## Quick Facts

The Gordon Setter is a British pointing dog developed to search for gamebirds across large areas and work with the hunter at a distance. It is not simply an active companion with a sporting background: hunting drive, wide-ranging search and independent work are central to the breed's function.

- The breed standard gives 66 cm and 29.5 kg for males, and 62 cm and 25.5 kg for females.
- The coat should be moderately long and as flat as possible. Its colour is glossy coal black with chestnut-red tan markings.
- The Gordon Setter should be intelligent, dignified, bold, outgoing and kind, with an even temperament.
- The breed needs substantial daily exercise, scent work, training and opportunities to use its search instincts. One fixed number of hours does not describe every individual.
- A strong interest in hunting should be expected. The breeder's priorities and the working style of adult relatives matter when choosing a puppy.
- In Swedish breeding, both parents must have an official hip dysplasia result. Results for rcd4-PRA, CCA and CL can also be recorded centrally.

The breed is best suited to an owner who wants to spend a large part of their free time in woodland, fields or open upland country and sees training as a regular part of everyday life. It is less suitable if the aim is a dog content with short walks around the block or one expected to ignore game scent and the urge to search.

## Appearance & Coat

The Gordon Setter should be stylish, symmetrical and built for galloping. It is strong without being cumbersome, with a deep chest, strong limbs and free, flowing movement. The standard uses fixed reference measurements: 66 cm and 29.5 kg for males, and 62 cm and 25.5 kg for females. These are ideal measurements, not a promise that every adult will match them exactly. Body condition, proportions and movement matter more than one number.

The coat is short and fine on the head, fronts of the legs and tips of the ears. On the body, it should be moderately long, flat and as free as possible from curl or wave. Long, silky feathering is found on the ears, legs, belly and tail. A functional coat should offer protection in cover without becoming excessively heavy or difficult to maintain.

The base colour is a deep, glossy coal black without rusty tones, with clearly defined chestnut-red tan markings. These appear above the eyes, on the muzzle, throat, chest and legs, and beneath the tail. A very small white spot on the chest is permitted; other colours are outside the standard.

Coat care is best guided by the dog's routine. Brush through the feathering and the areas behind the ears, in the armpits and around the thighs before small tangles become mats. After work in woodland or long grass, check for seeds, burrs, ticks, small wounds and cracks in the pads. Bathe when the dog is dirty and check the drop ears after swimming or wet weather. Light tidying may produce a neat outline, but the coat should not be shaped in a way that conceals its natural function.

## Temperament & Personality

The standard describes the Gordon Setter as intelligent, capable and dignified, with courage, an outgoing nature and a kind, even temperament. This is the breed ideal, not a promise that every individual will be identical. Breeding priorities, family lines, early experience and the home environment influence confidence, intensity, sociability and the ability to settle.

Its work requires the dog to take initiative while cooperating at considerable distance. At home, the same traits may appear as quick problem-solving, great stamina and a tendency to investigate before looking to its owner. Independence is not the same as low intelligence or deliberate defiance. Training needs to give the dog a clear task and make cooperation worthwhile.

Gordon Setters often mature later than new owners expect. The Swedish Kennel Club notes that a male may not be fully grown until three to four years of age. This is a guide to physical maturity, not an excuse to postpone everyday boundaries for several years. A large adolescent dog needs to learn calm greetings, rest, lead manners and comfortable handling from an early age.

Before choosing a puppy, meet the mother and, if possible, other adult relatives. Ask how they recover after surprises, respond to unfamiliar people, cope with inactivity and work in the field or in trials. Ask the breeder to explain their breeding aims in practical terms. Labels such as “working line” or “show line” reveal less than the parents' actual achievements, working style, health and everyday behaviour.

## Training & Exercise

A Gordon Setter needs a great deal of physical and mental activity, but one fixed daily time target is too blunt. A good day includes movement over varied ground, opportunities to search and use scent, cooperative exercises, practical skills training and recovery. Needs vary with age, fitness, the hunting season, health and the difficulty of the activity.

As a pointing dog, it should quarter the ground, point when it scents game, wait for the handler, flush the bird on cue, remain steady to shot and retrieve on command. Even a non-hunting owner needs to understand this sequence. Ordinary walks do not automatically provide the same outlet as controlled search, tracking, retrieving or other work in which the dog can act independently within clear boundaries.

Recall must be developed progressively around genuine distractions. Begin close by, reward voluntary check-ins and use a long line or securely enclosed ground when hunting drive may take over. Avoid repeatedly calling when the dog is already completely absorbed by game scent. Make the exercise easier, increase the distance from the distraction and build many successful repetitions. No breed description or training method can promise that an individual Gordon Setter will be safe off lead everywhere.

Reward-based training suits a dog that is sensitive to the handler's actions yet accustomed to making its own decisions. Prioritise recall, a stop or steadiness cue, loose-lead walking, settling, calm greetings and safe retrieving. Training with an experienced pointing-dog instructor is valuable even if you have not yet decided whether to enter working trials.

Puppies should be allowed to play, explore and move freely without long forced runs or repeated high jumps. Increase distance, speed and difficulty as strength and recovery improve. Exercise is not successful merely because the dog is tired; it should also eat normally, move cleanly and be able to settle afterwards.

## Health

The most useful health information before purchase is official hip status, correctly interpreted DNA results, known disease history in close relatives and recognition of the emergency signs of gastric dilatation-volvulus. A long list of possible diagnoses is less helpful if it does not show which result belongs to which dog.

The Gordon Setter is covered by a Swedish health programme for hip dysplasia. Under the 2026 registration rules, both parents must have an official hip result before mating for their puppies to be registered. The rules prohibit breeding from a dog graded E; a dog graded D may only be mated to a hip-clear dog, A or B, and a dog with clinical signs of hip dysplasia should not be bred from. Hip dysplasia is influenced by several genes, so the parents' grades do not describe the entire risk. Results from siblings and other close relatives add useful information.

The Swedish Kennel Club centrally records DNA results for rcd4-PRA, cerebellar cortical abiotrophy (CCA) and ceroid lipofuscinosis (CL) in Gordon Setters. All three are recessively inherited. A carrier has one copy of the disease variant and will not become ill from that specific tested condition, but can pass it on. A carrier should therefore be mated to a genetically or hereditarily clear dog, never another carrier. Check the dog's identity, the exact test name and whether the result comes from the dog's own DNA test or from ancestry.

The rcd4-PRA test identifies risk from that specific genetic variant. It does not replace a clinical eye examination or exclude other forms of PRA. CCA affects the cerebellum and can cause progressive unsteadiness in young dogs. CL is a different neurological disorder that may cause changes in behaviour, an unsteady gait, impaired vision or seizures. A clear result for one condition says nothing about the other two. Current Swedish Gordon Setter Club puppy advertisements require at least one parent to be DNA-tested or hereditarily clear for rcd4-PRA and CCA; this is a club advertising condition, not the same as the binding hip requirement in the registration rules.

