## Quick Facts

- **Origin:** Great Britain, with roots in the Scottish Highlands and western islands
- **Breed group:** Terrier, small terrier section
- **Height at the withers:** approximately 28–31 centimetres
- **Weight:** ideally 6–7.5 kilograms in proportion to height
- **Coat:** harsh outer coat over a short, soft undercoat
- **Colours:** cream, wheaten, red, grey or nearly black, with or without brindling
- **Typical traits:** active, brave, inquisitive and independent
- **Best suited to:** someone who wants to give a small working terrier both purposeful activities and clear everyday boundaries

The Cairn Terrier is a small but robust British terrier, developed for practical work among cairns and on farms. Its size makes it easy to take along, but says little about its activity level: this breed needs to use both body and mind. It is a better choice for someone who appreciates a terrier's initiative than for someone seeking a dog that automatically waits for instructions.

## Appearance & Coat

The Cairn Terrier should look natural, agile and fit for work. The breed standard gives a height of about 28–31 centimetres at the withers and an ideal weight of 6–7.5 kilograms, in proportion to height. The body is compact, with a level back, strong jaws, small pointed ears and dark hazel eyes. The front feet may be slightly larger than the hind feet, a feature associated with the breed's original work over rough ground.

The coat is double and weather-resistant. The abundant outer coat should be harsh without being coarse, while the undercoat is short, soft and close. A slight wave is permitted. Cream, wheaten, red, grey and nearly black all occur, as does brindling in these colours. Darker ears and muzzle are common. Solid black or white, or black and tan, are not accepted under the breed standard.

Appropriate grooming preserves both the texture and the protection provided by the double coat. Old outer coat is removed by hand stripping. The Swedish Kennel Club suggests two to four sessions a year as a guide, but the need depends on coat quality and how the dog is kept. Comb through the coat a couple of times a week, and accustom the dog to having its paws, ears and body handled from an early age. Clipping is not recommended because it can reduce the coat's water resistance.

A properly groomed Cairn Terrier often sheds relatively little, but low shedding does not make the breed allergy-safe. Allergic reactions can be triggered by several substances from a dog and differ from person to person. Anyone with an allergy should therefore spend time with adult dogs of the breed and discuss their own situation with a healthcare professional before deciding.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed ideal is an active, brave, hardy and cheerful dog that is self-confident without being aggressive. Inquisitiveness and independence are part of the Cairn Terrier character. In daily life, this often appears as quick problem-solving, a desire to investigate and an ability to make its own decisions when something catches its interest.

The breed ideal does not guarantee the temperament of every individual. Swedish breed-club summaries describe variation in areas including sensitivity to noise, barking, hunting behaviour and social confidence. The Swedish Behaviour and Personality Assessment, BPH, can provide information about dogs that have actually taken part, but a breed average cannot reliably predict a puppy. Ask the breeder how the parents and close relatives respond to unexpected sounds, visitors, encounters with other dogs and handling.

The breed's background as a farm and hunting dog may show in its interest in movement, scents, digging and smaller animals. These tendencies are not equally strong in every Cairn Terrier, but it is sensible to plan for them from the outset. The breed can be sociable with people and dogs when given good experiences, although allowing respectful distance is often better than requiring the dog to greet everyone it meets.

## Training & Exercise

The Cairn Terrier needs daily exercise and mental stimulation, but a fixed number of minutes will not suit every dog. A sound routine combines walks in varied surroundings with scent work, short training sessions, play and calm recovery. Adjust the amount to the dog's age, health and response after activity. A dog that becomes increasingly wound up does not necessarily need more excitement; it may need simpler tasks and help settling.

Training works best when it is clear, reward-based and divided into short steps. Cairn Terriers learn quickly, including things their owners did not intend to teach, so reward the everyday behaviour you want from the beginning. Vary the rewards and finish while the dog is still engaged. Harsh methods risk creating conflict without making the dog more willing to cooperate.

Recall deserves particular care in a dog that may choose a trail or animal over its handler. Begin in a low-distraction setting, reward the response consistently and use a long line where the surroundings are not securely enclosed. Treat a well-trained recall as a way to reduce risk, not as a guarantee against hunting behaviour. Providing a designated place to dig can be helpful. For sounds in a stairwell or outside a window, teach a calm alternative task; this gives the dog a clearer answer than repeated reprimands.

## Health

The Cairn Terrier is regarded as a generally healthy breed, but a responsible puppy purchase still requires questions about family health. The breed club's current breeding strategy focuses particularly on steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis, SRMA, and the historically documented developmental kidney disorder renal dysplasia, RD. A long list of conditions that can affect dogs in general tells a buyer less about a particular family than open information about parents, full siblings and previous offspring.

SRMA is an inflammatory disease that the breed club is monitoring in collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The club's recommendations include excluding an affected dog from breeding and taking close family history into account when planning matings. For a puppy buyer, the practical checkpoint is to ask about SRMA in the parents, their offspring, full siblings and parents — and to receive a specific answer, rather than simply being told that the breeding dogs appear healthy.

RD was confirmed in 28 Swedish Cairn Terriers between 1980 and 2003, while the breed club's current strategy records no subsequently confirmed cases. The club continues to recommend that an affected dog, its full siblings from the same mating and its parents be excluded from breeding. It is therefore a historically important risk for which family information remains relevant, even though no more recent confirmed Swedish cases have been reported.

The Swedish Kennel Club's 2026 registration rules do not impose a Cairn Terrier-specific requirement for a particular health test result in breeding dogs. This does not mean that health assessment is unimportant. Ask the breeder to explain which examinations have been carried out, why they were chosen and how the mating follows the breed club's recommendations on disease history and genetic diversity. Seek veterinary advice if a dog develops symptoms; breed information cannot diagnose an individual dog.

## History & Origins

The Cairn Terrier was developed in the Scottish Highlands and on islands including Skye, Mull and Harris. Small, rough-coated terriers were kept on farms to control vermin and were used when hunting animals that took shelter among rocks. The word *cairn* means a mound of stones and refers to the terrain in which the dogs worked.

When the breed began to appear at dog shows, an attempt was made in 1908 to register it as the Short-haired Skye Terrier. The name was opposed, and Cairn Terrier was recognised as a breed name in 1910. The first Cairn Terrier was registered in Sweden in 1924. The modern breed standard still expresses a clear working ideal: the dog should be alert, natural in appearance, free-moving and protected by a weather-resistant coat.

This history helps to explain several present-day traits without determining the behaviour of every dog. Independence was useful when a terrier worked away from people, while a compact body enabled it to negotiate difficult ground. For today's owner, this heritage mainly means that the breed benefits from opportunities to solve problems; it does not mean the dog must be used for hunting.

## Living with the Breed

A Cairn Terrier can live in either a flat or a house if it receives enough activity, rest and training. A garden is convenient but does not replace walks and shared activities. Check fencing with an inquisitive, digging terrier in mind. In a block of flats, begin training around sounds in the stairwell and outside the door early, because an alert dog can otherwise turn watching the entrance into a habit.

Time alone must be introduced gradually once the dog feels secure at home. Begin with very short absences and increase them only when the dog can settle. A camera can help reveal stress that is not apparent when the owner returns. If the dog paces, pants, howls, barks persistently or damages things, the step is too difficult and the training needs to be scaled back.

Life with children works best when adults take responsibility for both the dog's rest and the child's behaviour. Children should not disturb a dog while it is eating or sleeping, and young children should never be left alone with a dog. Living with other dogs and cats depends on the individual, early experiences and the introduction. Keep first meetings calm and controlled, give each animal its own retreat and do not assume that friendliness towards the family cat will automatically extend to unfamiliar cats. Small companion animals require particular care because of the breed's hunting background.

Before buying a puppy, look beyond size and appearance. If possible, meet adult relatives; ask about noise, barking, hunting interest, handling and the ability to settle; and request clear answers about SRMA and RD in the family. Make sure that knowledgeable hand stripping is available to you as well. A Cairn Terrier is best suited to a home that channels its independence constructively through everyday training, scent work and consistent but kind boundaries.

Cairn Terrier

The Kennel Club (UK)

Svenska Kennelklubben (Swedish Kennel Club)

Société Centrale Canine (France)

Cairn Terrier Club of Germany

Norwegian Kennel Club

Small, sturdy Scottish terrier bred to hunt among rocky cairns. Around 28–31 cm tall with a harsh, weatherproof double coat needing regular stripping and brushing. Bold, curious, affectionate, and vocal; enjoys daily walks, mental stimulation, and active family life. Generally hardy and long-lived.

Cale Hill's

## Quick Facts

The Golden Retriever is a British gundog in FCI Group 8, developed to find and retrieve shot game in close cooperation with its handler. This background is still evident in the breed's willingness to work, interest in carrying objects and need for both physical activity and tasks to solve.

- **Origin:** Great Britain, with documented development in the border area between England and Scotland
- **Original purpose:** retrieving game birds on land and in water
- **Height at the withers:** 56–61 cm for males and 51–56 cm for females under the breed standard
- **Coat:** straight or wavy double coat with a dense, water-resistant undercoat
- **Colour:** shades of gold or cream; red and mahogany are not included in the standard
- **Breed ideal:** friendly, confident, intelligent, biddable and willing to work
- **Best suited to:** a home that wants to train and engage the dog and include it in daily life

The breed standard describes an ideal, not a guarantee for every individual. Temperament, activity level and everyday behaviour are also influenced by breeding priorities, parents, upbringing, health and training.

## Appearance & Coat

The Golden Retriever should be well balanced, proportionate and active, with a build capable of work without being heavy or exaggerated. Males are generally larger than females, but function, free movement and overall soundness matter more than a powerful appearance.

The coat consists of straight or wavy outer hair, fuller feathering and a dense, water-resistant undercoat. Permitted colours range from cream to different shades of gold. Red and mahogany are not standard colours, and white is limited to a few hairs on the chest. Colour or body shape does not, however, reliably predict an individual dog's activity level or willingness to work.

The double coat sheds and needs regular attention, especially when more undercoat is being released. Brush through the entire coat as needed and pay particular attention behind the ears, in the armpits and in the feathering on the legs and tail, where tangles form more readily. A comb helps confirm that brushing has reached through the undercoat. Bathe the dog when it is dirty rather than according to a fixed schedule. After swimming or wet walks, it is practical to untangle the coat, let it dry thoroughly and check the skin and ears if the dog shows signs of irritation.

Nail trimming, dental care and checks of the skin, ears and paws are part of routine care. The important point is to adapt the routine to the individual dog's coat, shedding, activity and how often it gets wet or dirty.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed ideal for the Golden Retriever is a friendly, confident and biddable dog with a natural willingness to work and retrieve. Many seek contact, carry objects and enjoy shared tasks, but this description should not be taken to mean that every Golden Retriever is automatically calm, uncomplicated or sociable with everyone.

The breed often matures relatively late. A young Golden Retriever can remain physical, intense and easily distracted long after reaching full size. Everyday skills such as greeting calmly, following guidance, accepting handling and settling therefore need to be trained as deliberately as retrieving and obedience.

Breeders pursue different goals, including work in the shooting field, tests, shows or a broader companion focus. Labels such as “working Golden” and “show Golden” provide only a rough clue and do not reliably predict an individual's drive, appearance or ability to switch off. Instead, ask the breeder to describe the parents' and close relatives' everyday behaviour, willingness to work, fears, sociability and recovery after activity or stress. Working and temperament assessments can provide more information, but they are part of the evidence rather than guarantees.

The breed can suit a committed first-time owner, particularly with support from the breeder and a training class. It still requires readiness for a relatively large, strong and often lively adolescent dog that needs consistent routines, daily engagement and time to mature.

## Training & Exercise

The Golden Retriever needs daily physical activity, mental problem-solving and opportunities to recover, but there is no fixed daily duration that suits every dog. Age, health, fitness, personality and breeding focus determine how exercise should be divided and how demanding it can be.

A balanced adult routine may include walks over varied terrain, scent work, searches, retrieving, obedience and calm training in different environments. Variety offers more than trying to exhaust the dog with the same high-intensity activity every day. The breed was developed for cooperation, so tasks with a clear start, purpose and finish often suit it better than uncontrolled, rapid ball throwing.

Puppies need short, positive periods of play, exposure to different environments and movement, with plenty of rest between activities. The load should be adapted to the puppy's development and the surface underfoot, not calculated from a fixed rule based on minutes. Increase duration and difficulty gradually and let the puppy's stamina and recovery determine the next step.

Reward-based training generally suits the breed's willingness to cooperate. Prioritise these skills early:

- recall and engagement around people, dogs and game scent
- walking on a loose lead and greeting calmly
- releasing and exchanging objects without conflict
- steadiness and waiting before retrieving or play
- a learned cue for rest and settling

An interest in water is common, but not every Golden Retriever wants to enter the water and swimming ability should never be assumed. Introduce water in a shallow, calm area with an easy exit, allow the dog to set the pace and supervise continuously. Currents, weak ice, algal blooms and banks that are difficult to leave require particular caution.

## Health

Hips, elbows and eyes are central health areas in Swedish Golden Retriever breeding. Prospective puppy buyers need to distinguish between the Swedish Kennel Club's formal registration requirements, the breed club's recommendations and the result of an individual test.

For the offspring to be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club, both parents must have an official hip dysplasia status before mating. This does not mean that elbow grading, eye examination and DNA testing are equivalent mandatory Swedish Kennel Club requirements for every litter of the breed. The Swedish Golden Retriever Club's recommendations and puppy referral conditions go further: they include hip and elbow results, a current eye examination, GR_PRA1/2 status and certain merits.

The club normally recommends hip grades A or B and elbows graded clear. Dogs with hip grade C or elbow grade 1 should, under the recommendations, be used only exceptionally, and the litter's estimated hip or elbow index must then be at least 100. The eye certificate must be no more than two years old at mating, and at least one parent must be clear or hereditarily clear of both GR_PRA1 and GR_PRA2.

Ask for the actual results, not merely a statement that the dogs have been “tested”. Check the hip and elbow grades, indexes where available, the date and result of the eye examination, and each parent's DNA status. GR_PRA1 and GR_PRA2 relate to specific mutations. The tests do not cover every genetic cause of PRA and therefore do not replace a clinical eye examination.

Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and some eye diseases occur in the breed. The breed-specific breeding strategy also identifies tumours as an important issue for the breed as a whole. Such evidence cannot be converted into a certain percentage or prognosis for an individual puppy. Also ask about the health and longevity of parents, siblings and older close relatives. Good screening results reduce uncertainty but can never guarantee future health.

## History & Origins

The Golden Retriever was developed during the latter part of the nineteenth century in the border area between England and Scotland to retrieve shot game on both land and water. Changing shooting practices created a need for a dog that could search, mark, wait and work with endurance in close cooperation with the handler.

Lord Tweedmouth's surviving breeding records document the early development. A yellow retriever was mated with a Tweed Water Spaniel, and continued selection shaped the qualities associated with the breed's retrieving, water work and cooperation. The Golden Retriever was recognised as a distinct breed in 1913 and was introduced to Sweden around 1950.

The breed's modern roles extend beyond practical shooting, but its background remains relevant. Searching, interest in objects, endurance and the ability to alternate between activity and waiting are qualities that need to be maintained through breeding and training, including in dogs that live primarily as companions.

## Living with the Breed

The Golden Retriever is best suited to people who want a sociable, trainable dog that can take part in daily life. A friendly breed ideal does not make everyday skills innate: a young Golden Retriever needs to learn to greet calmly, walk on a lead, handle objects appropriately and settle even when a lot is happening around it.

The breed can live well with children, but interaction requires adult supervision. Children should learn to respect the dog's rest, food and signals, while the dog needs training to greet and play without knocking people over or crowding them. The same care applies to other animals. Many Golden Retrievers live with dogs or cats, but introductions should be gradual, with control, distance and a safe retreat for the cat. The individual dog's previous experience and interest in chasing or carrying objects matter.

Flat living can work if there is a realistic plan for toilet breaks and training, as well as space for a wet coat and calm behaviour indoors. A garden is practical but does not replace walks, changes of environment or shared activity. The breed is often sociable, and time alone needs to be built gradually from short, secure periods. How long a particular dog can cope alone cannot be determined from the breed name.

Before buying a puppy, look beyond colour and the parents' titles. Ask the breeder to show official health results, indexes, the date of the eye examination and DNA status. Ideally, meet the dam, ask how close relatives behave at home and request specific examples of activity level, sociability, fears and recovery. Choose a litter whose documented qualities and the breeder's goals match the life you can genuinely provide.

Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever Club UK

Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

Dansk Kennel Klub (Danish Kennel Club)

The Kennel Club UK

Friendly, medium‑large retriever with dense, water‑repellent golden coat and soft mouth. Highly trainable, people‑oriented and playful, needing daily inclusion, grooming and 1.5–2 hours of varied exercise. Bred as a gundog, now common as family, assistance and therapy dog.

Parva Angelos

English Setter

Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

Elegant, medium‑large gundog with a silky belton coat and feathered tail. Gentle, devoted and people‑oriented, it suits active families who enjoy long daily walks. Sensitive to harsh handling, it responds best to kind, consistent training and regular grooming.

Gudmund Årstad

## Quick Facts

The Flat Coated Retriever is a recognised British retrieving gundog in FCI group 8. The breed was developed to search for and retrieve shot game on land and in water, so cooperation, the desire to retrieve and the ability to work in varied terrain are central traits – including in dogs that live mainly as companions.

- The preferred height is 58–61 cm for males and 56–58 cm for females.
- The preferred weight in good condition is 27–36 kg for males and 25–32 kg for females. These figures describe the breed standard's ideal, not what every adult dog will weigh or measure.
- The accepted colours are black and liver.
- The breed ideal is a positive, friendly, alert and responsive dog. Energy, intensity and the ability to settle vary between individuals and families.
- A Flat Coated Retriever needs physical activity, scent work, problem-solving and cooperation every day. Long walks alone do not replace meaningful tasks.
- Tumours are an important health concern in the breed. No single test can show that a puppy or breeding line is free from future cancer risk.

## Appearance & Coat

A Flat Coated Retriever should be powerful without being cumbersome and racy without looking slight. Functional balance matters more than heavy bone, an excessive coat or a high body weight. Movement should be free, flowing and true when viewed from the front and rear.

The head is long and well moulded, with a flat, moderately broad skull and only a slight stop. The jaws should be long and strong enough for retrieving work. The body has a deep, fairly broad chest and a short, strong loin. The tail is carried gaily but not much above the level of the back.

The coat is dense, fine to medium in texture and as flat as possible. The legs and tail have clear feathering when the dog is fully mature. Only black and liver are included in the standard; yellow does occur but is not an accepted show colour.

Coat care should follow the dog's actual coat and way of life, not a fixed calendar. Comb down to the skin and pay particular attention behind the ears, in the armpits and through the feathering. After swimming or working in water and dense cover, dry the dog and check for tangles, irritated skin, seeds, small wounds and damaged pads. Keep the ears dry and check them if there is an odour, redness or itching. Trimming can keep the feet and feathering functional, but the coat should not be shaped into a heavy or exaggerated outline.

## Temperament & Personality

A Flat Coated Retriever should be confident, positive, friendly, alert and responsive, but the breed standard is a breeding ideal – not a guarantee for every individual. A puppy buyer should therefore assess the parents, adult relatives and how the breeder follows the dogs' everyday behaviour, rather than accepting that the breed is simply cheerful.

In the Swedish Kennel Club's BPH analysis of 209 Swedish-born dogs, the breed was generally perceived as confident, energetic, curious, playful and sociable. The same analysis stresses variation within the breed and notes that high curiosity and quick reactions may also be linked to difficulty settling. The material is a description of participating dogs, not a prediction for a puppy. Look for both a willingness to work and the ability to recover: can the adult dogs greet people without losing all self-control, accept handling calmly and rest when nothing is happening?

The breed is often sociable, but suitability with children, dogs or cats should never be assumed from the breed name. A strong, enthusiastic dog can knock over a small child without intending harm. A responsible adult should always be present with a young child and dog, and the dog needs an undisturbed place to rest. Introductions to dogs and cats should be gradual. Previous experience, interest in chasing and the ability to disengage on cue matter more than a general breed description.

## Training & Exercise

A Flat Coated Retriever needs to use both body and mind every day, but there is no credible universal quota in minutes or hours. The right level depends on age, health, fitness, the intensity of the activity and how the dog recovers. A good day combines movement, scent work, retrieving, cooperation and undisturbed rest.

Retrieving and searching often provide more than simply extending a walk. Dummies, simple marked retrieves, close searches, tracking, gundog training or the Swedish Funktionsbeskrivning Retriever assessment can provide outlets for the traits the breed was developed to use. Field trials and practical hunting suit owners who want to develop the work further, but every owner can build everyday tasks in which the dog searches, carries, delivers and waits for a cue.

Reward-based, progressive training suits a quick and cooperative retriever. Prioritise these skills early:

- engagement and loose-lead walking before the dog reaches full strength;
- recall and stopping even when something moves or smells exciting;
- calm greetings with all four paws on the ground;
- carrying and releasing objects without conflict;
- steadiness, settling and the ability to come down after activity;
- cooperative handling of paws, ears, mouth and coat.

Water work can be a useful outlet, but an interest in water is not the same as knowing how to swim. Start in shallow water, show the dog a safe way out, avoid fast-flowing or very cold water and never leave the dog unsupervised. Growing dogs need varied loads built up gradually; repeated sharp stops, high jumps and one-sided ball throwing are not a shortcut to good fitness.

## Health

Tumours are the most important breed-specific health issue for a puppy buyer to understand. The Swedish Kennel Club and the breed club describe an overrepresentation of several tumour types, and the Flat Coated Retriever has a documented predisposition to histiocytic sarcoma, among other conditions. This does not mean that every dog will become ill, but the risk cannot be dismissed because of a DNA test, a normal veterinary certificate or young, healthy parents.

Ask for the ages and causes of death of parents, grandparents, full and half-siblings and dogs from previous litters. Ask which diagnoses were confirmed by a vet and how the breeder uses information about older relatives. In your own dog, a new or growing lump, persistent lameness, unexplained weight loss or a clear change in appetite and energy should be assessed by a vet. These signs have many possible causes and should not be self-diagnosed as cancer.

For offspring to be registered in Sweden, the Swedish Kennel Club requires both parents to have an official hip status before mating. A known status means that a result exists – not automatically that the hips are graded A or B. Check the actual grade and the results of close relatives. Elbow screening is an important check that the breed club would like to see in more dogs, but it is not a separate registration requirement for the breed under the 2026 rules.

Eye screening is not a formal Swedish Kennel Club requirement for the breed either. The current recommendation from the Swedish Flatcoated Retriever Club is for breeding dogs to have an eye certificate no more than two years old at the time of mating. The club also recommends gonioscopy where possible and avoiding a mating that doubles a known degree of pectinate ligament dysplasia, PLD. Ask to see the date, diagnoses and complete result – the words 'eye tested' are not enough.

Renal dysplasia, RD, occurs in a small number of serious cases. There is no validated DNA test for RD in the Flat Coated Retriever, so a commercial test result should not be used as proof that a dog or mating is clear. A known diagnosis in close relatives and the breeder's openness are more relevant here.

## History & Origins

The Flat Coated Retriever was developed in Great Britain as a retrieving gundog for work after the shot. Its task was to search for and retrieve shot birds and small game on land and in water, which explains the breed's combination of scenting ability, cooperation, carrying and sustained movement.

The FCI recognised the breed definitively in 1954 and places it among the retrievers that are subject to a working trial. The Flat Coated Retriever arrived in Sweden in the 1960s. Precise accounts of which types of dog were crossed at each stage of its development vary between historical sources; the secure and practically important point is that the modern breed should still function as a retriever, rather than merely have a retriever-like appearance.

## Living with the Breed

The Flat Coated Retriever is best suited to someone who wants to live with an active working retriever and who also intends to train calm behaviour. The breed can suit a committed first-time owner, but it is not automatically easy: its size, speed and exuberant greetings require planning, and the need for cooperation continues throughout life.

Flat living can work if going outside is straightforward, the dog receives meaningful activity and the household trains for noise, greetings in shared spaces and rest. A garden does not replace walks or shared work. Time alone must be built gradually from short, secure periods; a young puppy cannot be left alone, and adult dogs vary in what they can manage. If the working day regularly involves a long absence, a reliable plan for company and exercise is needed before buying the dog.

Before choosing a puppy, you should be able to get clear answers to these questions:

- What are the parents used for, and how do they behave during activity, handling and rest?
- What official hip grade does each parent have, and are there elbow results and a history of joint health in close relatives?
- When was the latest eye examination, what did the full certificate show, and are gonioscopy results available?
- How old were close relatives when they died, what were the causes, and which tumour diagnoses or RD cases are known?
- How does the breeder follow the health, temperament and working ability of previous litters over time?

The right home gains a willing, sociable and versatile working dog. A mismatch often occurs when the friendly breed ideal is taken to mean that the dog will cope with children, other animals, long days alone and a life without real tasks by itself.

Flat Coated Retriever

The Flatcoated Retriever Society of Great Britain

The Swedish Kennel Club (Svenska Kennelklubben)

The Norwegian Kennel Club (Norsk Kennel Klub)

The Danish Kennel Club (Dansk Kennel Klub)

The Kennel Club (United Kingdom)

Flat Coated Retrievers are medium‑large, athletic gundogs with sleek black or liver coats and friendly, puppy‑like attitudes. Energetic, people‑oriented, and highly trainable, they need plenty of exercise, positive training, close family life, and attentive health care.

Geida's

## Quick Facts

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small, recognised terrier breed with a strong drive to work and a clear hunting background. It is best suited to someone who wants to train actively, can manage hunting interest in everyday life and will also teach the dog to settle. In other words, small size does not mean small needs.

- **Origin:** England; the breed was developed further in Australia
- **Use:** earthdog and companion dog
- **Ideal height at the withers:** 25–30 cm
- **Approximate weight according to the breed standard:** about 5 kg at 25 cm and 6 kg at 30 cm
- **Coat:** smooth, broken or rough; white must predominate, with black and/or tan markings
- **Typical traits in the breed standard:** lively, alert, active, bold, friendly and quietly confident
- **Important for the owner:** hunting instinct, recall, the ability to settle and meaningful activity need to be taken seriously

The Jack Russell Terrier and the Parson Russell Terrier are two different breeds. The Parson is taller and more squarely built, while the Jack Russell is lower and slightly longer in body. It is therefore better to check the dog's registered breed than to judge by appearance or use the names interchangeably.

## Appearance & Coat

The Jack Russell Terrier should be strong, agile and rectangular, with a body that is slightly longer than the dog is tall. The ideal height is 25–30 cm, and the standard's weight guide corresponds to approximately one kilogram for every five centimetres of height. This is a proportion in the breed standard, not a dieting chart: a suitable weight for an individual dog must also be judged from build, muscle mass and body condition.

The chest should be deeper than it is wide and measure approximately 40–43 cm around behind the elbows. This relatively flexible chest relates to the breed's original work underground. The overall build should be functional and mobile, not heavy or exaggerated.

The breed has three coat types:

- **Smooth coat** lies close to the body and normally needs simple brushing to remove loose hair and dirt.
- **Broken coat** falls between the other types, with longer, harsh hairs on parts of the body.
- **Rough coat** has a harsh outer coat and undercoat and needs hand stripping when the coat is ready.

Broken and rough coats should be stripped, not clipped with a machine. Cutting old hairs rather than removing them can impair the coat's texture and its protection against moisture and dirt. Ask an experienced groomer to show you how your particular dog's coat should be maintained; the need follows the coat's maturity and quality, not a universal weekly timetable. Check the nails, paws, ears and teeth regularly at the same time.

## Temperament & Personality

The Jack Russell Terrier is fundamentally a lively, alert and self-confident working terrier that should also be friendly. The breed was developed to make independent decisions close to quarry, and the same independence can appear in the home as initiative, persistence and quick reactions to movement or sound. Hunting interest remains even in dogs kept solely as companions.

The breed description is an ideal, not a promise about every individual. Temperament is affected by inheritance, early experiences, health, environment and training. Do not ask only whether the parents are “nice”. Ask to meet at least the dam, ask how the parents and close relatives react to strangers, dog encounters, sudden sounds, handling and rest, and find out what the breeder selects for: hunting, dog sport or primarily companionship.

BPH can provide structured information about how an individual dog responded during a standardised assessment. However, it is not a pass-or-fail test and cannot guarantee a puppy's future behaviour. Older Swedish breed material also included too few assessed Jack Russell Terriers to support firm conclusions about the whole breed. For a puppy buyer, results from the parents and relatives are therefore more useful than sweeping claims about the breed average.

The breed can suit a first-time owner who wants to learn, attend classes and work consistently with reward-based training. It is a poorer choice for someone primarily looking for a small, uncomplicated dog that can automatically be trusted off lead or is content with brief toilet walks.

## Training & Exercise

A Jack Russell needs daily movement, scent work, problem-solving and opportunities to wind down, but there is no correct number of minutes that suits every individual. Age, health, fitness, environment and the intensity of the activity determine the load. A calm woodland walk with time to sniff, a thoughtful training session and recovery can offer more than prolonged, repetitive ball throwing.

Build everyday life around several kinds of activity: walks over varied terrain, searching or tracking, short training sessions, controlled play and tasks that engage the dog's nose and body. Dog sports such as agility, nosework and tracking can suit many individuals, but training volume should increase gradually. For puppies, surfaces, pace, play and rest should be adapted to the individual; the often-repeated five-minute rule has no scientific support.

Prioritise these skills early:

- engagement and responsiveness despite scents and movement
- recall and a separate emergency stop cue
- releasing objects and disengaging from activity
- calm lead walking and neutral passing of other dogs
- comfortable handling of paws, mouth, ears and coat
- going to a bed and relaxing
- being alone, introduced in very small and safe steps

Because of the hunting instinct, off-lead freedom should never be based on hope. Train first in a securely enclosed area and use a long line where it is safe until the dog can turn away from distractions and respond reliably to cues. Even a well-trained dog may need to remain on lead near wildlife, traffic and other hazards. Reward-based training with clear rules tells the dog what to do and helps preserve cooperation as arousal rises.

## Health

The Swedish Kennel Club states that the breed has no known breed-specific diseases but that patellar luxation occurs. This does not mean that every dog is affected or that the breed is free from every other illness; it means that a serious health review should start with documented results and the specific family rather than a long, unsorted list of diagnoses.

The Swedish breed-specific breeding strategy recommends that dogs used for breeding are examined for patellar luxation and undergo an eye examination. For eyes, the recommendation is an examination before breeding, then every three years and once after the age of eight. These are breeding recommendations; they should not be presented as though every examination were a universal registration requirement or a guarantee of healthy puppies.

Before buying a puppy, ask for the parents' registered names and numbers and verify:

- who performed the examination
- the date of the patellar and eye examinations
- the actual result, not merely the statement “tested”
- whether close relatives have had recurring knee, eye or other health problems
- the parents' ages and whether older dogs in the family have been followed up

A normal result reduces uncertainty about the specific condition examined but is not a lifelong guarantee. Keep the dog at an appropriate body condition, build fitness gradually and consult a veterinary professional about recurring lameness, pain, changes in vision or marked changes in behaviour.

## History & Origins

The Jack Russell Terrier originated in 19th-century England and is associated with the Reverend John Russell. He developed Fox Terriers that could run with foxhounds and go to ground to bolt foxes and other quarry from their dens. The work required a small, agile, bold and independent dog.

Two types emerged from closely related lines. The taller, more square type became the Parson Russell Terrier; the lower and slightly longer type became the Jack Russell Terrier. The breed therefore has English origins, but Australia is listed as the country where it was developed further and where important work on the standard took place. The Swedish Kennel Club recognised the Jack Russell Terrier in 2001.

The history explains several traits that remain noticeable: functional size, an agile body, the ability to make independent decisions and an interest in seeking and following quarry. These qualities can be assets in training and dog sport, but they need direction in modern daily life.

## Living with the Breed

Living with a Jack Russell works best when the home combines activity with clear routines for rest, safety and self-control. The breed can live in a flat; the size of the home matters less than whether the dog's needs are met and it learns not to react to every sound in the stairwell or outside a window. Train calm behaviour and neutrality to sounds before barking has become a habit.

With children, the same basic rule applies as with every dog: an adult is responsible for the interaction, and the dog must have a protected resting place where it is not disturbed. Children should not take food or toys, carry the dog or follow it when it moves away. The breed's speed and intensity make calm, short interactions preferable to rough play without breaks.

Living with other dogs or cats depends on the individuals and should be developed through gradual, controlled introductions. Early familiarity may help but does not remove hunting instinct. Rabbits, rodents and other small animals need to be kept completely and securely separate; do not choose the breed on the assumption that training guarantees peaceful coexistence. A multi-dog home also needs separate resting places and ways to manage resources without competition.

