sociable dog, a very quiet home, minimal training or a curly coat that can be brushed in the usual way.

Spanish Water Dog (Perro de Agua Espanol)

Verein für Deutsche Wachtelhunde e.V. (Germany)

The Spanish Water Dog is a medium, curly‑coated working breed from Spain, used for herding and water tasks. Loyal and often bonded to one person, it is energetic, intelligent, reserved with strangers, and a natural watchdog, needing substantial exercise, training, and specific coat care.

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