The breed is also documented as predisposed to symmetrical claw loss, often called SLO. If several claws fall off, split or grow back misshapen, the dog needs veterinary assessment. Ask about recurring claw-capsule problems in parents and close relatives without treating the absence of a DNA test as proof of health.

The Gordon Setter is classed among breeds at increased risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus, or GDV. The condition can progress rapidly and requires emergency treatment. If the dog tries to vomit without bringing anything up, becomes markedly restless, has a swollen or painful abdomen, salivates heavily, has pale gums, becomes weak or collapses, contact a vet immediately. Ask about GDV in parents and siblings. Feeding and exercise routines may reduce some risk factors, but cannot guarantee that the condition will never occur.

A 2024 British study estimated a median life expectancy of 12.4 years in a group of 393 Gordon Setters. This is a population measure, not a forecast for an individual dog.

## History & Origins

The Gordon Setter takes its name from Gordon Castle in Scotland. Black setters with tan markings are documented there from the early years of the nineteenth century, and the dogs were valued for hunting drive, trainability and a friendly disposition. The aim was an efficient bird dog with a strong build that could work for long periods over demanding ground.

Setters previously appeared in many colours and types. When they began to be separated into breeds during the nineteenth century, the black variety with rust-red markings was called the Black and Tan Setter. The British Kennel Club recognised it under that name in 1873. In 1924, the breed name was changed to Gordon Setter, reflecting its connection with the fourth Duke of Gordon and the castle's well-known dogs.

The core of the breed remains the work of a pointing dog. It searches the ground, indicates game by standing still and then cooperates with the hunter during the flush and retrieve. The FCI places it in group 7 and includes a working trial in the breed's international classification.

Older accounts mention possible crosses with Collies, Bloodhounds and other types of dog. The evidence is uncertain and those theories are not needed to explain the documented development. The established points are the connection with British setters, Gordon Castle, the Black and Tan Setter name and the change of name in 1924.

Gordon Setters arrived early in the Nordic countries, and the Swedish breed club was founded in 1907. The modern Swedish population has been shaped largely by hunting use and Nordic cooperation. This history has a practical consequence for a prospective owner: the breed's appearance cannot be separated from the function for which it is still bred.

## Living with the Breed

Living with a Gordon Setter means arranging everyday life around a large, enduring hunting dog. A house and garden do not replace activity, and a flat does not automatically rule the breed out if the dog receives appropriate work, outdoor time and rest. The key question is whether the owner can provide safe opportunities to search, varied training and a sustainable routine even on dark, wet working days.

Young children and dogs should always have an adult present. A Gordon Setter's size, tail and enthusiasm can knock a child over without any aggression. Children should not disturb the dog while it eats or rests, and the dog needs a protected place of its own. Assess the individual dog's behaviour rather than relying on a general claim that the breed is good with children.

Living with other dogs can work well, but the introduction and the individuals' behaviour matter more than the breed name. Cats and small animals require extra planning because fast movement may trigger hunting interest. Begin at a distance, with the dog on lead, and keep meetings short and controlled. A cat should have high, dog-free places and separate resources. A dog that lives peacefully with the household cat may still chase an unfamiliar cat outdoors.

Alone time should be taught gradually once the dog feels secure. Begin with very short periods behind a door or outside the home, and extend them only when the dog can rest. A camera can reveal pacing, vocalising or destructive behaviour that is not obvious when you return. The Swedish Board of Agriculture's guidance that dogs should be taken out at least every six hours during the day is not a measure of how long an individual dog is comfortable alone.

Before buying, check:

- the breeder's working and conformation aims, and what they mean in practice,
- the parents' working-trial record, working style, temperament and ability to settle,
- official hip results and results from close relatives,
- the exact rcd4-PRA, CCA and CL results and how any carrier has been mated,
- any history of claw loss and GDV in the family,
- how the puppies are prepared for recall, settling, handling, gunshot and varied environments.

The central question is not whether a Gordon Setter can be a family dog, but whether the family wants to live with and develop a pointing dog for many years.

Gordon Setter

The Kennel Club (UK)

Gordon Setter Club of the United Kingdom

Deutscher Setter Club e.V. (Germany)

Svenska Gordonsetterklubben (Sweden)

Norsk Gordonsetter Klub (Norway)

The Gordon Setter is a substantial Scottish gundog with a black-and-tan silky coat, bred for stamina in harsh terrain. Intelligent, sensitive, and loyal, it bonds closely with family, needs plenty of daily exercise, kind consistent training, regular grooming, and careful health screening.

Isliljans

## Quick Facts

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

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

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

## Appearance & Coat

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

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

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

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

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

## Temperament & Personality

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

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

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

## Training & Exercise

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

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

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

## Health

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

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

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

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

## History & Origins

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

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

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

## Living with the Breed

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dachshund

UK Dachshund Club

British Veterinary Association

FCI - Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Svenska Kennelklubben (Swedish Kennel Club)

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

TimbaTax

Norfolk Terrier

Norfolk Terrier Club of Great Britain

Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

Agria Animal Insurance (Sweden)

The Norfolk Terrier is a small, sturdy working terrier with drop ears and a harsh, low‑shedding coat. Friendly, alert, and confident, it suits families and other dogs when well socialised. Adaptable to flats or houses, it needs daily walks, training, and regular grooming.

Kejsarbackens är en alldeles nystartad kennel. Jag som är ägare heter Karin Enquist och jag har haft hundar i över 30 år. För ett par år sedan så hittade jag den perfekta rasen Norfolkterrier. En pigg och glad hund med alla dom positiva egenskaperna från terrier och med intresset för människor som man förknippar med Labradorer. Liten i formatet men rejäl och tålig som en större hund. Glad i både andra djur och barn. Min tanke med min kennel är att få fram friska och korrekta exemplar av rasen.

Kejsarbackens

## Quick Facts

The Miniature Schnauzer is a small but sturdy German breed with a strong instinct to watch, plenty of enthusiasm for work and a coat that needs hand-stripping. It is the smallest of the schnauzer breeds, but not simply a scaled-down Standard Schnauzer. The Miniature Schnauzer is a distinct breed developed for farm work in a compact, manageable form.

- **Height at the withers:** 30–35 cm for both dogs and bitches
- **Weight:** 4–8 kg according to the breed standard
- **Country of origin:** Germany
- **Original role:** rat catcher and farm dog
- **Coat:** harsh topcoat with a dense undercoat
- **Colours:** black, pepper and salt, black and silver, and white
- **Typical traits:** watchful, enduring, curious and often quick to raise the alarm

The Miniature Schnauzer is best suited to someone who wants to train and engage with their dog every day and accepts the need for regular coat care. Its handy size makes it easy to take along, but daily life still requires clear routines.

## Appearance & Coat

The Miniature Schnauzer should be compact, strong and roughly as long as it is tall. Its beard, bushy eyebrows and harsh coat create the familiar schnauzer outline. The standard gives the same height and weight ranges for both sexes, although an individual adult may sit at different points within those ranges depending on build and body condition.