Being alone should be taught gradually once the dog already feels secure in the home. Start with very brief absences and increase them only while the dog remains calm. In Sweden, a closed crate must not be used as an ordinary resting place or means of confinement in the home. Instead, provide a comfortable bed or a sufficiently large, safe area where the dog can move and choose where to rest.

Before buying, everyone in the household should be able to answer yes to three questions: Can we give the dog meaningful activity every day? Can we manage hunting interest through training, a lead and safe environments? Can we provide undisturbed recovery and consistent rules without harsh methods? If the answer is yes, the Jack Russell Terrier can become a highly engaged training partner and companion, but it will rarely be a passive little dog on the sidelines of life.

Jack Russell Terrier

Svenska Kennelklubben (Sweden)

Dansk Kennel Klub (Denmark)

Jack Russell Terrier: small, sturdy, energetic fox-hunting terrier with bold, intelligent nature. Needs 1–2 hours of daily exercise plus mental work. Predominantly white, three coat types, strong digging and prey drive. Affectionate with family but demanding and unsuited to very sedentary homes.

Tina Rød

## Quick Facts

The Västgötaspets is a low-set Swedish herding dog with plenty of energy, an inclination to use its voice and an alert manner. It may be small, but it was built to work. The breed belongs to FCI Group 5 and was traditionally used to herd cattle and work on farms.

- **Size:** the ideal height is 33 cm for dogs and 31 cm for bitches. The breed standard permits 32–35 cm for dogs and 30–33 cm for bitches.
- **Weight:** the official breed standard gives no weight. The Swedish Kennel Club uses 9–15 kg as a broad guide, but an individual dog's build, body condition and proportions are more useful than a fixed target weight.
- **Activity level:** high. The breed needs physical activity and mentally engaging tasks every day, but no official hourly quota will suit every individual.
- **Temperament:** the ideal is an alert, energetic and boldly lively dog. Sociability, vocal behaviour and the ability to settle vary between individuals.
- **Coat:** a semi-short, harsh outer coat over a dense, soft undercoat. It sheds and needs extra brushing during moulting periods.
- **Tail:** both a long tail and every form of natural bobtail are accepted. The standard does not prescribe how the tail should be carried.
- **Key health issue:** Swedish Vallhund retinopathy is an inherited retinal disease with a variable age of onset and course. Eye examination and DNA test results provide different information and should be considered together.

The Västgötaspets and the Welsh corgi are separate breeds. Their long body shape is similar, but claims of a proven relationship through the Vikings go beyond the available evidence.

## Appearance & Coat

The Västgötaspets should be low-set without being excessively close to the ground, and its body should appear powerful yet mobile. The ratio of height at the withers to body length is 2:3. The distance from the bottom of the chest to the ground should be at least one-third of the dog's height. These measurements distinguish the correct breed outline from an overly heavy or exaggeratedly low body.

The head is fairly long and tapers towards the muzzle. Pointed, erect and mobile ears contribute to the alert expression. The back should be level, the loin short and strong, and the movement sound, parallel and ground-covering.

The tail may be long or naturally short, in several different lengths. Neither type is more correct, and there is no prescribed tail carriage. Check the registered tail designation rather than drawing conclusions from a photograph. A natural bobtail is not the same as a docked tail.

The coat consists of a very dense, soft undercoat and a semi-short, harsh outer coat lying close to the body. It is shorter on the head and front of the legs and may be slightly longer on the neck, chest and backs of the legs. Brush through the coat during moulting periods to remove loose undercoat. Bathe the dog when it genuinely needs it; a fixed bathing timetable rarely adds anything useful.

Accepted base colours are grey, greyish brown, greyish yellow, reddish yellow and reddish brown. Lighter areas occur on the muzzle, cheeks, throat, underside and lower legs, while darker guard hairs should appear across the back, neck and sides. A lighter harness marking over the shoulders is desirable. White markings are allowed, but only to a limited extent. Colour and markings do not alter the dog's everyday needs.

## Temperament & Personality

The Västgötaspets is first and foremost attentive and ready to act. The breed standard describes alertness, energy and bold liveliness, but it does not promise that every individual will be easy with all people, animals and environments. Inheritance, early experience, daily life and training all help shape the outcome.

Barking is not a minor detail in this breed. In the Swedish Kennel Club's BPH behavioural analysis, about 40 per cent of participating dogs barked or whined during parts of the assessment in which vocalising was not expected. The data covered 218 Swedish-born dogs born in 2003–2018, only 6.2 per cent of the relevant population, so the figure describes the participants rather than every Västgötaspets. Even so, it shows why a prospective owner should ask how the parents react to noises at the door, visitors and activity outside the home.

The same BPH material paints a broadly confident and energetic picture, with few threatening reactions when meeting an ordinary stranger. Responses varied more when an unusually dressed person approached. BPH should therefore be used to guide questions about a litter's parents and relatives, not as a guarantee about a puppy.

Historically, the Västgötaspets drove cattle by working close to their bodies, using both its voice and nips at the animals' hind legs. This does not mean that every individual will automatically herd or nip people. In breed-club tests conducted in 1994–2013, 52 per cent of the dogs tested were judged to have good, very good or excellent herding aptitude, while 48 per cent were assessed as having little or none. Train the behaviour your dog actually displays rather than working from a breed stereotype.

## Training & Exercise

The Västgötaspets needs to move, use its nose and solve problems every day. Brisk walks, woodland outings, tracking, scent work, obedience, herding and other dog sports can all play a part, but a fulfilling routine does not have to be a competition schedule. Variety and cooperation matter more than reaching a set number of minutes.

Adjust the amount to the dog's age, fitness, health and previous experience. After suitable activity, an adult dog should recover, settle at home and maintain a stable body condition and sound movement. If the dog becomes increasingly over-aroused, stiff, reluctant to move or unable to rest, the routine needs adjusting. More exercise is not always the answer; learning to settle, sleep and clear breaks matter too.

Start reward-based training for recall, walking calmly on a lead, handling and a cue to stop barking from an early age. Reward moments when the dog chooses to settle of its own accord. Simply intervening once barking is already intense rarely teaches the dog what to do instead. While building the new habit, also reduce avoidable triggers such as an unrestricted view of a busy entrance.

Do not calculate a puppy's exercise using the rule of five minutes per month of age; there is no scientific evidence for that general formula. Instead, let the puppy explore safe surfaces at its own pace, alternate short experiences with rest and increase duration and difficulty gradually. Do not push a tired puppy to continue. Delay repetitive, high-impact activity until its body and technique are ready, while remembering that normal, controlled movement builds strength, balance and confidence.

## Health

The principal breed-specific health issue to understand is Swedish Vallhund retinopathy, a progressive disease of the retina. Changes may begin without any noticeable loss of vision. In other dogs, the condition progresses to difficulty seeing in low light and later to impaired daytime vision. Age of onset and rate of progression vary, even between closely related dogs, so it is inaccurate to say that the disease is always mild or always leads to blindness.

Research has found a strong association between the retinopathy and a LINE-1 insertion in the MERTK gene. It should not be confused with BEST1-related canine multifocal retinopathy; BEST1 was one of several known genes that did not explain the Västgötaspets disease in the earlier study. The later MERTK study describes the insertion as a strong candidate for the disease-causing mutation, while leaving parts of the functional mechanism unresolved.

A DNA result applies to the genetic variant that was tested. An eye examination shows what the dog's eyes looked like at a particular point in time. Ask which test was performed, which laboratory analysed it, the parents' exact results and when they were last examined by an ophthalmologist. Ask to see the registered results rather than accepting the phrase “tested for everything”.

The Swedish Kennel Club's 2026 registration rules impose no breed-specific requirement for hip, elbow or eye examination results in the Västgötaspets. That does not make such information irrelevant. The breed club's 2019 breeding strategy recommends known hip status and an estimated mean hip index of at least 100 for the litter. Under the club's current puppy-referral rules, the litter's inbreeding coefficient must be stated; a current hip index must be listed when available, while hip results and the year of the eye examination may be shown. Ask for the actual results and how the breeder has weighed them, not merely whether the formal minimum has been met.

Seek veterinary advice if the dog starts hesitating in the dark, collides with objects, develops changes to its eyes, or shows pain, stiffness or an altered gait. A low body shape is not a diagnosis in itself, and old survey figures from a limited group should not be turned into a firm prognosis for a puppy.

## History & Origins

The modern history of the Västgötaspets is well documented from the early 1940s. Count Björn von Rosen drew attention to the short-legged spitz type he remembered from Västergötland. Together with headteacher Karl-Gustaf Zetterstén, he surveyed the remaining dogs, particularly on the Vara plains. Zetterstén went on to lead most of the practical breeding work.

The Swedish Kennel Club recognised the breed as the Swedish Vallhund in 1943. It was given the name Västgötaspets in 1953. The dogs' herding ability was preserved while the type became more consistent.

Further back, the story is less certain. The resemblance to the Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh corgis has led to theories that dogs were transported between Sweden and Britain during the Viking Age. The official breed standard does not establish the direction of any such connection, and modern cynology regards the breed's Swedish origin as settled. It is therefore reasonable to describe it as Swedish and its modern recovery as documented, but not to present a particular Viking journey or a definite corgi relationship as fact.

## Living with the Breed

The Västgötaspets can live successfully in a house or flat if its routine provides enough activity, rest and help with managing noise. The size of the home matters less than whether barking disturbs neighbours, the dog can settle and the owner can offer meaningful daily activity. In a building with poor sound insulation, have a clear plan for door noises, watching from windows and time alone from the outset.

Adults must supervise interactions with children. Teach children to leave the dog alone when it is eating, sleeping or choosing to withdraw, and give the dog an undisturbed resting place. If it tries to control running children by barking or nipping, interrupt the behaviour calmly and redirect it to a trained alternative. This is neither something a child should tolerate nor behaviour that every Västgötaspets will display.

Living with a cat or other dogs depends on the individuals and the introduction. Begin with scent exchange and separation, give the cat safe escape routes and keep the dog under control during the first meetings. Allow more freedom only when both animals can remain calm. Ask how the puppy and its parents behave around other animals; the breed name is not a substitute for that information.

Time alone must be introduced gradually through brief, uneventful absences. There is no fixed duration that every adult Västgötaspets can manage, and a dog that barks or becomes distressed when left needs a slower plan. A camera can show whether the dog is genuinely resting, pacing, vocalising or trying to escape.

When choosing a puppy, compare more than appearance and titles. Ask for the parents' registered eye and hip information, the exact DNA result for retinopathy when one is cited, the litter's inbreeding coefficient and relevant temperament information. Ideally, meet the dam and ask specific questions about vocal behaviour, recovery after excitement, unfamiliar people and daily life with other animals. A good match is not simply a typical-looking dog, but an individual whose energy, voice and needs fit the life you can genuinely provide.

Västgötaspets

The Danish Kennel Club

The Norwegian Kennel Club

The German Kennel Club (VDH)

The Västgötaspets is a small, sturdy Swedish herding dog with a foxlike look, dense double coat and easy grooming. Energetic, vocal and intelligent, it bonds closely with active families, needs consistent positive training, daily exercise and mental stimulation, and is generally healthy.

Clasus

## Quick Facts

The Standard Poodle is the largest of the Poodle's four official sizes. It is an active companion dog that needs both close cooperation and substantial coat care. The name **kungspudel** is sometimes used in everyday Swedish, but it is not a separate breed or size. In Sweden, the variant's official name is **Pudel, stor**; on this English page it is **Standard Poodle**.

- **Breed type:** recognised Poodle variety in FCI Group 9, Companion and Toy Dogs
- **Height at the withers:** over 45 up to and including 60 cm; the breed standard allows a further 2 cm of upward tolerance
- **Weight:** the breed standard gives no official weight
- **Coat:** abundant, curly wool coat or a coat that forms cords
- **Ideal character:** alert, active, responsive and easy to train
- **Everyday needs:** daily physical activity, mental stimulation, rest and regular coat care
- **Swedish health programme:** both parents must have an official hip dysplasia (HD) result before mating

A Standard Poodle can suit a committed first-time owner, but the breed is not low-maintenance simply because it is cooperative. A prospective owner needs to enjoy teaching everyday skills, provide purposeful activity and look after the coat even when the weather is wet and the week is busy.

## Appearance & Coat

The Standard Poodle should be balanced and athletic, with a body that is slightly longer than its height at the withers – not completely square. The official height is over 45 up to and including 60 cm, with a further 2 cm of upward tolerance. That tolerance does not make 62 cm the normal target height. Because the breed standard specifies no weight, an adult should be assessed by its proportions and body condition, not against a supposedly official number of kilograms.

The standard recognises two coat structures. The curly-coated Poodle has a dense, fine, woolly and tightly curled coat, while the corded Poodle has a coat formed into long, distinct cords. Companion dogs are often kept in a practical, shorter trim, but a short trim does not remove the need for bathing, working through the coat and clipping.

The approved Poodle colours are broader than many older breed descriptions suggest. Alongside solid black, white, brown, grey and fawn, the current standard recognises several specified multi-coloured patterns. These include white combined with black, grey, brown or fawn, as well as tan-pointed, tricolour and brindle coats. The multi-coloured options were added to the international standard that took effect in Sweden in 2024. Older statements that a Poodle must always be a solid colour are therefore out of date.

The coat grows continuously and needs a plan. How often it needs detangling, bathing and clipping depends on coat length, trim, activity and how readily that particular coat mats. Check all the way down to the skin instead of brushing only the surface. Calmly accustom a puppy to a comb, clippers, a dryer, paw handling and standing still; this makes future care easier.

Standard Poodles are often described as low-shedding, but low shedding does not mean allergy-free. Dog allergens occur in skin and saliva, among other sources, and a person's reaction can differ between individual dogs – even littermates. Someone with allergies should therefore not choose a Standard Poodle solely because of the breed name or a promise of a “hypoallergenic” coat.

## Temperament & Personality

According to the breed standard, the Standard Poodle should be alert, active, loyal and easy to teach and train. In daily life, this often appears as a dog that quickly notices patterns, seeks contact and likes to take part in family activities. That same attentiveness also means the dog can quickly learn unwanted routines when rules, rewards and expectations are unclear.

Being easy to train does not mean that every Standard Poodle has the same temperament, and an intelligence ranking does not explain how a dog behaves in daily life. Results from Poodles that have completed the Swedish Behaviour and Personality Assessment can show shared traits, but they describe the dogs that took part – not every Standard Poodle. Social confidence, activity level, sensitivity to sound, interest in chasing and the ability to settle can vary with inheritance, early experience and training.

If possible, meet the puppy's mother and adult relatives. Pay less attention to whether they can perform a trick and more to how they recover from a surprise, greet without remaining highly aroused and settle when nothing is happening. Ask the breeder which traits genuinely recur in the family and how the planned pairing is expected to work in an ordinary home.

A Standard Poodle can be a good choice for a first-time owner who enjoys training and accepts the coat work. It is less suitable for someone mainly seeking an independent dog or a large dog requiring minimal day-to-day contact and activity.

## Training & Exercise

The Standard Poodle needs physical exercise and mental activity every day, but there is no universal number of minutes that suits every dog. Age, health, fitness, weather, surface and recovery all affect a good plan. A balanced day includes walks and opportunities to sniff, explore, cooperate and rest undisturbed.

The breed often enjoys training in which it can understand a task: loose-lead work, recall, retrieving, scent work, body awareness or other dog sports. Short, clear sessions can be combined with skills practised in real settings. The aim is not to keep the dog occupied constantly, but to develop a dog that can shift between activity and calm.

For a puppy, quality and gradual exposure matter more than a mechanical minutes-per-age rule. Let the puppy move at its own pace on varied but safe surfaces, provide breaks and increase the load gradually. Plan the next session according to how the puppy moves, maintains focus and settles afterwards.

The Poodle's history as a water-retrieving dog explains why water and retrieving often appear in breed descriptions. It does not, however, guarantee that every Standard Poodle wants to swim. Introduce water without force, choose safe locations and teach the dog to enter and leave on cue.

## Health

The most important verifiable requirement for Swedish Standard Poodle breeding concerns hip dysplasia: both parents must have an official hip result before mating for their offspring to be registered under Swedish Kennel Club rules. A statement that the parents are “health tested” is therefore not enough – ask which examinations were performed and check the results.

Hips are graded from A to E. A and B are considered normal, and the Swedish programme for Standard Poodles also permits grade C in breeding. The Swedish Poodle Club's strategy is that dogs graded D or E should not be used. An individual result is still only part of the picture, because both inheritance and environment affect hip development.

The Standard Poodle also has a hip dysplasia index. The index combines the dog's own result with information from relatives; a value of 100 represents the breed's estimated average breeding value at the time of calculation. The Swedish Poodle Club recommends an estimated litter index of at least 97 for a planned pairing. This is a breeding recommendation and should be considered alongside the parents' grades, family results, overall health and genetic diversity – not as a stand-alone quality score for a puppy.

It is easy to confuse the health rules for the Poodle's four sizes. The formal Swedish DNA requirement for prcd-PRA applies to Toy, Miniature and Medium Poodles, not the Standard Poodle. The Swedish Poodle Club nevertheless encourages DNA testing for the eye disease rcd4 in all sizes and recommends eye examinations. A DNA result covers only the specific variant tested; it replaces neither an eye examination nor a broad assessment of the dog's health.

Before buying, these questions are more useful than a long generic disease list:

- What are the official hip results for both parents, and what is the pairing's estimated hip index?
- Are hip results available for adult siblings and other close relatives?
- Have the parents had eye examinations, and which DNA tests have been performed? Ask for the exact test name and result.
- Which recurring diagnoses, movement problems or other health concerns does the breeder know of in the family?
- How old are the older relatives, and how have their function and health developed?

## History & Origins

The Poodle's documented background is European, and France is listed as its country of origin in the international breed standard. The standard describes an origin close to the Barbet and early use in hunting waterfowl. The history of the breed's name is also connected with water and ducks.

The large Poodle variety was closest to the original water work before the Poodle developed further as a companion and show dog in several sizes. The Swedish Poodle Club's breed history explains the classic lion trim as a functional water trim: coat was left on vulnerable areas while other parts were shaved to make movement in water easier. Today's trims mainly serve practical and show purposes, but this connection helps explain the distinctive outline.

Poodle-like dogs appear in European art from the 15th century. Modern breed standardisation came much later, and today's Standard Poodle is judged as a companion dog – not as though every individual were already a trained water retriever.

## Living with the Breed

Living with a Standard Poodle works best when the household plans for three things at once: close cooperation, daily activity and coat care that never entirely takes a break. A dog that can use both body and mind while also learning to rest is usually easier to live with than one given ever more intense exercise alone.

A Standard Poodle can live in a flat if the owner provides regular trips outdoors, suitable activity and calm indoors. A garden can be convenient, but it does not replace walks, exposure to different environments or time together. Barking and restlessness should not be dismissed as inevitable breed traits; instead, consider the situation, reinforcement, stress, lack of suitable activity and the dog's opportunity to settle.

Being left alone must be introduced gradually, starting with short periods during which the dog remains secure. How quickly the training can progress depends on the individual. Before buying, plan for puppyhood, working days and help when needed rather than assuming that an easy-to-train dog will automatically cope alone for a particular length of time.

The breed can live successfully with children, other dogs and cats, but the breed name is not a guarantee. Children and dogs need adult supervision, and the dog needs an undisturbed resting place. Meetings with a cat or another dog should be calm and controlled, with room to create distance. The puppy's previous experiences, the adult animals' behaviour and the owner's introduction matter more than a general yes or no in a breed chart.

Finally, ask the breeder to demonstrate an ordinary coat-care session and explain the trim used on the dogs at home. Combine that practical demonstration with verifiable hip results, clear information about eyes and DNA tests, and an honest account of adult relatives' temperament. That way, your choice is based on the dog you may actually get – not on promises no breed can guarantee.

Standard Poodle

The Poodle Club of the United Kingdom

Swedish Kennel Club

The Standard Poodle is an athletic, low‑shedding water retriever with a dense curly coat needing regular grooming. Highly intelligent and sensitive, it excels in training, dog sports, and family life, thriving on close companionship, daily exercise, and mental stimulation.

Wirothi

## Quick Facts

- Despite its name, the Tibetan Terrier is not a terrier by function. The FCI places it among companion dogs, but its background includes both herding and alerting guard work in Tibet.
- Males should stand 36–41 cm at the withers, with females slightly smaller. The FCI standard gives no official weight, so the actual size of the parents and other adult relatives is more useful than a promise of a particular number of kilograms.
- The breed should be sturdy, medium-sized, long-haired and generally square. Its large feet are round and flat, and movement should be smooth, with good reach and drive.
- The coat is double and may come in many colours. Chocolate, liver and merle are not permitted by the standard.
- The breed ideal is lively, good-natured, alert and intelligent. The dog may not readily show affection to strangers, but excessive shyness is not a desirable breed trait.
- The Tibetan Terrier best suits someone who wants a close companion, can devote time to coat care and training, and is prepared to inspect health documents rather than simply accept that the parents have been “tested”.

## Appearance & Coat

The Tibetan Terrier should be strong and compact without appearing heavy. The distance from the point of the shoulder to the root of the tail should equal the height at the withers. The head is well furnished, and the eyes are large, dark brown and set fairly wide apart. The heavily feathered tail is set fairly high and carried in a curl over the back; a kink near the tip is permitted.

The long facial hair may fall forwards, but it must not cover the eyes or interfere with the dog's sight. This is an important everyday check. If the dog bumps into objects, hesitates at stairs or struggles to read other dogs' signals, do not dismiss it as the breed's typical fringe. Part or tie up the hair so that the dog can see, and ask a vet to assess any new change in vision.

The undercoat is fine and woolly. The topcoat should be profuse, fine and long, but neither silky nor woolly. It may be straight or waved, but not curled. Permitted colours include white, gold, cream, grey, smoke, black, parti-colour and tricolour. It is therefore incorrect to say that every colour is accepted: chocolate, liver and merle are excluded.

Coat care needs to be thorough, but the same timetable will not suit every dog. The adolescent coat change, full coat length, dampness, dirt and activity all affect how quickly tangles form. Work through the coat from the skin with your fingers and a comb, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and groin, through the beard and feet, and wherever a harness or collar lies. The comb should pass through without pulling the skin. Bathe the dog when the coat is dirty or difficult to untangle, and dry it right down to the skin. Introduce the puppy gradually to brushing, drying, paw handling and standing or lying still.

## Temperament & Personality

The Tibetan Terrier should be lively, good-natured, outgoing, alert, intelligent and game, without being fierce or pugnacious. The standard also says that the breed may not readily show affection to strangers. That does not mean fear, threatening behaviour or a failure to recover after a surprise should be excused as “typical reserve”.

There can be substantial variation between individuals. Older Swedish MH behavioural-assessment data provided a useful historical breed average, and a survey behind the 2018 Swedish breeding strategy reported both excessive reserve and difficulty being left alone in some dogs. The material concerns older generations and cannot predict a puppy today.

Meet the dam and preferably several adult relatives. Observe how they respond when an unfamiliar person enters, when someone handles their paws and coat, and when something unexpected happens. A suitable adult need not seek contact with everyone, but should be able to cope without remaining stuck in fear, barking or defensive behaviour. Ask how full siblings and previous offspring behave at home, while travelling and during veterinary visits.

## Training & Exercise

The Tibetan Terrier needs movement, scent work, learning and recovery every day, but no fixed number of hours is right for every dog. An adult may enjoy walks over varied ground, searching, tracking, rally obedience, agility at an appropriate level, or other training that involves thinking and cooperation. Adjust the amount to the dog's age, health, fitness and ability to settle afterwards.

Prioritise skills that make everyday life straightforward:

- loose-lead walking and a reliable recall, initially in controlled environments
- passing people and dogs without every encounter becoming a greeting or an alarm
- a clear resting place and the ability to relax after activity
- voluntary handling of the coat, paws, mouth, eyes and ears
- waiting at doors, by the car and before greeting
- very short periods alone that are increased without distress

Reward-based training gives clear information without needless conflict. The breed may learn quickly without enjoying long, repetitive sessions. Vary rewards between food, play, sniffing, greater distance and access to an activity. If the dog becomes increasingly vocal or restless, or struggles to sleep after training, simpler tasks, fewer stimuli and longer breaks may help more than another session.

Puppies and adolescents should have varied, self-paced movement on safe surfaces, but should not be subjected to long runs or repeated jumping. Lameness, stiffness or reluctance to move should be assessed by a vet.

## Health

Binding Swedish registration rules and breed-club recommendations are not the same thing. Under the Swedish Kennel Club's 2026 rules, offspring cannot be registered if a parent has PRA or lens luxation. The breed-specific section does not, however, require a particular DNA panel or a specified hip result. A puppy buyer should therefore check both the minimum rules and the voluntary health work.

The Swedish breed club, Tibetanska Terriersällskapet, says that both parents should be hip-scored and preferably have HD grades A or B. If a dog graded C is used, the predicted HD index for the litter should be at least 100. The breed has a Swedish HD index, so ask to see each parent's result and the predicted litter index rather than merely being told that the hips were X-rayed.

The club also advises that both parents should have an eye examination no more than one year before mating, with no evidence of PRA or lens luxation, subject to a specific exception for some older dogs with repeated eye examinations and DNA results. Ask for the date, complete report and previous results. PRA is an umbrella term, and according to the club, the PRA3 and rcd4 tests explain only some of the PRA cases in the breed. A clear result for one variant therefore does not exclude every form of PRA or other eye disease.

DNA tests are available for primary lens luxation, PLL, and the late-onset neurological disease NCL, among other conditions. For these recessive variants, a carrier is not the same as an affected dog, but two carriers must not be mated because puppies could inherit two copies of the disease variant. Check the exact condition, variant, laboratory and result for both parents. The phrase “DNA tested” says too little without the documents.

Renal dysplasia, formerly called PNP, also forms part of the breed's health history. The Swedish breeding strategy states explicitly that the former RD DNA test is unreliable and should not be used. Such a result must not be presented as health clearance. Instead, ask about diagnosed kidney disease in the parents, siblings, previous offspring and older relatives.

A large UK study published in 2024 estimated a median lifespan of 13.8 years for Tibetan Terriers in the group studied. The result describes UK dogs and is neither a prediction for a Swedish puppy nor a guarantee for an individual dog.

## History & Origins

The Tibetan Terrier originated in Tibet, while Great Britain holds responsibility for the breed standard. Despite its name, it is not a terrier. The FCI describes a background as a herding dog and an alerting guard for traders, but classifies today's breed as a companion dog in Group 9.

The modern European history is better documented than many tales about sacred bringers of good fortune. The British doctor Agnes Greig encountered the breed in India in 1922 and brought dogs to England during the 1920s. Tibetan Terriers and Lhasa Apsos were registered together as Lhasa Terriers until the British kennel club separated them in 1934.

In 1958, Carin Slättne imported two dogs from England to Sweden. Tibetanska Terriersällskapet was founded in 1972. That part of the history is clear. Stories that the dogs were never sold, were always given as gifts of good fortune, or performed particular rescue work belong more to tradition and are not equally well documented.

## Living with the Breed

The Tibetan Terrier can live in a flat or a house if it receives activity, calm and regular coat care. The size of the home matters less than the ability to manage close encounters, noises in communal areas, a wet coat and a dog that readily notices change. Teach a resting place and reward the dog for hearing outside noises without continuing to bark.

Active adult supervision is essential around children. Children must not disturb the dog while it is eating, sleeping or moving away, and the coat or tail must never become a handle during play. A dog that wants to leave should have a protected space behind a gate or in another room.

Living with other dogs, cats or smaller animals must be assessed individually. Introduce dogs calmly, ideally on neutral ground. Give a cat high resting places and dog-free areas, and prevent chasing from the outset. Early familiarity may help, but it does not replace supervision or an assessment of the individual dog's behaviour.

Introduce time alone gradually, starting with very short periods. Increase it only when the dog can eat, rest and return to a calm state. Persistent barking, pacing, destruction or refusing food shows that the step is too difficult; it is not evidence of defiance.

A well-prepared first-time owner can succeed if the coat work, everyday training and checking of health documents feel manageable. Meet adult relatives, verify hip results and the litter index, read the eye reports and ask for the DNA result for each named variant. Choose a breeder for openness about the whole family, not for colour, hairstyle or a general assurance that the line is healthy.

Tibetan Terrier

Verein für Deutsche Spitze (Germany)

Norsk Kennel Klub (Norway)

Medium, sturdy Tibetan breed with a long protective coat and snowshoe feet, once companion to monks. Calm and gentle indoors, lively and athletic outside. Bright, independent problem‑solver needing kind, consistent training, regular grooming, and close family companionship.

Elizabeth Høst Denstad

## Quick Facts

The Alpine Dachsbracke is a small but powerful Austrian hunting dog used for tracking wounded game and for hunting by scent. It is a recognised breed in FCI Group 6, not a Dachshund–hound cross. The breed was developed through selection among Central European hunting dogs.

- **Use:** tracking wounded cloven-hoofed game and hunting by scent, particularly hare and fox according to the breed standard. In Sweden, the breed is also used as a short-ranging scenthound for several types of game.
- **Height at the withers:** 34–42 cm. The ideal height is 37–38 cm for males and 36–37 cm for females.
- **Weight:** the FCI breed standard does not specify a weight. Adult size, body condition and working ability should therefore be assessed with the breeder instead of relying on a figure that is not in the standard.
- **Coat:** a short, very dense double coat with strong topcoat and thick undercoat.
- **Temperament:** the breed ideal is fearless, calm and willing to work, with an intelligent and friendly expression.
- **Important health check:** both parents must have an official NCL8 status before mating for their offspring to be eligible for registration with the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK).
- **Best suited to:** a hunter who genuinely needs a dog for tracking wounded game and/or a short-ranging scenthound and wants to invest time in hunting training.

The Alpine Dachsbracke should not be chosen primarily as a companion dog. The breed club's breeding strategy describes it as a dedicated hunting breed. Walks and scent games are not a substitute for purposeful hunting work.

## Appearance & Coat

The Alpine Dachsbracke should be low-set and long in body, yet robust, strong and agile. The ratio of height at the withers to body length should be about 2:3. The chest is deep, the bone strong and the muscles firm. The dog must be able to work in demanding terrain, so short legs should not result in an extreme or heavy build. Movement should cover ground without being short-stepping.

The coat consists of a very dense, strong topcoat and dense undercoat lying close over the entire body. The two accepted colours are dark deer red, with or without a light interspersion of black hairs, and black with clearly defined reddish-brown markings on areas including the head, chest, legs, feet and underside of the tail. A white star on the chest is permitted. White toes or larger white markings are not part of the standard's description.

The short coat does not need clipping. Brush during shedding and bathe when needed. After a hunt, check the skin, feet, nails, ears and eyes for wounds, grass seeds, ticks and other debris from the terrain.

The breed standard gives no ideal weight. Monitor body condition and muscle tone instead. A clear waist should be visible from above and the ribs should be easy to feel with light pressure. A working dog needs good muscle without excess weight; being either overweight or underweight impairs stamina and movement.

## Temperament & Personality

The Alpine Dachsbracke should be courageous, calm and willing to work, but its strong hunting drive and independence also show in daily life. The breed was developed to solve scenting tasks, make decisions and work at a distance from the handler. In the right hands, this can produce a steady, focused hunting dog. Inconsistent routines, however, can cause problems in daily life, and a game trail may outweigh the handler's recall.

SKK describes the breed as a friendly family member that may be somewhat reserved with strangers. This is a breed ideal and does not describe every individual. The breed club's latest breeding strategy reported only 43 dogs that had started the Swedish BPH behavioural assessment and calls for a substantially larger data set. The material is therefore too limited to support firm promises about how the breed greets people, reacts in frightening situations or displays sharpness.

An adult should always be present with young children, and the dog needs a protected place to rest. Teach children not to disturb the dog while it is eating, sleeping or has something it values. The breed can live with other dogs, but the individual dog, its social experience and the way food, resting places and valued items are managed matter more than the breed name.

Cats and small animals require caution because hunting drive is central to the breed. Ask how the parents behave around other animals. Make introductions using a physical barrier and lead, and give the cat safe escape routes. Even a calm introduction cannot guarantee that an adult hunting dog will be safe around small animals.

## Training & Exercise

The Alpine Dachsbracke needs hunting education, everyday engagement and physical conditioning, not a generic number of exercise minutes. The appropriate load depends on age, health, season and terrain. Accuracy on a trail, searching, returning to the handler and the ability to switch between work and rest matter more than the number of kilometres covered.

Start early with engagement, response to name, recall and calm handling. Reward voluntary returns and increase distractions gradually. A long line allows practice without letting the dog reward itself by following game. Harsh corrections and methods based on fear can damage both trust and the calm focus needed for work.

Basic tracking can be introduced early. The aim is calm, reliable and accurate work. Developing a short-ranging scenthound requires planned hunting training and a handler who can interpret the dog's voice, search pattern and return. Seek help from the breeder, breed club or an experienced hunting-dog trainer.

Off-lead access must be assessed in light of hunting drive, recall, location and the law. From 1 March to 20 August, dogs in areas where game is present must be prevented from running loose; in practice, this usually means a lead. At other times, the dog must still be controlled so it does not disturb or chase game. GPS does not replace training or judgement.