The coat consists of a dense undercoat and a hard, close-lying topcoat. The four recognised colours are solid black, pepper and salt, black and silver, and solid white. Colour does not determine temperament or how well a dog will suit a particular home.

The harsh coat needs hand-stripping, which removes mature, dead topcoat hairs. The Swedish Kennel Club advises stripping at least four times a year and working through the undercoat about once a week. How often an individual dog needs a full strip depends on coat quality, growth and how short you want to keep it. The beard, leg furnishings and softer areas need combing so that dirt and tangles do not build up.

Clipping may suit a dog that has become sensitive or finds it hard to stand through a stripping session, but it changes the coat's texture. Cutting the topcoat rather than removing the mature hairs often makes it softer and woollier. Ask the breeder or an experienced groomer how the dog's coat has previously been managed before choosing a method.

A correctly maintained harsh coat normally sheds very little, but that does not make the Miniature Schnauzer allergy-free. Low shedding does not predict how someone with an allergy will react, and no breed can be guaranteed to suit everyone. If there is an allergy in the family, seek medical advice, spend controlled time with dogs and make a plan before buying.

## Temperament & Personality

The Miniature Schnauzer is generally attentive, curious and enduring. It quickly notices sounds, movement and people nearby, which can make it an effective small alarm dog. The same watchfulness may turn into repeated barking at the door, in a shared stairwell or through a window unless the dog is helped to settle.

Breed traits describe a tendency, not every individual. Swedish temperament assessments come from too small a share of breeders to provide a reliable picture of all Miniature Schnauzers. Differences between families and individual dogs can be considerable. Look at how a puppy's parents and close relatives behave in everyday situations. A secure dog should be able to recover after a surprise and relax when nothing is happening.

Miniature Schnauzers often learn quickly and can be rewarding training partners. Their owner still needs to make the desired behaviour clear and worthwhile. Harsh corrections can increase stress and barking. Calm, reward-based training makes it easier to teach the dog what to do instead.

## Training & Exercise

The Miniature Schnauzer needs physical activity and tasks for its nose and brain every day. There is no useful minute-by-minute rule that suits every dog. A healthy young adult may enjoy long walks and dog sports, while a puppy, older dog or dog with a medical condition needs a different level of exertion.

Mix walks in varied surroundings with short training sessions, scent games and time to explore at the dog's own pace. Rally obedience, scent work, trick training and agility are activities that can make good use of the breed's speed and willingness to cooperate. The aim is not to exhaust the dog every day. A better test is whether it can be active outdoors and then settle at home.

Start early with everyday skills: attention, recall, lead walking, handling of paws and beard, and relaxing in a designated place. Work on alert barking before it becomes a habit. Reward the dog for noticing a sound and then turning back to you, and teach a simple routine for the doorbell and visitors. Block the view if the dog is rehearsing barking through a window. Change one thing at a time and increase the difficulty only while the dog remains calm.

The breed's history as a rat catcher means that some individuals are keen to chase small, fast-moving animals. A reliable recall and a lead where wildlife may appear are sensible precautions, even though prey interest varies.

## Health

The Miniature Schnauzer is generally described as a robust breed, but urinary stones and eye disease are two documented concerns. The Swedish Kennel Club reports urinary stones in just over five per cent of the breed. The breed club's health work also monitors conditions including progressive retinal atrophy, or PRA, and cataracts.

The breed also has a known predisposition to raised blood triglycerides. This does not mean that every Miniature Schnauzer becomes ill, and a raised result does not automatically explain digestive signs or pancreatitis. Recurrent vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, urinary problems or changes in vision need veterinary assessment. A vet can decide whether a urine test, eye examination or fasting blood sample is appropriate.

Before buying a puppy, ask the breeder to show actual health information rather than simply saying that the line is healthy. Check the parents' recorded eye results and ask about urinary stones, recurring digestive problems and eye disease in close relatives. The breed club publishes DNA results for several testable conditions, but a DNA panel is not a general certificate of health and does not cover every form of PRA. Ask which tests have been done, what the results mean for that particular mating and which current recommendations the breeder follows.

Small dogs also need regular dental care. Introduce tooth brushing during puppyhood and check the mouth so that bad breath, tenderness or difficulty chewing is noticed early.

## History & Origins

The Miniature Schnauzer developed in Germany around the turn of the twentieth century. In the Frankfurt am Main area, a small schnauzer-like dog was known as the wire-haired Miniature Pinscher. The Swedish Kennel Club describes small schnauzers and Miniature Pinschers being used as breeders developed a more consistent type.

This small farm dog had to control rats and alert people to activity around farms and stables. That work helps to explain the modern breed's combination of speed, watchfulness and interest in small movements. The Miniature Schnauzer is now a companion dog, but it still benefits from using both body and brain.

## Living with the Breed

A Miniature Schnauzer can live in a flat, but a small dog is not automatically easy to keep close to neighbours. Consider whether you can manage sounds at doors and windows, provide several toilet outings and give the dog daily activity. The ability to settle indoors is often more important than the size of the home.

The breed can live happily with children when an adult helps both child and dog interact calmly. Young children and dogs should always have an adult present, and the dog needs a resting place where it will be left undisturbed. Adults remain responsible for walks, training and grooming even when children are keen to help.

Whether a dog can live with a cat depends more on the individuals, their previous experiences and the introduction than on the breed name. Keep early meetings calm, separate the animals with a gate when needed and give the cat escape routes. Rodents and other small pets should be securely separated. The breed's documented rat-catching background means it is unwise to assume that prey interest will be absent.

Time alone must be taught gradually. A young puppy cannot be left alone, and adult dogs vary greatly in what they can manage without distress. Begin with very short, uneventful absences when the dog is secure and increase the time only while it remains relaxed. Plan around the individual rather than assuming that a breed can be left for a set number of hours.

Choose a Miniature Schnauzer if you enjoy an observant, active dog and want to spend time on training and hand-stripping. Consider another breed if you want negligible coat care, a dog that rarely raises the alarm or a guaranteed solution for allergies and small pets.

Miniature Schnauzer

Svenska Schnauzer Pinscherklubben (Sweden)

Dansk Kennel Klub (Denmark)

Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (Germany)

Compact, sturdy Miniature Schnauzers are bright, trainable, and people focused. Their wiry, low shedding coat needs regular grooming. Alert watchdogs with a terrier streak, they need daily exercise, mental stimulation, and clear training, and often live 12–15 years.

Vi föder upp dvärgschnauzer på hobbynivå och VÅRT AVELSMÅL ÄR att nästa generation av dvärgschnauzer ska vara friska och stabila hundar som uppfyller rasstandarden fysisk och mental.  

Eftersom inavelsgraden har eskalerat (dubblerats) i Sverige dem senaste åren på just dvärgschnauzer så är vårt mål att födda upp hundar med inavelsgrad NOLL.

Jag är utbildad SKK uppfödare och såklart att
försäljningen av valpar sker i enlighet med SKK och Dvärgschnauzerklubbens regler och riktlinjer.