Build a young dog's fitness gradually and alternate work with recovery. An adult hunting dog needs both stamina and strength, whereas a growing dog should not follow a ready-made adult programme. After each session, movement, feet and general condition should determine what the dog is ready to do next.

## Health

The most important paperwork to check for an Alpine Dachsbracke is the parents' official NCL8 status. NCL8 is an inherited, progressive neurological disease associated with the CLN8 gene. Inheritance is autosomal recessive: a clear dog does not have the variant, while a carrier has one copy but will not itself develop NCL8. A dog with two copies is classed as genetically affected and can be expected to develop the disease.

Since 1 January 2025, the breed has been covered by an SKK level 2 health programme. Before mating, the parents must either have an official DNA result from an approved laboratory or be registered as hereditarily clear, meaning clear through documented parents. Two carriers must not be mated. A carrier may only be mated to a dog that is tested clear or hereditarily clear, and a genetically affected dog must not be used for breeding. Ask to see the result in Hunddata or Avelsdata; “DNA tested” does not reveal whether a dog is clear, a carrier or genetically affected.

SKK states that hip dysplasia (HD) occurs in the breed. At the same time, the breeding strategy describes a small number of X-rayed dogs, foreign breeding dogs without results and no recorded clinical HD problems in the material. HD can therefore neither be dismissed nor described as a widespread clinical problem. Ask about the results, function and symptoms of the parents and their close adult relatives.

The breed club is monitoring short ulna, a shortened ulna, and other limb deformities, particularly in the front legs. This does not mean that every dog has an orthopaedic problem. Look at the parents' leg alignment, feet and movement and ask about adult relatives. Wounds and other hunting-related injuries should be assessed as needed.

The Swedish population is small and depends on international breeding exchanges. Ask the breeder to explain relatedness, previous pairings, the health of older relatives and how information on foreign dogs has been checked.

## History & Origins

The Alpine Dachsbracke was developed in the mountainous regions of Central Europe as a functional hunting and tracking dog. The breed club's history states that the breed was selected from the so-called Segurian hounds and was not created by crossing in Dachshunds or other breeds. Its low build and the word “Dachs” in its name therefore do not document a Dachshund cross.

The FCI's historical summary records Crown Prince Rudolf of Habsburg taking these dogs on hunting trips in 1881 and 1885. In 1932, the type was recognised in Austria as the third breed used for tracking wounded game. The name was changed to Alpine Dachsbracke in 1975, when the FCI also designated Austria as the country of origin. In 1991, the breed was placed in its current section within Group 6.

The first documented imports to Sweden arrived in 1998 and 1999. Use in Sweden has since centred on tracking wounded game, short-ranging hunting and working tests. The breed's development is explained by practical working ability: calm tracking, hunting drive, an audible voice and contact with the handler.

## Living with the Breed

The Alpine Dachsbracke is best suited to a home where hunting is a real part of the year and someone wants to train and work the dog. A large garden or long walks are not enough. Before buying, you should know what kind of hunting the dog will do and who will be responsible for its training, fitness and safety.

The breed can settle with the family when work, household rules and recovery are in balance. Plan for mud after time in the field, a powerful voice and secure storage of game, food and equipment. A flat can work for an individual that receives appropriate hunting work and is calm indoors, but neighbours and barking must be considered. The type of home does not make the breed suitable solely as a companion.

Being left alone is not a fixed breed trait. Start when the puppy feels secure, leave it for a very short time and increase the duration only when it can settle. Take a step back and seek help if the dog becomes distressed, howls, barks or tries to escape.

Ask the breeder to show and explain:

- the parents' official NCL8 results and how the planned pairing complies with the rules,
- hunting qualifications and how the parents work, return and cooperate in practice,
- HD results where available, along with the health and movement of close adult relatives,
- leg alignment, feet and any reported front-leg problems in the family,
- relatedness in the pairing and how imported or foreign breeding dogs have been followed up,
- the parents' everyday behaviour with people, dogs and the animals in your home.

Finding the right match matters more than falling for the dog's compact appearance. For a hunter who needs its particular combination of accurate tracking, courage and short-ranging hunting, the Alpine Dachsbracke can be a well-considered choice. Someone primarily looking for a small, easy family dog will find more suitable breeds.

Alpine Dachsbracke

VDH - Verein für Deutsches Hundewesen (German Kennel Club)

FCI - Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Compact, sturdy Austrian scent hound with a long body, short strong legs and a dense, weather‑resistant red coat. Calm and affectionate at home but driven by a strong hunting instinct, it needs plenty of exercise, nose work and consistent, positive training to thrive.

Nygårds Brack

## Quick Facts

- The Chinese Crested Dog is a small companion dog with two coat varieties: hairless and powder puff. Both can be born in the same litter.
- The ideal height at the withers is 28–33 cm for males and 23–30 cm for females. The current breed standard does not specify an official weight.
- The hairless variety has a crest on its head, so-called socks on its feet and a plume on its tail. The powder puff has a long, soft coat over its entire body.
- The breed ideal is a cheerful dog that should never be vicious. Even so, there are clear individual differences in sociability, curiosity, vocal behaviour and confidence.
- Skin or coat care, tooth brushing and protection suited to the weather need to be part of everyday life from the outset.
- When choosing a puppy, eye examination results, PLL status, dental status and the health and temperament of close relatives matter more than general promises about the breed.

## Appearance & Coat

The Chinese Crested Dog is small, active and graceful without necessarily being fragile. The breed includes both the elegant deer type and the somewhat heavier cobby type. The body should be moderately long to long, with a level back and long, flowing, free movement. All colours and colour combinations are permitted.

The ideal height at the withers is 28–33 cm for males and 23–30 cm for females. The current breed standard gives no weight, so the figure of 5.4 kg as an upper limit should not be treated as the modern ideal. Assess an adult dog by its proportions, muscle and body condition instead.

In the hairless variety, the body should be largely bare, with long hair on the head, feet and tail. The amount of body hair nevertheless varies between individuals. Ask to see the puppy before it has been trimmed, and ask the breeder to demonstrate how that particular dog's skin and furnishings should be cared for. The skin should be fine, soft and warm to the touch.

The powder puff has a thin undercoat covered by a veil of long, soft hair. The coat should be flowing rather than heavy or woolly. Part the coat and comb all the way down to the skin. Pay particular attention to early tangles wherever hair is dense or subject to friction. A weekly routine for bathing and checking the coat can be a starting point, but its condition should determine how often it needs detangling, washing and thorough drying.

Hairless skin needs to be checked for chafing, redness, spots and dryness. Young dogs can develop blackheads and spots during periods of hormonal change, although the extent varies greatly. Provide shade and suitable clothing when sun, wind, wet weather or cold make it necessary. A powder puff may also need weather protection because its fine coat provides relatively little warmth and is not particularly water-resistant. If the skin remains inflamed or itchy, or develops sores that do not heal, a vet should assess the cause and help with the choice of products.

Neither the hairless variety nor the powder puff is allergy-free. Dog allergens are found in substances including skin cells, sebum, saliva and urine, and levels also vary between dogs of the same breed. A small amount of loose hair is therefore no guarantee for a family affected by allergies.

## Temperament & Personality

The Chinese Crested Dog should be cheerful and not vicious, but the breed encompasses many different personalities. In data from Sweden's BPH behavioural assessment, the dogs assessed appeared relatively confident, moderately curious and not generally vocal or aggressive. The same data show considerable variation in how dogs greet unfamiliar people, play and respond to unexpected events.

That is more useful than labels such as “Velcro dog” or “one-person dog”. One individual may seek a great deal of physical contact, while another may be more independent. Some greet visitors immediately; others prefer to observe first. Ask the breeder how the parents and close relatives cope with handling, new people, noise, settling and brief separations. Look for a puppy that can explore at its own pace and recover after something unexpected.

The breed can be alert and may bark when something happens, but that does not mean every dog is very vocal. In a home where noise carries easily, it is sensible to reward calm behaviour around doors, windows and sounds in communal areas from an early age. Find out whether the dog can also settle when nothing is happening. The ability to rest matters just as much as playfulness.

With children, the interaction matters more than the breed label. The dog's small size calls for extra care if children want to pick it up or carry it, but there is no general rule that the breed is suitable only for older children. Young children and dogs should always be supervised by an adult, and the dog needs a quiet place where it will not be disturbed.

## Training & Exercise

The Chinese Crested Dog needs daily movement and mental activity, but there is no well-founded time formula that suits every dog. A good day might include walks with time to sniff, play, a short skills session and calm recovery. An active individual may enjoy longer outings, agility, rally obedience, heelwork to music or tracking, while another may prefer less demanding activities.

Adjust duration and intensity to the dog's age, fitness, the weather, its movement and how well it recovers. A hairless dog that tenses up in the cold is not having a worthwhile walk simply because a target duration has been reached. Choose protection and surroundings to suit the conditions, and add indoor training when needed.

Reward-based training works well for teaching everyday skills. Start with recall, walking on a lead, settling in one place, leaving objects and stopping an activity when asked. Also practise cooperative handling of the mouth, feet, skin, coat and ears. This makes tooth brushing, bathing, clipping and veterinary visits less stressful.

Socialisation does not mean that the puppy has to greet everyone. Instead, let it encounter different people, dogs, surfaces, sounds and environments at a distance where it can still eat, think and choose whether to make contact. If it becomes frightened, make the situation easier and give it time to recover. This builds greater confidence than forcing an encounter.

## Health

There are no breed-specific health tests that must be completed before a Chinese Crested Dog litter can be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club, SKK. The breed club does, however, issue clear breeding recommendations. The distinction matters when assessing a litter: guidance can be highly relevant without being mandatory.

The breed club states that both parents should have an eye examination no earlier than 18 months of age, with a certificate no more than one year old at the time of mating. It also states that both should have a known DNA status for primary lens luxation, PLL. In addition, it recommends a known DNA status for prcd-PRA and a known patellar status established from 12 months of age. A patellar examination is therefore an important point to check, but it is not a specific registration requirement for the breed. Veterinary auscultation of the heart before breeding is described as desirable, rather than as a formal requirement or recommendation in the club's “must” and “should” categories.

Ask to see the result itself, its date and the dog's identity. A DNA test applies only to the mutation analysed and does not replace a clinical eye examination. A healthy carrier of a simple recessive condition does not automatically have to be excluded from breeding, but should be mated to a genetically clear dog so that affected puppies are not born. A genetically affected dog must not be used for breeding.

Eye conditions highlighted in the breed include PLL, different forms of PRA or retinopathy, and dry eye. Ask about examination results and symptoms in older relatives as well. The breed club's health review also discusses heart conditions that tend to appear later in life and indications of back problems. These findings justify questions about older relatives and early heart murmurs or back symptoms; they do not mean that every dog will become ill.

Hairlessness and dentition are linked through a variant of the FOXI3 gene, which affects the development of both hair and teeth. Hairless dogs may therefore lack some permanent teeth or have unusually shaped, forward-pointing teeth. Powder puffs do not have this specific genetic effect and should normally have a complete scissor bite. Congenitally missing teeth are not the same as periodontal disease, but both varieties need daily tooth brushing to limit plaque and gum disease. Monitor the change from puppy to adult teeth, and ask a vet to assess retained deciduous teeth, pain, bad breath or difficulty chewing.

In a large UK study, median life expectancy was 13.4 years among 928 Chinese Crested Dogs. The confidence interval for the median was 13.0–13.8 years. This result describes the study population, not how long an individual dog will live.

## History & Origins

The breed's early history is uncertain. China is listed as the country of origin and Great Britain holds responsibility for the breed standard, but it is not possible to trace an unbroken line from ancient Chinese hairless dogs to today's breed. Stories about dogs aboard trading ships, rat-catching and life during the Han dynasty should therefore be treated as theories rather than established facts.

The documented modern milestones are clearer. Chinese Crested Dogs were shown in the United States between 1885 and 1926, after which they were scarcely seen for nearly 50 years. Organised breeding in Britain was re-established with imports from the United States between 1965 and 1968. The first dogs arrived in Sweden in 1972, the first Swedish litter was born that year, and the dogs were registered with SKK in 1973. The Chinese Crested Club of Sweden was founded in 1990.

## Living with the Breed

The type of home does not by itself determine whether a Chinese Crested Dog will thrive. Both a flat and a house can work if the dog receives activity, rest and gradual training to be left alone. Assess the home in terms of noise, access to suitable places for walks and how easily the dog can get away from draughts, strong sunlight and commotion. A small body does not mean small needs.

A young puppy should not be left alone. Once it feels secure at home, training can begin with the puppy relaxing while you move behind a gate or leave the room very briefly. Increase the time only while the dog remains calm. An adult dog that has been trained gradually can often cope alone for a few hours, but individuals vary greatly. A camera can help reveal pacing, panting, barking or an inability to settle.

Cats and other dogs can live successfully with the breed, but low prey drive or trouble-free coexistence cannot be promised on the basis of breed alone. Make introductions gradually, prevent chasing, and give the cat a secure escape route and separate resources. Adapt play to the dogs' sizes and communication styles. Small pets should be kept safely apart unless you can control the situation with confidence.

The right home needs to be ready for the differences between the two coat varieties, daily dental care and a dog that needs both closeness and the ability to feel secure on its own. Meet adult relatives if possible, see the puppy untrimmed and check documented health results. These checks say far more than promises that all Chinese Crested Dogs are quiet, allergy-friendly or automatically easy family pets.

Chinese Crested Dog

The Chinese Crested Dog is a fine‑boned toy breed, either hairless with silky crest and furnishings or Powder Puff with a soft full coat. Affectionate and people‑oriented, they train well with gentle methods, need protection and care for skin or coat, and moderate daily exercise.

Acnologia

## Quick Facts

- The English Toy Terrier is a small British companion dog with a distinct terrier character.
- The breed standard specifies an **ideal height of 25–30 cm** and an **ideal weight of 2.7–3.6 kg**. These figures describe the ideal, not every healthy adult dog.
- The coat is short, close, smooth and glossy. The colour is black with clearly defined tan markings.
- The breed is active, alert and often quick to raise the alarm, but sociability, tendency to bark and stress tolerance vary between individuals and bloodlines.
- The fine coat offers little protection from the cold. A well-fitting coat may be needed on cold Scandinavian days.
- Small rodents may trigger the instinct to chase. Children and larger dogs need calm supervision around the dog to reduce the risk of injury.
- Give greater weight to documented health, temperament and pedigree diversity than to a long list of unspecified genetic tests.

## Appearance & Coat

The English Toy Terrier should be elegant, compact and well balanced, with clean lines but no suggestion of frailty. The head and legs should be in proportion to the body, and movement should be free, even and precise. The thin, high-set ears have a distinctive candle-flame shape and should be fully erect from nine months of age.

The breed standard expressly describes 25–30 cm and 2.7–3.6 kg as ideal measurements. They are neither a general normal range nor the only measure of a sound dog. Also consider body condition, balance, movement and how the dog functions in everyday life. A dog outside the ideal weight is not automatically overweight or underweight.

The only accepted colour is black with tan markings on defined parts of the head, chest, legs and underside. Black and tan should be clearly separated. The coat should be short, close, smooth and glossy. It usually needs little work: wipe away dirt and use a soft brush or cloth when required. At the same time, check the skin, paws, nails, ears, eyes and mouth.

The short coat has no warm undercoat. Adjust time outdoors to the weather, the level of activity and the individual dog. A coat can be sensible in cold weather, but the dog still needs exercise and daily time outside. Rinse and dry the paws after contact with road salt, and introduce calm nail care and tooth brushing from an early age.

## Temperament & Personality

The English Toy Terrier is normally an alert and active companion, but breed descriptions cannot replace an assessment of the individual dog. The standard calls for an alert temperament without undue nervousness. Swedish breed documents describe many dogs as curious, affectionate and keen to be involved, but they also report considerable variation in owners' experiences.

The breed can be reserved with strangers, and some individuals are quick to bark when someone comes to the door. This does not mean that every English Toy Terrier is aloof or noisy. A prospective owner should meet the dam and, where possible, the sire or other adult relatives. Watch how they respond to unfamiliar people, sounds and gentle handling, and how quickly they recover after something unexpected.

The Swedish BPH behavioural assessment data do not provide a reliable profile of the breed. The 2022 breed-specific breeding strategy included only 21 BPH starts, and the published breed average was based on just 11 Swedish-born dogs. Results for this small group indicated uncertainty and lower confidence around unfamiliar people, but the sample is too small to describe all dogs. Ask about temperament across several generations and avoid clearly timid, nervous or easily stressed parents.