Black Silver Arrow

## Quick Facts

The Chihuahua is a Mexican companion dog and the smallest recognized dog breed in the world. It is small enough to accompany its owner almost anywhere, but it still needs training, exercise, and opportunities to use its nose and mind like other dogs.

- **Origin:** Mexico
- **Purpose:** companion dog in FCI Group 9
- **Weight according to the breed standard:** 1–3 kg, with 1.5–2.5 kg as the ideal weight
- **Height at the withers:** the breed standard gives no height range; the Chihuahua is judged by weight
- **Coat:** smooth or long
- **Breed-typical temperament:** quick, alert, lively, and very courageous
- **Important health checks:** knees, teeth, bite, eyes, and the fontanelle of the skull

“Teacup”, “mini”, and similar terms are not recognized sizes or separate varieties of Chihuahua. There is only one weight standard and two coat varieties. Under the breed standard, a weight below 1 kg or above 3 kg is a disqualifying fault. An unusually small dog still belongs to the same breed, and low weight is not in itself proof of quality or good health.

## Appearance & Coat

The Chihuahua should be compact and slightly longer than tall, with an apple-shaped head, large upright ears, and a high-carried tail. The expression should be alert, but the eyes should not protrude and the muzzle must not be excessively short.

The smooth-coated variety has a short, soft, glossy coat that lies close to the body. The long-coated variety has a fine, silky coat that is flat or slightly wavy, with longer hair on areas including the ears, neck, legs, and tail. A long coat should therefore not be heavy or excessively flowing; an overly abundant coat is not typical of the breed.

Coat care is generally straightforward. Bathe the dog when dirty and comb the long-coated variety about once a week, paying particular attention behind the ears and to the longer feathering. The smooth coat can be brushed as needed. Use the same routine to accustom the dog to having its nails, teeth, ears, and eyes checked.

All colours and colour combinations are allowed except merle. Merle is therefore not a rare accepted Chihuahua colour but is expressly excluded by the international breed standard.

## Temperament & Personality

A breed-typical Chihuahua is quick to react, alert, lively, and courageous. It may readily signal when something happens around the home, but fear, aggression, or continuous barking should not be described as inevitable breed traits. The current breed standard accepts neither aggression nor extreme shyness.

Many individuals form close bonds with their family and are attentive to unfamiliar people, sounds, and dogs. How this is expressed is influenced by heredity, early experiences, health, and what the dog has learned. A Chihuahua that is always carried away gets fewer opportunities to practise calm encounters and move through different environments. At the same time, such a small dog should not be forced to greet others or endure intrusive play in an attempt to “socialize” it. Good socialization means brief, safe experiences in which the dog can keep its distance and recover.

The breed can suit a first-time owner who wants to teach everyday skills and takes its small size seriously. It is less suitable for someone seeking an accessory or assuming that a small body automatically means little responsibility.

## Training & Exercise

The Chihuahua needs daily movement and mental activity, but no single number of minutes suits every dog. Age, fitness, surface, weather, and recovery are better guides than a generic walking schedule. A healthy adult Chihuahua can enjoy walks, scent work, tricks, everyday obedience, and suitably adapted dog sports.

Train progressively with reward-based methods. Prioritize recall, lead manners, calm handling, and teaching the dog to stop barking and settle. Short sessions can be practical, but finish according to the dog's concentration rather than after a fixed number of minutes. The same kind, consistent rules should apply to a small dog as to a large one.

A Chihuahua should normally be allowed to walk rather than be carried, so that it gets the exercise and experience of different environments it needs. Carrying the dog is sensible in crowds, where there is a risk of injury, or when it genuinely needs help, but it should not replace exercise. Puppies need more breaks and a gradual increase in physical demands; an adult dog that suddenly refuses to walk or becomes lame should be examined rather than simply carried onward.

## Health

The most useful health checks for a Chihuahua concern the knees, mouth and teeth, and a head shape without exaggeration. A long list of possible diagnoses is less helpful than knowing what to check in the parents, puppy, and adult dog.

- **Patellar luxation:** The kneecap can slip out of its normal position, and lameness or an abnormal gait may be signs. For a litter to be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club, both parents must have an official patella result from an examination performed at the age of at least one year and before mating. Ask to see the results in the Swedish Kennel Club register and always check which rules apply at the time of purchase.
- **Teeth:** A British study of veterinary records found periodontal disease and retained deciduous teeth among the most commonly recorded problems in Chihuahuas. Accustom the puppy to daily toothbrushing and watch closely as the adult teeth come in. If a deciduous tooth remains when the permanent tooth erupts beside it, the mouth should be assessed by a veterinarian.
- **Head and eyes:** The Swedish Kennel Club's breed-specific instructions for judges highlight risks associated with excessive dwarfism, an overly short muzzle, incorrect bite or jaw, and overly prominent eyes. Do not ask only about an “apple head”; look for a functional bite, a muzzle without exaggeration, and eyes that do not bulge.
- **Fontanelle:** An open fontanelle, sometimes called a molera, is not a desirable feature. It is a disqualifying fault under the current breed standard. A small depression after the fontanelle has closed is different and is not disqualifying. A puppy or adult dog with a suspected opening should be assessed by a veterinarian.

Also monitor body condition and movement. Sudden lameness, eye pain, or difficulty eating should be taken seriously.

## History & Origins

Mexico is the Chihuahua's official country of origin, and the breed takes its name from the Mexican state of Chihuahua. This is well established, but the exact path to the modern dog is less well documented.

The official breed standard recounts a tradition that small dogs may have lived in the region during the time of the Toltecs. Depictions of dogs called Techichi at Tula resemble the modern Chihuahua. The standard presents this as an assumption, not as proof of an unbroken lineage. Stories about a specific ancient ancestor or a particular cross should therefore be described as theories rather than established history.

## Living with the Breed

The Chihuahua can thrive in an apartment, a family with children, or a home with other animals when daily life is arranged appropriately. The size of the home matters less than regular time outdoors, training, rest, and avoiding situations in which its small body is at risk of injury.

An adult should always be present around young children. Children need to learn to leave the dog undisturbed in its resting place and not to lift, carry, or chase it. This does not mean that the breed “dislikes children”; it is a practical safety rule for a dog weighing only a few kilograms.

Compatibility with dogs and cats depends on the individuals, not just the breed name. Let two dogs meet calmly in neutral territory and interrupt play that becomes too physical. When introducing a cat, a gate, separate resting places, and protected feeding areas are useful. The difference in size matters: even friendly play with a much larger dog can injure a Chihuahua, so interactions need supervision.

Alone-time should be introduced gradually once the dog feels secure in the home. A young puppy cannot be left alone, and adult dogs vary in what they tolerate. Use the dog's behaviour as your guide instead of assuming that every Chihuahua develops separation anxiety or can cope for the same length of time.