The breed's history as a rat catcher appears in some dogs as an interest in small, fast-moving animals. Mice, hamsters and guinea pigs should therefore be kept securely apart. Living with a cat or another dog depends on the individual, previous experience and the introduction; the breed name is no guarantee. Play with much larger dogs needs to be controlled, as a small, fine-boned dog can be injured even when both dogs are friendly.

## Training & Exercise

The English Toy Terrier needs physical exercise and mental activity every day, but a fixed number of minutes will not suit every dog. Age, health, weather, pace and what the dog is actually doing matter more than a generic time target. Combine daily walks and longer outings with scent work, play, simple searches, tricks and quiet downtime. An adult can often manage more activity than its size suggests, while a puppy needs shorter sessions, free movement and plenty of rest.

Reward-based, progressive training suits the breed's quick and attentive nature. Keep sessions short and clear. Give particular attention to engagement, recall, walking on a loose lead and turning away from moving distractions. Use an enclosed area or a long line until recall works even when the surroundings are tempting.

To prevent persistent barking at the door, teach the dog to go to a designated place away from the hall. Reward it for settling there, and ask visitors to wait before interacting until the dog is calm. The aim is not total silence, but a clear alternative to continued alarm barking.

Gently accustom the puppy from an early age to having its teeth and ears examined, its legs and paws touched and its body lifted safely. Training should be voluntary, positive and broken into small steps. This makes routine care, veterinary visits and being examined on a table at dog shows easier.

## Health

For the English Toy Terrier, it is important to distinguish between recommended health checks, tests that are relevant only to certain pedigrees and binding registration requirements. The Swedish breed-specific breeding strategy recommends eye testing and checks of the patellae and heart. The Swedish Kennel Club's 2026 registration rules, however, specify no mandatory breed-specific health test for the English Toy Terrier. A check can still be valuable even when it is not compulsory.

The Swedish health evidence is limited. The breeding strategy reports heart murmurs in a small survey and only modest numbers of dogs examined for eye and patellar conditions. These figures justify questions and checks, but they cannot establish how common a condition is across the breed. Ask to see dated results for both parents and enquire about diagnoses in siblings, parents and previous offspring.

The Swedish breeding strategy mentions three DNA tests for breeding dogs with American or Canadian dogs in their pedigrees: juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy (JDCM), xanthinuria and von Willebrand disease type 1. The current British health standard recommends JDCM, xanthinuria type II and eye testing for the breed, but does not list vWD1. This is a good reason to check the pedigree and the relevant national guidance before ordering a broad test panel without a clear purpose.

JDCM is a serious heart condition that can appear early in life. Xanthinuria type II can cause xanthine crystals in the urinary tract and kidney damage. Both are described as autosomal recessive: a dog with one altered copy is a carrier and is not expected to develop the condition, while two altered copies mean the dog is at risk of disease. A carrier need not automatically be excluded from breeding; the mating must be planned so that puppies do not inherit two altered copies, while genetic diversity is protected.

Before buying a puppy, ask for clear answers to the following questions:

- Which eye, patellar and heart checks have been carried out, when were they done and what were the results?
- Are there American or Canadian dogs in the pedigree, and which DNA tests are therefore relevant?
- What is known about the health and temperament of close relatives, not only the parents?
- How does the breeder avoid close matings and the overuse of individual breeding dogs?

## History & Origins

The English Toy Terrier is a British toy breed descended from the Black and Tan Terrier. During nineteenth-century urbanisation, small terriers were used to control rats, and bloody rat-killing contests also took place in public houses. This history helps to explain the breed's terrier character, but should not be romanticised.

In Britain, the breed was known by several names, including Miniature Black and Tan Terrier and Black and Tan Toy Terrier. The Kennel Club changed the name to English Toy Terrier (Black and Tan) in 1960. The first documented import to Sweden arrived from the United States in 1958.

North American Toy Manchester Terriers have since been used to broaden the small gene pool and may appear in Swedish and other Nordic pedigrees. That does not make the two breed standards identical. The Swedish breeding strategy notes differences including head shape and topline. For a prospective owner, the pedigree helps explain both the dog's background and which DNA tests may be relevant.

## Living with the Breed

The English Toy Terrier can do well in a flat if it gets outdoors, uses both body and mind, and learns to settle despite sounds in the building. The size of the home is no substitute for walks, and a garden does not replace daily activity either. If sound travels easily, begin early with calm behaviour around the door, lift and communal hallway.

Time alone must be introduced gradually. A young puppy should not be left alone, and adult dogs vary in what they can cope with. Start with very short periods when the dog is secure and settled, increase the time slowly and take a step back if it shows distress. Arrange help during working days rather than assuming that a small dog can be left for long periods.

The breed can live with children, but an adult should always be present with young children. The dog needs an undisturbed resting place, and children should not lift, carry or chase it. The same caution applies to boisterous play with larger dogs. The English Toy Terrier is fine-boned but not an ornament: it needs safe physical activity while the family prevents falls, crushing injuries and rough handling.

The breed is best suited to someone who values a small but active dog, can provide daily company and training, and is prepared to judge the individual rather than rely on stereotypes. A sound decision is based on meeting adult relatives, checking health records and having a routine that still works in cold weather or when the dog cannot come along.

English Toy Terrier

English Toy Terrier Club (UK)

Verein für Deutsche Spitze e.V. (Germany)

Small, elegant black-and-tan toy terrier with a fine but athletic build and low‑maintenance short coat. Loyal and people-focused, often bonding closely with one person. Lively, intelligent and sensitive, needs daily exercise, mental stimulation and protection from temperature extremes.

Swegrip

## Quick Facts

- The Lagotto Romagnolo is an Italian truffle dog in breed group 8, with roots as a water retriever in Romagna.
- This small-to-medium, robust breed is almost square in outline. Males are 43–48 cm tall and weigh 13–16 kg; females are 41–46 cm and weigh 11–14 kg.
- A Lagotto needs daily physical activity as well as tasks that engage the nose. Searching, tracking, nose work and other cooperative training suit the breed's working heritage.
- The breed standard calls for a biddable, enthusiastic and affectionate dog, but social confidence, sensitivity to sound and interest in strangers vary between individuals.
- The dense, curly coat grows continuously and needs clipping, checking and detangling before it mats. The breed is not allergy-free.
- Buyers of a Swedish-bred puppy should distinguish between the Swedish Kennel Club's registration requirements and the breed club's more extensive breeding recommendations.

## Appearance & Coat

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a compact dog with a robust, rustic appearance and a body that is almost as long as it is tall. Adult size differs slightly by sex: males should stand 43–48 cm and weigh 13–16 kg, while females should stand 41–46 cm and weigh 11–14 kg. The result is an agile working dog that should look neither heavy nor overly slight.

The curly coat is the breed's most distinctive feature. It should be dense and woolly, with a visible undercoat beneath the coarser curls. Permitted colours include off-white, white with brown or orange patches, orange roan and brown roan, and solid brown or orange, with or without white. Tan markings may occur. Black is not an accepted colour.

The coat grows throughout the dog's life and may felt if neglected. Check the skin and work through areas that mat easily, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and beneath a harness or collar. Detangle or clip before mats tighten, adjusting the interval to the coat, season, swimming and time spent in vegetation. There is no single weekly schedule that suits every Lagotto.

The breed standard describes a natural, functional trim that follows the body's outline; the coat should not be sculpted like a Poodle's. For showing, it specifies a maximum of about four centimetres on the body, with longer hair on the head that must not cover the eyes. For a pet, observable condition matters more than a date in the diary: the dog should see and move freely, the skin should be easy to inspect, and the coat should be neither felted nor full of dirt and plant debris. Ask the breeder to demonstrate how the coat in that particular line is maintained.

Look at and smell the ears regularly, cleaning the outer ear when necessary. Abundant hair can contribute to problems in some dogs, but routine plucking is not automatically right for every individual. An unpleasant smell, brown debris, redness, tenderness or repeated head shaking warrants veterinary advice.

Lagotti are sometimes described as allergy-friendly because loose hair is less noticeable than it is in many shedding breeds. That is misleading. Dog allergens are found mainly in skin and saliva, levels vary even between dogs of the same breed, and no breed is allergy-free.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed standard describes the Lagotto as biddable, easy-going, enthusiastic, trainable and deeply affectionate towards its owner. It enjoys working closely with a person, uses its nose with persistence and may raise the alarm when something is unusual, although it was not bred as a guard dog. In the right home, it is often an involved companion that wants shared activities rather than exercise in isolation.

The ideal in the standard does not guarantee the behaviour of every dog. Swedish BPH behaviour assessments show wide variation in the way Lagotti greet unfamiliar people. Many make little contact, and curiosity, worry and recovery after a surprise also differ. Reserve is not necessarily fear, but a dog that is frequently uncertain needs distance and support rather than forced greetings.

For a puppy buyer, temperament in the family is therefore as important as a general breed description. Meet the dam with her puppies, ask how the parents and close relatives respond to visitors, noise and unfamiliar places, and request any BPH results. BPH describes behaviour; it is not an examination that a dog passes or fails.

A Lagotto can live happily with children, other dogs and cats, but the breed name alone cannot promise compatibility. Calm early introductions and the individual dog's previous experiences matter. An adult should always supervise interactions with young children, and the dog needs a quiet resting place where it will not be disturbed. Chasing games and encounters with small animals require the same care as they do with other dogs.

## Training & Exercise

The Lagotto Romagnolo needs an active life in which scent work has a clear place. The breed developed to search independently while cooperating with a handler, and many dogs enjoy nose work, searching for people or objects, tracking, obedience, rally and agility. You do not, however, need to compete or hunt for real truffles to meet this need.

Plan a routine that includes walks in varied places, time to investigate scents and short tasks requiring concentration. A simple search for hidden objects or treats can be valuable, but nose work does not replace movement, social contact, rest or ordinary life skills. Exact prescriptions in minutes or hours are less useful than the dog's behaviour: an appropriate level leaves the dog keen to work outdoors and able to settle at home, without persistent restlessness or signs of being overworked.

Teach recall early and reward contact even when the surroundings are tempting. Selective breeding has reduced the breed's former hunting instinct, but it has not removed it from every individual; older breed surveys found an interest in wildlife in a minority of dogs. Use a long line or enclosed area until recall is reliable in the setting where the dog will be off lead.

Balance activities with learning to be calm. A Lagotto that is continually given more excitement will not automatically learn to rest. Short, clear sessions, predictable breaks and reward-based training help to develop both cooperation and self-control. Adapt exercise to age, health and the individual day, particularly while a puppy is growing and after illness or injury.

## Health

The priority for a Lagotto buyer is to check documented results and the health history of the dog's family, rather than merely ticking off a long list of tests. In Sweden, the breed is covered by the Swedish Kennel Club's health programme for hip dysplasia. Both parents must have an official hip score before mating for their offspring to qualify for registration under the rules.

The breed club goes further in its breeding recommendations. It advises a preliminary litter index of at least 98, recommends that dogs without a Swedish hip index have a grade of A or B, and advises against using dogs graded D or E. These are important points to ask about, but they are club recommendations and should not be confused with the formal requirement for a known result.

Eye diseases occur in the breed. The breed club therefore recommends that breeding dogs have an official eye examination recorded by the Swedish Kennel Club no more than one year before mating. Ask to see the date and findings rather than accepting only an assurance that the dog has been “tested”.

DNA tests are also available for the recessively inherited conditions BFJE, sometimes called benign familial juvenile epilepsy, and Lagotto storage disease, or LSD. The breed club recommends known status and that a carrier is mated only to a genetically clear dog. The terms clear, carrier and affected apply to the particular variant tested. A carrier is not automatically ill, while a clear result does not certify that the dog is free from every other disease. Ask both for test results and about recurring ear, skin, digestive, eye or neurological problems among close relatives.

The ears deserve regular attention because some individuals develop problems. Check them during coat care and consult a vet if you notice a strong smell, discharge, redness, pain or head shaking. Do not treat a recurring problem solely as a matter of clipping or cleaning.

## History & Origins

The Lagotto Romagnolo comes from Romagna in north-eastern Italy. Its name is associated with water, and the dogs originally worked as water retrievers in the low-lying wetlands around Comacchio and Ravenna. The dense coat, willingness to work and powerful nose were practical traits in that environment.

As large areas of wetland were drained and converted to farmland, the dogs' work changed. Their searching ability was put to use finding truffles in the fields and hills of Romagna. Today's breed standard lists truffle dog as the breed's function, while its place in group 8 reflects its background among the water dogs.

Numbers fell sharply after the Second World War, but a conservation effort began in the 1970s. The FCI recognised the breed in 1995. The first documented imports arrived in Sweden that year, the first Swedish litters were born in 1996, and the Swedish Lagotto Romagnolo Club was founded in 2000.

## Living with the Breed

The Lagotto Romagnolo is best suited to someone who wants to combine everyday dog ownership with activity, scent work and regular coat care. Its manageable size means it can live in a flat, but floor space is no substitute for time outdoors, training and the opportunity to unwind. In a building with poor sound insulation, alert barking at noises in the stairwell or outside the door needs early attention too.

Being left alone must be taught in small steps once the dog feels secure at home. A young puppy cannot be left at the outset, and adult dogs differ greatly in how easily they cope with a few hours. Increase the duration only when the dog can rest calmly; persistent whining, pacing, destruction or other signs of stress mean that the plan needs to be scaled back and, at times, professional help sought.

Before buying a puppy, a practical checklist is more useful than promises that the breed “suits everyone”:

- Meet the dam and ask about everyday behaviour, fears, recovery and any BPH results in the family.
- Check both parents' official hip results and how the planned mating relates to the breed club's index recommendation.
- Ask to see recent eye results and BFJE and LSD DNA status, together with an explanation of how the mating has been planned.
- Ask about recurring health problems in parents, siblings and previous offspring, not only recorded test results.
- Have the breeder demonstrate coat and ear care, and expect clipping to be a lifelong routine.

The Lagotto can be a good choice for a first-time owner who has the time and interest for training, coat care and learning to read the dog's signals. It is less suitable for someone mainly seeking an undemanding dog content with the same short walk every day or one that will routinely be left alone for long working days.

Lagotto Romagnolo

The Swedish Lagotto Club

The Norwegian Lagotto Club

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

Medium-sized Italian water and truffle dog with a sturdy build and dense, curly, low-shedding coat needing regular grooming. Affectionate, sensitive, and people oriented, it is highly trainable and thrives on scent work, mental challenges, and active outdoor family life.

Molly McLoughlin

## Quick Facts

The French Bulldog is a small, sturdy and sociable companion dog from France. It should be lively and active, but its shortened skull and muzzle carry a risk of breathing problems and impaired temperature regulation. Anyone considering the breed should therefore assess function and documented health as carefully as temperament and appearance.

- **Breed group and purpose:** FCI Group 9, companion dog
- **Height at the withers:** males 27–35 cm, females 24–32 cm
- **Weight:** males 9–14 kg, females 8–13 kg
- **Coat:** short, smooth and without an undercoat
- **Colours in the breed standard:** fawn, brindle and pied, with the markings described in the standard
- **Ideal temperament:** sociable, lively, playful and affectionate
- **Important Swedish health assessment:** RFG-Scheme has been mandatory before breeding within SKK since 1 January 2025

The breed is not an obvious choice for anyone seeking a dog with low care needs. A French Bulldog should be able to move freely and breathe freely even while moving. Audible or laboured breathing is not a charming or normal breed trait.

## Appearance & Coat

The French Bulldog should be compact and muscular without becoming heavy, immobile or exaggerated. The body is slightly longer than the height at the withers, the head is broad and the upright “bat ears” are a defining feature. The whole dog should function in motion: open nostrils, adequate muzzle length, free movement and a body that does not prevent activity matter more than an extreme appearance.

The breed standard specifies different measurements for each sex. Males should stand 27–35 cm and weigh 9–14 kg, while females should stand 24–32 cm and weigh 8–13 kg. These figures are not a target weight for every individual. A suitable body condition depends on the dog’s build, muscle mass and body fat; excess weight puts additional strain on breathing, joints and the back.

The coat is short, smooth, soft and glossy, with no undercoat. Shedding can normally be managed with simple brushing as needed. At the same time, check the nails, paws, ears, teeth and skin. Facial folds should be kept clean and dry, but care should follow the skin’s actual condition. Redness, odour, discharge, itching or soreness call for advice, not simply more frequent cleaning.

The breed standard’s colours are fawn, brindle and pied. Blue and merle are not accepted colours. A puppy marketed as a “rare colour” should be assessed using the same important evidence as any other puppy: registration, respiratory function, the parent dogs and the breeder’s breeding programme.

## Temperament & Personality

According to the breed standard, the French Bulldog should be sociable, lively, playful and affectionate. Many individuals enjoy contact and like to take part in family life. The breed can learn quickly, but independence and stubbornness mean that clear routines and worthwhile rewards often work better than repetition or harsh corrections.

The breed standard describes an ideal, not every dog. Inheritance, early experience, health, pain, environment and training all affect an individual’s behaviour. A dog that struggles to breathe or is uncomfortable because of its skin, back or joints may also have less patience and recover less well. Temperament should therefore be considered alongside physical function.

BPH shows how a particular dog responded during a standardised behavioural assessment. It is not a pass-or-fail test and cannot guarantee a puppy’s future personality. The older Swedish BPH analysis covered only a small proportion of French Bulldogs born in Sweden. For a puppy buyer, it is therefore more useful to meet the dam and ask how the parents and close relatives cope with unfamiliar people, dog encounters, unexpected noises, handling, activity and rest.

The breed can suit a well-informed first-time owner who is prepared for reward-based training, daily activity and possible veterinary needs. It is less suitable when the choice is based mainly on small size, a particular look or the assumption that a short-muzzled dog automatically needs very little exercise.

## Training & Exercise

A French Bulldog needs daily walks, scent work, play and everyday training, but no single number of exercise minutes suits every dog. Age, fitness, weather and, above all, the dog’s breathing and recovery determine what is appropriate. Cooling through panting is less efficient in short-muzzled dogs, so the same activity may be easy on a cool day and unsuitable in hot weather.

Plan several manageable activities rather than one long session that has to be completed. Let the dog sniff, walk calmly over varied ground and use its brain through searches and simple problem-solving. Build fitness gradually and watch the dog throughout the activity. Slow down or stop if breathing becomes clearly noisy or laboured, the nostrils narrow, the dog uses its abdomen forcefully to breathe, falls behind or does not recover normally. Severe breathing difficulty, bluish mucous membranes, unsteadiness, collapse or loss of consciousness requires immediate veterinary attention.

In hot weather, walks need to be moved to cooler times, the pace reduced and the dog given shade, water and a cool place to rest. Never leave the dog in a hot car or another enclosed space. A dog that repeatedly struggles during moderate activity or warm weather needs a veterinary assessment; merely avoiding all exercise is not a solution.

Prioritise attention, calm lead walking, recall, ending play, settling and accepting checks of the mouth, ears, facial folds, paws and nails. Teach the dog to be alone in very small steps once it already feels secure at home. Reward-based methods make each task clear and make necessary handling easier.

## Health

The most important health problem to understand in the French Bulldog is BOAS, brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. It occurs when there is insufficient space for the soft tissues within the shortened nose and throat. The consequences can include noisy or laboured breathing, poor stamina, disturbed sleep and difficulty regulating body temperature.

RFG-Scheme is a veterinary assessment that evaluates respiratory function before and after three minutes of brisk exercise and grades the result from 0 to 3. Since 1 January 2025, French Bulldogs have been covered by a Level 2 health programme within SKK: dogs used for breeding must have a result before mating. An official result can be registered from 24 months of age and must be no more than two years old at the time of mating. Grade 0 is recommended; dogs graded 2 or 3 must not be used for breeding under SKK rules. A dog that has undergone airway surgery cannot be assessed within the scheme.

An RFG result describes the dog’s condition at the time of the assessment and does not remove the need for your own observations. It is not a lifetime guarantee and does not cover every other health risk. Before buying a puppy, ask for the parents’ registered names, assessment dates and actual RFG grades. Ideally, see the parents both at rest and after normal movement: breathing should be free, recovery reasonable and the nostrils open. Do not accept “tested” or “vet checked” as a substitute for the registered result.

Other documented areas of risk include allergies and skin disease, problems affecting the back, skeleton and joints including patellar luxation, and injuries to the prominent eyes. This does not mean that every dog will be affected. Ask about recurring skin problems, lameness, back pain and eye injuries in the parents and close relatives. The Swedish breed club also recommends that puppy buyers ask about patellas, the heart and breathing in the adult dogs; these questions should be distinguished from the formal RFG requirement.

Contact a vet about recurring breathing noises, clear exercise or heat intolerance, sleep disturbed by breathing, smelly or painful skin, recurring lameness, back pain, or a red, watery or painful eye. Early assessment is better than waiting for a problem to become “typical of the breed”.

## History & Origins

The French Bulldog was established as a breed in Paris in the late nineteenth century. The first breed club was founded in Paris in 1880, the first dog was registered in 1885 and the first breed standard was adopted in 1898. The French kennel club recognised the breed in the same year.

The breed developed as a companion dog and acquired the compact body, broad head and upright bat ears that still characterise the standard. The French Bulldog was first shown in Sweden in 1913. Its historical type explains the modern appearance, but breeding today should not intensify these features to the point that breathing, eyes, back, tail or movement are adversely affected.

## Living with the Breed

A French Bulldog can live in a flat or a house because the size of the home alone does not determine whether daily life will work. What matters is that the dog receives daily activity, can rest undisturbed and has a secure, cool environment. In a flat, sounds from stairwells and outside windows should be addressed through early training, and access to a lift or the number of stairs may become important if the dog is in pain or has difficulty breathing.

The same safety rule applies with children as with any dog: an adult is responsible for their interaction. Children should not disturb the dog while it eats or rests, climb on it or persist when it tries to move away. Provide a protected resting place and teach both children and dog to interact calmly. Small size and a playful temperament do not automatically make an individual safe with children.

Living with other dogs or cats depends on the individuals and their previous experiences. Make introductions gradually, with a way to separate the animals and without forcing close contact. Socialisation may improve the prospects but cannot guarantee that every combination will work. Pay particular attention to stress, resource guarding and whether another dog’s play becomes too physical for an individual with limited breathing capacity.

Time alone needs to be taught gradually, beginning with very short periods. Increase the duration only when the dog can remain calm, and consider using a camera to detect distress or barking that is not apparent when you return. The breed should not be chosen with a plan to leave the dog alone for most of the day on a regular basis.

Before buying, everyone in the household should be able to answer yes to these questions:

- Can we put unrestricted breathing and sound physical function ahead of an extreme appearance or an unusual colour?
- Can we verify the parents’ identities, RFG grades and assessment dates rather than relying on verbal assurances?
- Can we adapt activity to heat and the dog’s condition without making it inactive?
- Do we have the time and financial capacity to manage the veterinary needs that may accompany the breed’s body shape?

If the answers are yes and the breeder can show verifiable results, the French Bulldog can be a lively and close companion. The most important choice is not the most extreme head or rarest colour, but a dog that can breathe, move, recover and enjoy an active everyday life.

French Bulldog

The French Bulldog Club of England

The French Bulldog is a small, muscular companion dog with a short coat and bat-like ears. Affectionate, people oriented, and playful yet calm indoors, it suits apartment life. It needs moderate, carefully managed exercise, regular skin, ear, and nail care, and attention to breathing and weight.

Beatrice Aase-Myrén

Snudifys

Renaldi's Bellezas

## Quick Facts

The Yorkshire Terrier is a small British terrier kept primarily as a companion, but it should still be alert, intelligent and spirited, with an even temperament.

- The breed is recognised by the FCI as British terrier number 86, in Group 3 and the Toy Terrier section.
- The breed standard sets a maximum weight of 3.2 kg but no minimum weight or height at the withers. In practice, many dogs are heavier than the standard maximum.
- “Teacup” is not an official Yorkshire Terrier size category. The label therefore cannot guarantee a dog’s adult size or health.
- The coat should be straight, glossy, fine and silky. A long coat requires considerable care; clipping it short reduces the work but does not make it maintenance-free.
- The clearest documented health priorities are the teeth, retained deciduous teeth and patellar luxation, or slipping kneecaps.

## Appearance & Coat

The Yorkshire Terrier should be compact, neat and well proportioned, with an upright carriage and free movement. It may be very small, but it should not look fragile or exaggeratedly miniaturised.

The 3.2 kg maximum describes the show standard’s ideal, not a promise for every adult dog. The standard gives no height at the withers. SKK reports that most dogs are around 20–25 cm and that many weigh more than the standard maximum; even puppies in the same litter can reach different adult sizes. A puppy buyer should therefore ask for the actual weights of the parents and adult relatives rather than rely on terms such as “mini” or “teacup”.

The standard adult coat is dark steel blue over the body and clear golden tan on areas including the head and chest. The hair should be straight and glossy with a fine, silky texture, not woolly. Puppies are born black and tan, and the steel-blue adult colour develops gradually. The pace at which colour and texture mature varies, so a puppy coat cannot show exactly what the adult dog will look like.

A long coat needs frequent, thorough combing all the way to the skin, particularly where the hair is exposed to friction. Many companion dogs are clipped short for an easier routine. This makes bathing, drying and detangling less time-consuming, but the dog still needs brushing and must learn to accept handling around the face, ears, feet and nails. The coat has no undercoat, which can also mean that the dog needs protection in cold, wet weather.

The Yorkshire Terrier is sometimes described as suitable for people with allergies because it sheds little visible hair. That is misleading as a guarantee: no dog is allergen-free, and dog allergens come from sources including saliva and skin cells. Anyone who has or suspects an animal allergy should seek medical advice before getting a dog.

A tricoloured Biewer Terrier is not a special Yorkshire Terrier colour. In Sweden and the other Nordic countries, the Biewer Terrier is treated as a separate breed, despite its close historical relationship with the Yorkshire Terrier. It is not, however, recognised by the FCI.

## Temperament & Personality

The Yorkshire Terrier is generally attentive, curious and ready to act, rather than a passive lapdog. The breed standard emphasises intelligence, spirit and an even disposition, but sociability, barking and interest in chasing vary between dogs and are influenced by upbringing and training.

Its quick response to sounds and movement can make the breed inclined to sound the alarm. That does not mean every dog barks excessively. A dog that is allowed to investigate its surroundings calmly, rewarded for quiet behaviour and taught to settle is better equipped to handle sounds at the door and movement outside a window. Simply interrupting barking without changing its cause rarely creates a sustainable routine.

The terrier background may show as an interest in toys, scents and small animals. Recall and the ability to disengage from something exciting therefore need training, even with a dog that is easy to pick up. Living with a cat or another dog depends more on the individual, the introduction and daily routines than on a simple yes-or-no verdict for the breed.

With children, the small body is the most important practical consideration. A child must be able to let the dog move away, play at floor level and refrain from carrying or chasing it. Contact with young children should be supervised. The same care is needed during play with much larger dogs, because friendly but physical play can still be too rough for a Yorkshire Terrier.

## Training & Exercise

The Yorkshire Terrier needs daily physical and mental activity, but there is no meaningful number of minutes that suits every dog. A good day includes several toilet outings, walks with time to sniff, play, simple problem-solving and training in which the dog can succeed.

Adapt the amount and intensity to age, fitness, weather and the individual. It is more useful to observe how the dog functions in everyday life and adjust one thing at a time than to chase a generic number of minutes.

Reward-based training suits the breed’s quick understanding. Prioritise engagement, recall, loose-lead skills, a calm resting place and an alternative behaviour when the dog wants to alert. Also practise grooming, showing the teeth and nail care in small steps. This makes everyday care safer and reduces the need to restrain the dog.

Socialisation does not mean that a puppy must greet everyone. It needs calm, positive experiences of people, dogs, surfaces, traffic and household sounds without being pressured. The breed may also enjoy scent work, rally obedience, tracking, tricks or agility adapted to its size. The particular activity matters less than giving the dog ways to use both body and mind.

## Health

The Yorkshire Terrier is relatively long-lived as a population, but the teeth and knee joints deserve particular attention. SKK highlights dental calculus, retained deciduous teeth and patellar luxation as issues to know about.

A British study published in 2025 reviewed the records of 3,308 Yorkshire Terriers attending general veterinary practices during 2016. Periodontal disease was the most common specific diagnosis and was recorded in 21.1 per cent during the study year. Retained deciduous teeth were recorded in 3.57 per cent, and the researchers also identified patellar luxation as a breed predisposition. The figures describe a British study group during a defined period, not the risk for a particular Swedish dog, but they make dental care a clear everyday priority.

Start getting the puppy accustomed to tooth brushing early. Daily tooth brushing is the best practical protection against plaque and calculus, but training should be built without force. Ask a veterinarian to check the transition to adult teeth if deciduous teeth remain as the permanent teeth erupt or if the dog appears to have a painful mouth.

Ask the breeder to explain what is known about teeth, bite and knee joints in the parents and close relatives. Ask whether the parents have been examined for patellar luxation and request documented results if available. A single test can reduce uncertainty but can never guarantee a healthy puppy.

There is no universal, permanent Yorkshire Terrier test package across all kennel clubs. Before buying or breeding, check the current Swedish registration rules and recommendations from SKK and the breed club rather than relying on an old list found online.

In the British study, the median age at death was 13.56 years, supporting the picture of a long-lived breed. This is a population measure, not a forecast for an individual. Body condition, oral health, movement, behavioural changes and regular veterinary care need attention throughout life.

## History & Origins

The Yorkshire Terrier developed in northern England during the 1800s and took shape in Yorkshire’s textile districts. From the 1850s, weavers and wool-mill workers bred very small, soft-coated terriers that retained the terrier’s interest in hunting and also became sought-after companion dogs.

The breed’s exact recipe is not securely documented. The old Black and Tan Terrier, together with the Maltese, Dandie Dinmont Terrier and Skye Terrier, are mentioned as probable contributors. It is therefore more accurate to speak of likely ancestors than to name a definite cross.

The breed name was accepted around 1870, and the Yorkshire Terrier was recognised as a breed in 1886. During the later 1800s, it moved from the small terriers of working communities to a modern companion and show dog. The rat-catching story has a reasonable basis in the terrier background and the breed standard’s description of hunting instinct, but not every early dog necessarily worked in a mine or factory.

The elegant coat has since received great attention, but the breed’s alert expression, initiative and interest in movement remain important to the breed as a whole.

## Living with the Breed

The Yorkshire Terrier can live well in a flat or a house when it receives activity, calmness training and regular care. The size of the home matters less than whether the household can manage noise, provide time outdoors and create a secure daily rhythm.

Time alone needs to be introduced gradually from very short periods and adapted to the dog’s response. The Swedish Board of Agriculture advises that dogs should be taken outside at least every six hours during the day, but this does not mean that a dog can cope with six hours alone. Puppies and older dogs need more frequent outings, and a dog showing distress needs a different arrangement regardless of what the clock says.

The breed best suits someone who wants a small but active dog and accepts three recurring parts of everyday life: coat, teeth and training. A family with young children or large dogs also needs clear safety routines. Cold and wet weather may require protection, particularly when the coat is clipped short or the dog is standing still.

Before buying a puppy, it is sensible to:

- meet the dam and ask how the parents and adult relatives behave in everyday life
- request the actual weights of the parents and adult relatives and reject promises of a particular “teacup” size
- review documented dental, bite and patella history as well as current breeding recommendations
- decide whether to maintain a long coat or keep the dog clipped, and learn that routine before purchase
- arrange toilet outings, alone-time training and a dog sitter before the puppy comes home.

In the right household, the Yorkshire Terrier is a small, engaged everyday companion with a distinct terrier character. It is easy to take along, but it should be treated as an active dog, not an accessory.

Yorkshire Terrier

Deutscher Verband für das Hundewesen (German Kennel Club)

Société Centrale Canine (French Kennel Club)

The Yorkshire Terrier is a tiny, confident toy dog originally bred as a rat catcher in northern England. It has a fine, silky coat needing regular grooming, is lively, intelligent and often vocal. Yorkies bond closely with their families, need daily activity, and can live a long, active life.

Expectation's

## Quick Facts

The Cocker Spaniel is a British flushing and retrieving gundog that also makes an active companion. The breed tends to be cheerful, sociable and cooperative, but hunting drive, activity level and ability to settle vary between individuals and breeding lines. The most important choice is therefore not only the breed, but also the breeder and line that suit your daily life.

- **Size:** males are usually about 39–41 cm at the withers and females 38–39 cm. Weight is often around 13–15 kg.
- **Activity level:** high. The breed needs physical activity, scent work, training and time to wind down every day.
- **Coat care:** the coat needs to be combed and brushed through thoroughly every week. Trimming roughly every other month is a useful guide, but the need depends on the coat, lifestyle and how the coat is kept.
- **Life expectancy:** about 11–15 years is a broad guide, not a guarantee for an individual dog.
- **Best suited to:** an owner who wants to do things with their dog and has time for both training and regular coat care.