In cold, windy, or wet weather, an individual may need a well-fitting dog coat, but there is no meaningful temperature threshold that applies to every dog. Adapt to coat variety, age, health, activity, and the dog's own signs of discomfort. The best daily life therefore combines care for a very small body with the expectation that the Chihuahua should be allowed to live as a dog.

Chihuahua

The British Chihuahua Club

Dansk Kennel Klub (Danish Kennel Club)

The Chihuahua is a tiny yet sturdy companion dog, usually 1.5–3 kg with an apple-shaped head and large eyes. Found in smooth or long coats in many colors, it is devoted, alert, and bold. It needs daily walks, training, close companionship, and good health and dental care to thrive.

Liten och familjär uppfödning där valparna växer upp med mycket social träning. Jag är mån om att valparna kommer till bra hem och jag följer dem mer än gärna hela livet.

Fighterbabe's

## Quick Facts

The Spanish Greyhound is a Spanish sighthound developed to pursue hare by sight. It can be calm and occasionally reserved in everyday life, yet the sight of potential prey may trigger a very different intensity. The breed is therefore best suited to an owner who appreciates a sighthound’s independence and can provide both a secure routine and safe places for the dog to run.

- **Country of origin:** Spain
- **Breed group:** FCI Group 10, sighthounds
- **Original purpose:** coursing hare across open ground
- **Height at the withers:** dogs 62–70 cm, bitches 60–68 cm
- **Weight:** the breed standard does not specify a weight range
- **Coat:** short and smooth or semi-long and rough; all colours are permitted
- **Typical life expectancy:** about 11–13 years, according to the Swedish Kennel Club
- **Important everyday needs:** early socialisation, carefully trained recall and access to safe places for free running

The Spanish Greyhound and the Greyhound are closely related, but they are not the same breed. The Spanish Greyhound is generally lighter in build and less heavily angulated. Its body is adapted to sustained hunting over varied terrain rather than short-distance speed alone.

## Appearance & Coat

The Spanish Greyhound should look light, strong and functional rather than heavy. The body is slightly longer than it is tall, the chest is deep and long without being broad, and the abdomen is markedly tucked up. The loin is arched and may sit slightly higher than the withers. This construction should give the dog a long stride, agility and endurance.

The long, narrow head is an important breed characteristic. The lines of the skull and muzzle are not parallel but diverge, giving a different expression from that of the Greyhound. The Spanish Greyhound also has a lighter body and less rounded muscle than a typical Greyhound. Two dogs of the same height should not therefore be expected to have the same weight or shape. As the breed standard gives no weight, proportions, muscle condition and overall body condition are more useful than a fixed figure on the scales.

The tail is very long, low set and ends in a pronounced hook. When the dog is standing at rest, the hook should almost touch the ground in front of the hind legs, not rest on it. The Swedish breed-specific breeding strategy records that excessively long tails in some lines have caused injuries which have sometimes required amputation. A correct tail should function well, not simply be as long as possible.

The Spanish Greyhound naturally moves at a gallop. At the trot, the stride should be extended, low, elastic and powerful. There are two coat varieties. The smooth coat is dense, fine and short. The rough-coated variety has semi-long, harder hair and may develop a beard, moustache and more pronounced eyebrows. All colours are permitted. Coat care is straightforward; the rough coat may need brushing a little more often, while skin, paws, nails and teeth need the same routine attention as those of other dogs.

## Temperament & Personality

The Spanish Greyhound is usually calm and serious in everyday life and may be reserved with strangers. In a hunting context, the breed standard describes the same dog as energetic and lively. That contrast is fundamental: a quiet manner indoors does not mean that the prey drive is weak.

Reserved should not mean fearful. Sweden’s breed-specific breeding strategy, drawing on a 2019 survey, noted individuals that were excessively shy in unfamiliar settings or around unknown people. A puppy therefore needs calm, positive experiences of different surfaces, places, sounds, people and dogs without being pushed. An adult dog may need time to assess a situation, but fear that restricts daily life should not be dismissed as a typical breed trait.

The breed can live successfully with a family that understands its needs, but get to know the particular dog you are considering. Ask the breeder how the parents respond to visitors, new environments, handling and sudden events. With a rehomed dog, a known history, present behaviour and a thoughtful introduction tell you more than general promises about the breed.

## Training & Exercise

The Spanish Greyhound needs regular daily exercise and opportunities to run safely, but no fixed number of minutes suits every dog. Age, health, fitness and individual temperament determine the right workload. Varied walks provide movement and new experiences, while free movement in a secure enclosed area allows the dog to use its speed. Build fitness gradually, particularly in puppies, unfit adults and dogs whose background is unknown.

Prey drive is the main safety consideration. The breed was developed to spot moving game and follow it rapidly by sight. Start training engagement and recall early, reward generously and increase the difficulty in small steps. Even a well-trained recall does not remove the hunting instinct. Where there is wildlife, traffic or another hazard, a lead, long line or securely enclosed area is the responsible choice.

Lure coursing is a particularly suitable outlet. The Swedish Sighthound Club describes the sport as both a functional test and a form of training for the natural abilities of sighthounds: running fast, turning and following an artificial lure. Training and competition should follow the club’s rules and be adapted to the dog’s age, health and physical maturity.

Everyday training works best when it is reward-based and broken into clear, manageable steps. Do not focus only on obedience cues; practise calm handling, travelling by car, waiting, passing others and settling in new places. With cats, rabbits, birds and other small animals, the breed name must never replace an individual risk assessment. Some Spanish Greyhounds can live with a cat after a careful introduction, while others are not safe around small animals.

## Health

The Swedish Kennel Club describes the Spanish Greyhound as a generally healthy breed with a typical lifespan of about 11–13 years. This does not mean that every dog is free from illness or that a broad assurance of good health is enough before buying. Always judge health information by when and how it was collected.

The Swedish breed-specific breeding strategy for 2020–2025 draws in part on a 2019 health survey answered by seven active breeders and a further 35 owners. It describes the breed as healthy overall, but notes reports from elsewhere in Europe of epilepsy and sudden death associated with heart disease in some lines. It also mentions a small number of umbilical hernias and missing teeth, along with isolated cases of cryptorchidism. The survey does not show how common these conditions are today and provides no basis for calling them common across the breed.

The Swedish Kennel Club’s 2026 registration rules do not require a specific mandatory health test for the Spanish Greyhound. That does not make family history irrelevant. Ask the breeder about the lifespan of the parents and close relatives, seizures, sudden deaths, known heart problems and other recurring concerns. Also ask how the breeder maintains genetic diversity in this numerically small breed. Seek veterinary help immediately for a seizure, collapse, breathing difficulty or another acute sign. Do not try to explain such signs at home by referring to the breed.

The tail deserves a practical check of its own. Look for repeated wounds or impacts against hard surfaces and discuss any problem with a vet; the standard does not require the tail to lie on the ground. Regular health checks, suitable body condition, dental care and exercise matched to the dog’s fitness provide a sound basis for a healthy life.