Some dogs are bred primarily for work in the field, while others are bred mainly with the breed standard and other traits in mind. The difference may be visible in working style, build and coat, but type alone does not determine what a dog will be like. Tell the breeder how you live, ask what the parents are used for and, if possible, meet adult relatives before choosing a puppy.

## Appearance & Coat

The Cocker Spaniel is a compact, robust and well-balanced dog with long, low-set ears and an alert expression. The coat should be flat and silky, with longer feathering on areas including the ears, chest, abdomen and legs. The breed comes in many recognised colours, both solid and in various particolour or roan combinations.

Height at the withers is about 39–41 cm for males and 38–39 cm for females. An adult dog often weighs around 13–15 kg. These measurements describe the breed’s typical build, but do not predict a puppy’s future activity level or whether a particular dog will suit your home.

Coat care is a real part of everyday life. Comb down to the skin at least once a week and pay particular attention to areas where tangles form easily, such as behind the ears, in the armpits and in the feathering on the legs and feet. Regular baths followed by thorough drying can make the coat easier to manage. Many dogs need help from a skilled groomer roughly every other month; a dog with a profuse show coat may require more work, while a shorter or more practical trim can be managed differently.

Check the ears, skin, nails and feet at the same time. An unpleasant smell, redness, discharge, itching or repeated head shaking are signs that need attention, not something to mask with a fixed cleaning routine. Ask the breeder or an experienced groomer to show you how to keep the hair around the feet and ears tidy without irritating the skin or ear canal.

## Temperament & Personality

A Cocker Spaniel should be friendly, affectionate, lively and inquisitive, and many enjoy working closely with their person. This makes the breed rewarding to train and easy to engage in shared activities. At the same time, a dog may act independently when a scent or movement becomes more interesting than its handler. Friendliness in the breed description is therefore a desired trait, not a promise that every dog will automatically cope with every setting.

The distinction between working-bred and more show-oriented Cockers matters, but should not be exaggerated. Working-bred dogs are bred with a clear focus on performance in the field. Dogs bred mainly towards the breed standard may still have clear hunting traits and substantial activity needs. If you intend to hunt with your dog, choose documented working lines. If you mainly want a companion, you should still expect an active dog and ask how the parents and adult relatives behave in everyday life.

BPH results can provide more information about dogs’ responses to people, play, surprises and different surfaces, for example. BPH is a Swedish behavioural description carried out in a set situation, not a test that a dog passes or fails, and it does not capture every trait needed for field work. Treat the result as one part of the picture alongside the breeder’s aims, the parents’ everyday behaviour and any hunting or working records.

## Training & Exercise

The Cocker Spaniel needs physical activity and mental work every day, but one fixed number of minutes will not suit every dog. Age, health, breeding line, intensity and opportunities to recover all affect the need. A good routine includes walks in varied surroundings, scent and search games, retrieving or another cooperative exercise, as well as learning to rest when nothing is happening.

The breed’s background makes activities that involve searching, finding and cooperating particularly natural. Tracking, spaniel work, retrieving, nosework, obedience and agility are examples, but simple everyday exercises work too: finding an object, following a short trail or bringing in a toy on cue. A working-bred Cocker may need more purposeful work than an ordinary walk provides. A great deal of fast activity without planned recovery does not automatically produce a calm dog.

Start recall, handler focus and impulse control early. Begin where distractions are limited and increase the difficulty gradually; use a long line where hunting interest may take over. Reward-based, clear and brief training usually suits a quick, engaged Cocker better than harsh corrections or long, repetitive sessions. Also spend time teaching calm handling of ears, feet and coat so that recurring care is safe and comfortable for both dog and owner.

## Health

A Cocker Spaniel can live a long and active life, but health should be assessed through verifiable results, not simply through a breeder saying that the line is healthy. For a litter to be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club, both parents must have a recorded hip dysplasia (HD) status. Ask for the parents’ registered names or registration numbers and check their results in the Swedish Kennel Club’s Avelsdata or Hunddata databases.

The Cocker Spaniel Club of Sweden’s current puppy referral rules give buyers a practical Swedish checklist, but following the rules is voluntary. Results must be known before mating. Both parents must have a hip result of A, B or C; if one dog has a C result, the recommendation is for the parents’ average hip index at mating to be above 100. The eye examination certificate must be no more than two years old at mating, and at least one parent must be DNA-tested clear or hereditarily clear of familial nephropathy, FN. These are the breed club’s referral conditions, not a guarantee that a puppy will never become ill.

Do not ask only whether “all the tests have been done”. Ask to see the exact result, date and identity for both parents. FN and renal dysplasia, RD, are different kidney diseases, so an FN DNA result does not rule out every kidney problem. A prcd-PRA DNA test reports status for one particular inherited variant, while an eye examination can detect clinical changes and other eye diagnoses. The tests complement one another but do not answer the same question.

Long ears and profuse feathering make ear checks a practical routine. Keep the ears dry after bathing and swimming, and consult a vet if there is pain, smell, redness, discharge or recurring itching. Do not treat a dog yourself simply because the breed is often associated with ear problems.

## History & Origins

The Cocker Spaniel comes from Great Britain and was developed to flush and retrieve birds in close cooperation with the hunter. It was recognised as separate from the Field Spaniel and Springer Spaniel shortly after the Kennel Club was founded in 1873. The older name “cocking spaniel” is linked to its work with the woodcock.

Different breeding directions have become more distinct over time. Working-bred dogs have been selected for traits such as search pattern, speed, desire to work and responsiveness in the field, while other breeding places greater emphasis on the breed standard. Both belong to the same breed, but the distinction helps explain why two Cocker Spaniels may require quite different daily lives. The English Cocker Spaniel should not be confused with the American Cocker Spaniel, which is a separate breed.

## Living with the Breed

A Cocker Spaniel can live successfully in a family with children, a flat or a home with other animals, but none of these outcomes follows automatically from the breed name. The individual dog’s traits, early training and daily routines matter, as does the responsibility taken by the adults.

An adult must always supervise interactions with young children. Children need to learn not to disturb the dog when it is eating or resting, when it withdraws or when it shows that it wants to be left alone. The dog needs a safe resting place that the children respect. Meet the parents if possible and ask the breeder how they respond to handling, noises, visitors and children instead of accepting the label “family dog” as sufficient.

The breed can often live with other dogs, but a cat or smaller animal may trigger hunting interest. During introductions, allow the animals to become familiar with each other’s scent first and then meet under control, using distance, a barrier or a lead. The cat must always have a safe escape route, and the dog must not be allowed to practise chasing. Do not leave them alone together until their interactions are stable.

A flat is not a problem in itself if the dog receives enough outdoor activity and can settle indoors. In a building where sound carries, you will also need to prevent barking at noises or in anticipation of activity through calm routines and training around sounds in communal areas. A garden does not replace walks, scent work or shared training.

Time alone must be taught gradually. A young puppy cannot be left alone at first; begin with very short periods once the puppy feels secure and increase them only while it remains calm. There is no single duration that every Cocker Spaniel can manage. Arrange a dog sitter or another solution if daily life regularly requires more time alone than your particular dog handles well.

Before buying, check three things: which traits the breeder actually prioritises, how the parents and adult relatives behave, and which registered health results are available. When the line, activity needs and coat care suit the household, you have the best foundation for what the breed was developed to be — a cheerful dog that wants to work closely with its person.

Cocker Spaniel

Svenska Spaniel och Retrieverklubben - SSRK (Sweden)

Dansk Spaniel Klub (Denmark)

American Kennel Club (Provides UK information)

Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), Belgium

Cheerful, medium‑sized gundog with a sturdy build, soft expression, and long silky ears. Bred to hunt woodcock, it loves sniffing, searching, and joining family activities. Sensitive and people‑oriented, it needs daily exercise, mental stimulation, and regular grooming to stay healthy and content.

## Quick Facts

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is a distinct British breed, not a red-and-white variety of the English Springer Spaniel. Developed to flush and retrieve game, it is best suited to someone who wants to combine close family life with regular training and outdoor activity.

- The breed is medium-sized and compact; the approximate height at the withers is 48 cm for dogs and 46 cm for bitches.
- The breed standard permits only rich red and white. The coat should be straight or flat, silky and dense, with moderate feathering.
- A typical Welsh Springer Spaniel is friendly, cheerful, keen to work and active, although temperament varies between individuals.
- This breed needs more than walks around the block. Scent work, cooperation and opportunities to move through varied terrain are important parts of daily life.
- In Sweden, both parents must have an official hip-dysplasia result before mating for their puppies to be eligible for registration with the Swedish Kennel Club. A recorded result does not automatically mean clear hips.
- Life with children, other dogs and cats can work well, but the breed name is no guarantee. The individual dog, its upbringing, introductions and adult supervision all matter.

Above all, this is a breed for someone who enjoys doing things with their dog. A Welsh Springer must also learn to rest, wait and cope calmly with short periods alone; constant activity without the ability to settle does not create a balanced life.

## Appearance & Coat

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is a strong, symmetrical and agile spaniel built for sustained work. Its body is compact without being heavy, and its movement should be powerful and ground-covering. Males stand at about 48 cm at the withers and females at about 46 cm, but sound construction and overall function matter more than an individual dog matching the figure to the nearest centimetre.

The colour distinguishes the breed clearly from other spaniels: the standard allows only rich red and white. The coat should lie straight or flat against the body and be silky and dense. There is feathering on the legs, ears and tail, but it should be moderate. A very profuse, curly or easily matted coat is not the functional coat described by the standard.

Coat care is manageable at home, but it needs to become routine. Pay particular attention to:

- ears and feathering after woodland walks, swimming and outings in long grass
- armpits, groin and the area behind the ears, where tangles can start
- paws and the hair between the pads, especially during wet or snowy periods
- skin and ears if the dog starts scratching, shaking its head or smelling unusual

Brush when the coat begins to hold loose hair or form tangles, and remove debris before it becomes embedded. Dry the ears and coat after swimming, but do not clean a healthy ear canal routinely when there is no need. The Swedish Kennel Club gives three to four trims a year as a broad guide, while the breed club stresses that the need varies between dogs. Let coat growth, grip under the paws and airflow around the ears determine the timing. Bathe the dog when it is dirty rather than according to a fixed calendar.

## Temperament & Personality

A Welsh Springer Spaniel should be friendly, cheerful and very active without being aggressive or nervous. As a working spaniel, it is expected to cooperate, remain in contact and switch between activity and calm. This can make the breed rewarding to train, but it does not make every Welsh Springer easy in every home.

Many Welsh Springers want to stay close to their people and take part in daily life. Some greet strangers readily, while others need time before seeking contact. Excessive fear, constant stress or an inability to settle should not be dismissed as typical of the breed. The breed club also notes that relatively few dogs have undergone formal behavioural assessments, so sweeping claims about the temperament of the entire breed would be misleading.

When meeting a breeder, look beyond the phrase ‘friendly family dog’. Ask to meet the dam in an ordinary setting, and ask how the parents, siblings and previous offspring respond to unfamiliar places, people, sounds, rest and time alone. A dog that recovers promptly after something unexpected and can settle again provides more useful information about daily life than titles or an enthusiastic first greeting alone.

The same safety rules apply around children as with any dog. An adult should always be present with young children, and the dog needs a quiet resting place where it will not be disturbed. A young, enthusiastic Welsh Springer may greet people physically and carry objects in its mouth despite friendly intentions. Children should not disturb the dog while it is eating, sleeping or choosing to move away.

## Training & Exercise

A Welsh Springer Spaniel needs physical exercise, scent work and cooperation every day, but there is no authoritative number of hours that suits every dog. A sound plan gives the dog enough to do without leaving it over-aroused, sore or unable to recover.

The breed's original work explains its training needs. A spaniel searches the ground in front of the handler, flushes game to create a shooting opportunity and then retrieves. In everyday life, the same traits appear as interest in scent, movement and objects. Priorities should therefore include:

- recall and voluntary check-ins, beginning in easy surroundings and progressing to greater distractions
- a long line wherever the dog cannot yet be allowed off lead safely
- steadiness: waiting calmly when something moves or other dogs are working
- carrying objects and giving them up without conflict
- a clear cue for a break and a quiet place where the dog can settle

Vary walks with search games, tracking, retrieving or another task that uses both scent and cooperation. Agility, rally and obedience may also suit the individual. The aim is not to collect activities, but to find a mix in which the dog can work with concentration and then rest.

Puppies and adolescents need short sessions, free movement on suitable ground and a gradual increase in load. Do not try to tire them out with long, repetitive distances or frequent jumping. For an adult, adjust the amount to fitness, health, temperature and the previous day's activity. Stiffness, unusually slow recovery, restlessness after exercise or poorer sleep are signs that the routine needs changing.

## Health

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is regarded as a comparatively healthy breed, but a prospective owner should pay particular attention to hips and eyes and ask about skin and ear problems in close relatives. Health screening reduces uncertainty; it cannot guarantee that an individual dog will remain healthy.

In Sweden, the breed is covered by level 2 of the Swedish Kennel Club's hip-dysplasia programme. Both parents must have an official hip result before mating for the puppies to be eligible for registration. Ask to see the actual results and also enquire about siblings and previous offspring. ‘Hip scored’ says only that the examination was completed, not what result the dog received.

Eye health must be kept separate from the Swedish hip rule. Swedish registration rules do not require an eye result for this breed, but the Welsh Springer Spaniel breed club encourages gonioscopy for breeding dogs. The examination assesses the drainage angle of the eye and is used in work to reduce glaucoma, a serious eye disease that the breed club monitors particularly closely. Ask about current eye examination and gonioscopy results, findings in close relatives and how the breeder weighed those results when planning the mating.

The breed club's health survey also identifies ears, itching, skin and eyes as areas to watch. This does not mean that every Welsh Springer will be affected. Check the dog after swimming and outings in wet or dense cover, and seek veterinary advice for recurring itching, redness, unpleasant smell, head shaking, pain or changes in vision.

## History & Origins

The Welsh Springer Spaniel developed from red-and-white spaniels in Wales and was recognised as a distinct breed in Britain in 1902. Written references to red-and-white spaniels in Wales date back to the fourteenth century, but older origin stories should not be made more precise than the evidence allows.

The dogs were used chiefly for hunting. The word ‘springer’ refers to flushing game from cover, not to the breed being a variety of the English Springer Spaniel. The modern breed's work includes searching, flushing and retrieving in close cooperation with the handler.

The breed arrived in Sweden in 1963, and the first Swedish litter was born in 1965. The Swedish Welsh Springer Spaniel Club was founded in 1980. Today the breed is used for hunting and tracking wounded game as well as being an active companion and sporting dog, but its working purpose remains the key to understanding its needs and behaviour.

## Living with the Breed

A Welsh Springer Spaniel can live in a house or flat if daily life provides enough activity, recovery time and access to good walking areas. A large garden does not replace shared training, and a flat is not a problem in itself. You do, however, need to plan for a wet coat, grit, seeds and muddy paws after an active life outdoors.

Teach the dog to be alone gradually, beginning with very short periods when it feels secure and has settled. A young puppy should not be left alone, and even a well-trained adult normally copes with only a few hours alone in a day. Swedish guidance that dogs should be taken out at least every six hours during the day describes a toileting and exercise interval, not a target for time alone. Arrange help if workdays or travel keep you away longer than the dog can manage calmly.

The breed can live with other dogs, but choose companions and introductions according to the individuals involved. Greater care is needed with cats and small animals because a flushing dog may react to sudden movement. Early familiarisation can help, but do not base safety on the assumption that this is a ‘nice breed’. Use gates, separate resting areas and supervised meetings until you know how the animals behave together.

Before buying a puppy, you should be able to obtain clear answers to these questions:

- What are the hip results of both parents and their close relatives?
- Have the parents had eye examinations and gonioscopy, and what findings occur in the family?
- How do they cope with new places, people, rest and short periods alone?
- What hunting drive, responsiveness and ability to settle have previous offspring shown?
- What coat care and activities are part of the breeder's own dogs' daily lives?

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is best suited to someone who wants an active working partner rather than a dog content to tag along passively. If you can provide scent work, clear training, calm recovery and plenty of shared time, the breed's willingness to work can find a constructive place in family life.

Welsh Springer Spaniel

The Welsh Springer Spaniel Club of UK

Norsk Kennel Klub (Norwegian Kennel Club)

Medium, athletic red-and-white spaniel from Wales, bred as a steady gundog. Affectionate, people-focused and often strongly bonded to one person. Needs substantial daily exercise, training and mental work. Sensitive, generally healthy, with a weatherproof coat that enjoys mud and water.

Geir Arthur Aronsen

## 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 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.

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