## History & Origins

The Spanish Greyhound comes from Spain and was shaped to hunt hare by sight across open country. The FCI breed standard describes the breed as being known to the Romans and cautiously suggests that its establishment on the Iberian Peninsula may be older and connected with ancient Asian sighthounds. It is therefore reasonable to speak of ancient roots, but not to present every detail of the breed’s earliest origins as settled fact.

Spanish sighthounds were exported to Ireland and England, among other countries, between the 16th and 18th centuries. The FCI describes the Spanish Greyhound as one of the ancestors of the English Greyhound. Later exchange between the breeds makes their similarities easy to see, but the modern Spanish Greyhound should retain its own lighter, less heavily angulated and endurance-oriented type.

The breed is still used to hunt small game in Spain. In Sweden, lure coursing provides a controlled way to assess and use parts of the sighthound’s original function without live quarry. The first dog arrived in Sweden in 1995, and the first Swedish litter was born that same year.

## Living with the Breed

The Spanish Greyhound can live in either a house or a flat if its daily routine provides enough movement, rest and security. The type of home matters less than the ability to exercise the dog, manage its prey drive and arrange safe free running. With a large, long-legged dog, it is also sensible to consider stairs, slippery floors and enough room to turn without knocking into furniture.

The same basic rule applies with children as with any dog: an adult should always be present with young children, and the dog must have a quiet resting place where it will not be disturbed. The breed’s calm side may suit a quiet household, but its size, speed and individual sensitivity require respect. Children should not be responsible for walks on which the dog could lunge after wildlife.

Many individuals are sociable with other dogs, but introductions should be calm and the developing relationship monitored. Living with a cat or small animal can never be guaranteed from the breed alone. Consider that dog’s previous experience and response, and keep the animals apart whenever you cannot supervise them. Take extra care with a dog whose background is unknown.

Time alone must be taught, not assumed. Start once the dog feels secure, leave for a very short time and increase it only while the dog remains calm. Puppies cannot be left alone, and adult dogs vary greatly. If the dog remains distressed, whines, barks, howls, damages things or tries to escape, return to an easier step. Seek help from a suitably qualified trainer or vet if needed.

Before buying or rehoming, you should be able to answer yes to four questions: Do I have a safe plan for the moment the prey drive takes over? Can the dog run without being exposed to traffic or wildlife? Can I give a reserved individual time and positive socialisation? Have I received specific information about temperament, health and longevity in the family? Clear answers allow a Spanish Greyhound to become an adaptable everyday companion without denying its heritage as a fast, independent hunting dog.

Spanish Greyhound

The Galgo Español Club UK

Fédération Cynologique Internationale

The Spanish Greyhound (Galgo Español) is an ancient Spanish sighthound, lightly built with a long body, deep chest and smooth, efficient movement. Calm, sensitive and affectionate at home, it needs regular exercise, gentle training and protection from cold due to its fine coat and low body fat.

Vår första galgo español kom till oss i maj 2011. Det var den nästan 2 år gamla hanen Warlock's Regaliz. Lasse, som han kallades hos oss blev början på en fantastisk resa som vi har gjort med denna underbara ras. Lasse fick två kullar, en hos oss och en hos kennel Zakeya's. Dessa avkommor gjorde att Lasse som andra vinthundshane erhöll bruksavelspris. Avkommorna har även gått bra på utställning med många utställningchampion. Naturligtvis underbara familjehundar också.

Cous-Cous

## 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)

Svenska Kennelklubben (Sweden)

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.

Tazzjazz

## Quick Facts

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

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

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

## Appearance & Coat

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

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

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

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

## Temperament & Personality

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

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

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

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

## Training & Exercise

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

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

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

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

## Health

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

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

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

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

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

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

## History & Origins

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

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

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

## Living with the Breed

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finnish Lapphund

The Finnish Lapphund Club Of Great Britain

Suomen Kennelliitto (The Finnish Kennel Club)

Verein für Finnische Lapphunde Deutschland e.V.

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

Liten kennel utanför Södertälje.
Föder upp aktiva hundar med trevligt och vänligt temprament. Har kullar med ett till två års mellanrum.

Välkommen att höra av dig vid intresse.

Skällbyns

## Quick Facts

The English Springer Spaniel is an active British gundog bred to find game, flush it from cover and retrieve it. It is best suited to someone who wants to engage both the dog's body and mind every day, whether through shooting, dog sports or a varied outdoor life.

- **Size:** The breed standard gives a height of approximately 51 centimetres at the withers. It does not specify a weight, so a fixed weight range is not a useful benchmark for every dog.
- **Type:** The breed has long included distinct breeding lines, particularly working-bred and more show-oriented dogs. A breeder's aims and the parents' traits say more about what a puppy may inherit than the label alone.
- **Temperament:** The breed ideal is a friendly, cheerful and biddable dog. Individual dogs still differ in areas such as activity level, sociability and sensitivity.
- **Activity:** The breed needs regular exercise and mental stimulation, but the same number of minutes will not suit every dog.
- **Coat:** Dense, straight and weather-resistant, with feathering that needs regular brushing and trimming.
- **The right home:** A good choice for someone who wants to train, work with their dog and spend plenty of time outdoors; a poorer fit if the dog is often expected to make do with brief toilet walks.

## Appearance & Coat

The English Springer Spaniel is a strong, compact dog with a balanced, elegant outline. The standard gives a height of about 51 centimetres at the withers but no official weight range. Do not judge a dog against an arbitrary figure on the scales. Assess body condition instead: there should be a visible waist, and the ribs should be easy to feel with light pressure.

The coat should be dense and straight, providing protection from the weather without being coarse. The longer hair on the ears, legs and body forms moderate feathering. Permitted colours are liver and white or black and white, with or without tan markings.

A thorough brush about once a week is a sensible starting point for many dogs, but the amount of coat, season and activity determine what is actually needed. Pay particular attention to the armpits, groin, ear feathering and feet after woodland walks, swimming or wet weather, as debris and tangles can collect there. Bathe the dog when it genuinely needs it. Clipping and trimming are required regularly, but the interval should follow the length and quality of the coat rather than a rigid calendar.

The well-feathered drop ears need regular checks. Trim the longer hair on the inside when necessary, and inspect the ears after swimming. An unpleasant smell, redness, discharge or repeated scratching warrants veterinary advice rather than continued cleaning without knowing the cause.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed ideal is a friendly, cheerful and biddable dog that enjoys working with its handler. Marked shyness and aggression are not desired traits. This makes the English Springer Spaniel an appealing working companion, but it does not guarantee how every dog will behave with children, strangers or other animals.

Results from BPH behavioural assessments also show that a breed average does not tell the whole story. Dogs of the same breed can react differently in social situations, during play and when something unexpected happens. The breed also includes different breeding lines that have not always been assessed separately. Ask the breeder how the parents and close relatives behave in everyday life, which traits have been prioritised and whether BPH or other relevant test results are available.

The breed needs opportunities to use its curiosity and willingness to work. High activity should not, however, be confused with a need to remain constantly on the go. The ability to switch between work and rest should be taught from the start through clear routines, calm breaks and suitably challenging tasks.

## Training & Exercise

The breed's original working sequence – hunt, flush and retrieve – explains much of its training needs. Many individuals enjoy investigating ground and cover, carrying objects and working closely with their handler. Walks can therefore be more rewarding when they sometimes include scent work, retrieving, simple searches or another shared training task.

There is no single daily exercise duration that suits every dog. A fit, healthy adult can cope with far more than a puppy, an older dog or one returning to activity after a break. Base the workload on age, health, fitness and recovery. Combine unhurried walks, time moving through varied terrain, mental training and rest instead of trying to exhaust the dog with intense exercise every day.

Checking in with the handler, recall and the ability to remain in place despite scent or movement are especially useful skills. Begin in easy situations and increase distractions gradually. Positive, reward-based methods and short sessions help preserve confidence and willingness to cooperate. A long line can add safety during training, but it does not prove that the dog will later be reliable off lead everywhere.

In Sweden, dogs must not chase or pursue wild animals unless taking part in hunting. Extra control is required in places where wildlife may be present between 1 March and 20 August. If a dog has a strong interest in game, its owner must be able to prevent it from setting off in pursuit.

## Health

The English Springer Spaniel is generally described as a healthy breed. When buying a puppy, it is nevertheless important to distinguish formal requirements from breed-club recommendations. A long list of every condition ever reported in the breed is less useful than current results for the specific parents and their families.

For litters registered in Sweden, the Swedish Kennel Club requires both parents to have an official hip dysplasia result before mating. This means that they must have been assessed and a result must be available; it does not mean that every grade is automatically equally suitable for breeding. Springerklubben has more detailed breeding recommendations concerning hip results and combinations. Ask to see the parents' actual results and how the proposed mating follows the club's current guidance.

The breed club also recommends that breeding dogs have an eye examination no more than one year before mating. Gonioscopy before a dog's first mating forms part of the club's guidance for assessing the drainage angle of the eye. Check the date, diagnoses and any follow-up advice on the certificates; do not settle for being told that the dogs have simply been “tested”.

Fucosidosis is a recessively inherited enzyme deficiency that can affect the central nervous system. A carrier does not become ill from the variant but can pass it on. A DNA test is available, allowing the breeder to document the parents' status and avoid a mating that could produce affected puppies. Understanding the verified results matters more than demanding the same set of tests for every dog.

In everyday life, check the ears and monitor body condition regularly. Recurrent ear trouble, changes in the eyes, lameness or other symptoms should be assessed by a vet. Do not assume that a problem is harmless simply because someone calls it “typical of the breed”.

## History & Origins

The English Springer Spaniel comes from Britain's old spaniel tradition. These dogs were used to find and flush game for hunting with nets, falcons or Greyhounds. As shooting developed, their work became searching ahead of the gun, flushing game and then retrieving it.

The word “springer” refers to making game leave its hiding place. The Kennel Club recognised the English Springer Spaniel as a distinct breed in 1902. Sweden's Springerklubben was founded in 1982.

Breeding has followed different directions for many years. Working populations have primarily been selected for performance, while others have been selected more for conformation and the show ring. This is an important historical and practical distinction, but it does not create two simple personality templates. There is variation within both directions, and modern dogs may take part in several activities. A buyer should therefore assess the particular breeder's aims, the parents and the wider family rather than relying on a label alone.

## Living with the Breed

An English Springer Spaniel can live in a flat if it receives sufficient activity, recovery time and access to countryside or other suitable training environments. A garden does not replace walks and activities with its owner. What matters is how the dog's day is spent, not whether the home is a house or a flat.

Time alone must be introduced gradually. Begin with very short periods when the dog feels secure and settled, and increase the duration only when it can relax. Individuals vary, so do not organise daily life on the assumption that the breed name guarantees a certain number of hours alone.

An adult should always supervise time with young children, and the dog needs a resting place where it will not be disturbed. The standard's description of a friendly dog never replaces supervision. Take the same care with other animals. When introducing a cat, prevent the dog from chasing, keep meetings brief and controlled, and give the cat its own escape routes. Whether a particular dog lives well with cats or other dogs depends on the individual, its previous experience and the introduction.

When considering a puppy, it is particularly useful to check:

- the breeder's goals and whether the dogs' level of working drive suits your life
- both parents' official hip results, not merely that they have been X-rayed
- the date and full result of eye examinations, including any gonioscopy
- verified fucosidosis status where relevant to the mating
- how the parents and close relatives behave in everyday life, ideally supplemented by BPH or working results
- how the puppies are introduced to handling, rest, different environments and ordinary family life.

The best match is a dog whose likely activity level, willingness to work and sensitivity fit the owner's real routine. For an English Springer Spaniel, that assessment is more valuable than promises that the breed is always easy, good with children or the same regardless of breeding direction.

English Springer Spaniel

Norwegian Kennel Club (Norsk Kennel Klub)

Société Centrale Canine (French Kennel Club)

The English Springer Spaniel is a medium, athletic gundog with a feathered, weather‑resistant coat needing regular grooming. Cheerful, affectionate and people‑oriented, it requires 1.5–2 hours of daily mental and physical exercise. Generally healthy, active, and suited to engaged, outdoorsy homes.

Soludden

## Quick Facts

The Australian Shepherd was developed in the United States as a herding and working dog and suits people who want to train and work with their dog every day. It is quick, responsive and versatile, but its working drive and guarding and herding instincts mean it is rarely suited to someone primarily looking for an undemanding companion.

- The breed belongs to FCI Group 1 and was developed to work sheep and cattle on farms and ranches.
- Desirable height at the withers is 51–58 cm for males and 46–53 cm for females. The breed standard gives no ideal weight.
- The coat is medium-length, weather-resistant and has an undercoat. The base colours are blue merle, black, red merle and red, with or without white markings and tan points.
- The tail may be naturally long or short. Tail docking is prohibited in Sweden.
- An Australian Shepherd needs daily physical activity, problem-solving, co-operation and opportunities to settle.
- For Swedish breeding dogs, official hip dysplasia (HD) status and known mental status through an MH assessment are key checks. MH records reactions; it is not a pass-or-fail test.

## Appearance & Coat

The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized, well-balanced and mobile dog that should be slightly longer than tall. It should be muscular and solid without becoming heavy or clumsy, because its construction must allow quick changes of direction and sustained work. The standard specifies desirable height but no ideal weight. Assess an adult by its proportions, body condition, movement and function rather than relying on a weight range said to come from the standard.

The coat is straight to wavy, medium-length and weather-resistant. The amount of undercoat varies with factors including climate and season. A correct coat needs regular combing and closer checks during shedding, but not an identical weekly schedule for every dog. Feel through the coat to the skin and pay particular attention to areas where friction can easily cause tangles, such as behind the ears and in the feathering. Check the skin, paws and nails at the same time after work in woodland or rough ground.

The four base colours are blue merle, black, red merle and red. All may occur with or without white markings and tan points. Eyes may be brown, blue or amber, including combinations, flecks and marbling. Different-coloured eyes are therefore permitted and, by themselves, say nothing about the dog's temperament.

The tail may be naturally long or naturally short. The latter is often called NBT, natural bobtail, and must not be confused with a docked tail. The Swedish Kennel Club registers the breed with a tail designation showing whether the dog has a full-length tail, a bobtail, a tail shorter than normal, no tail or a docked tail. For a puppy buyer, the registration entry is better evidence than guessing from a photograph.

## Temperament & Personality

According to the breed standard, the Australian Shepherd should be an intelligent working dog with strong herding and guarding instincts, an even disposition and a good-natured manner. It may be reserved when first meeting strangers, but breed-typical neutrality is not the same as fear or aggression. The Swedish Australian Shepherd Club therefore emphasises that neutral is a clearer term than reserved.

There is considerable variation between individuals and families. Some dogs work very intensely in relation to people and their surroundings, while others are more balanced in everyday life; the strength of herding, guarding, sound reactions and social interest can also differ. Labels such as working line or show line are not enough to predict a puppy's temperament. Look instead at the parents, mature close relatives, the breeder's goals, working records and documented mental assessments.

As a herding dog, the breed uses its body and movement to control livestock. This can produce a strong interest in things that move. In daily life, a dog may want to follow, stop or control running children, bicycles, joggers or other animals. This is a possible breed trait, not something every Australian Shepherd does and not an excuse to let the behaviour continue. Distance, a lead or barrier, a trained alternative and rewards for checking in make the situation safer while the skill is being taught.

MH is particularly useful when comparing breeding dogs and relatives. The assessment records how a dog reacted to contact, handling, play, surprises, noise and gunshots, among other things. It cannot on its own predict how a puppy will develop, and it does not measure the whole of working ability. Read the full record and ask how the dog behaves and recovers in ordinary environments.

## Training & Exercise

An Australian Shepherd needs both movement and tasks involving scent work, problem-solving and co-operation every day, but a fixed number of hours does not describe what an individual dog needs. A calm woodland walk, tracking or searching, everyday obedience, herding, working trials, agility and other well-planned training place different demands on the dog. Adapt volume and intensity to age, health, previous conditioning and recovery.

A manageable daily life requires more than making the dog physically tired. Prioritise the following from an early age:

- engagement and responsiveness even when something is moving nearby,
- recall, first practised in an easy setting and secured with a long line when needed,
- loose-lead walking, handling and the ability to wait,
- a clear transition between activity and calm,
- the ability to disengage from following or controlling children, vehicles and animals.

Training should be reward-based, progressive and adapted to the individual. The breed often learns quickly, which also means accidentally rewarded habits can become established quickly. Make the desired behaviour easy to choose, increase difficulty gradually and do not use fear, threats or physical punishment.

Puppies and young dogs need movement, environmental experience, rest and short learning sessions, not an adult dog's workload or an exercise schedule based on a fixed number of minutes. The aim is a dog that can work with commitment, remain responsive and then settle. If activity increases while the dog finds it harder to sleep, relax or cope with everyday stimuli, the plan needs reviewing rather than simply adding more speed.

## Health

For a Swedish puppy buyer, the crucial distinction is between binding registration rules, breed-club recommendations and optional DNA tests. Under the current Swedish Kennel Club rules, official hip dysplasia status is required before mating and, for resident Swedish breeding dogs covered by the rules, known mental status through a complete MH assessment is also required. Known status does not automatically mean a good hip result or a desirable mental profile; check the actual result.

In its breed-specific breeding strategy, SASK generally recommends hip grades A or B and an eye examination for breeding dogs. The club also highlights the value of checking hip results in close relatives because the breed has no hip index. Elbow dysplasia (ED) screening is voluntary and is not a specific registration requirement for the breed. Ask the breeder to show what was actually examined, on which dog, on what date and with what result rather than accepting the phrase health tested.

DNA tests are available for CEA, HSF4 and MDR1, among others, but SASK does not prescribe one universal panel for every mating. Each test concerns a particular gene or risk variant. A clear HSF4 result, for example, does not rule out every form of cataract and does not replace a clinical eye examination. Relevant tests are selected according to documented risks in the family and the planned mating.

MDR1, also called ABCB1, can affect how certain medicines are distributed in the body and reach the brain. An individual dog's status cannot be determined from its appearance. If the dog has been tested, the result should be recorded in its veterinary notes; medicine selection and dosage always belong with the veterinarian.

Two merle dogs should not be mated. The combination can produce puppies with two copies of the merle variant and an increased risk of deafness and visual or eye abnormalities. The naturally short NBT tail has a different genetic basis. SASK recommends caution with matings in which both parents carry the NBT variant as well, but the two issues should not be confused.

## History & Origins

Despite its name, the Australian Shepherd as it is known today was developed in the United States. The FCI standard links the name to Basque shepherds who came to the United States from Australia during the nineteenth century. The precise contribution of older herding dogs is less certain, so a detailed account of a fixed breed recipe should be treated as theory.

American sheep and cattle farmers continued selecting dogs for versatility, independent work, intelligence and herding ability. After the Second World War, awareness of the breed grew as Western riding, rodeos, horse shows, films and television reached a wider audience. The modern breed's American ranch background explains both the paradox in its name and why function remains central to its description.

## Living with the Breed

The Australian Shepherd is best suited to a routine that includes planned activity, learning and recovery even during ordinary working weeks. A large garden does not replace shared tasks, and competition ambitions are unnecessary if the dog still has a meaningful and varied life. Anyone wanting a dog that mainly joins shorter walks should choose a less demanding type.

With children, an adult should always be present, the dog needs an undisturbed resting place and the household needs a plan for high-energy play. Interrupt and create distance before the dog begins to fixate on or control movement. Children should not be responsible for situations in which a quick, strong dog may react to its surroundings.

Living with dogs or cats depends on the individuals and the introduction, not the breed name. Find out about the parents' and the particular dog's history. Begin calmly with separate safe spaces, a barrier and a lead, give the cat an unobstructed escape route and progress only when both animals can remain relaxed. Small pets may require permanent physical separation.

The breed can live in a flat if it gets enough time outdoors, meaningful tasks and rest, and the owner can manage reactions to noise. In a building with poor sound insulation, owners need to prevent noises in shared areas from prompting the dog to guard and bark. Time alone should be trained gradually and judged by the individual dog's behaviour. The Swedish Board of Agriculture's advice to take a dog out at least every six hours during the day is an outing guideline, not a measure of how long an individual is comfortable being alone.

Before buying a puppy, ask for the parents' registration numbers, hip results, full MH records, dates and results of eye examinations, and relevant DNA results. Also check the tail designation and working achievements, and ask how mature close relatives behave around people, noise, movement, rest and recovery. Those details say more about what daily life with the dog is likely to be like than colour, eyes or whether the breeder calls the dogs working-line or show-line.

Australian Shepherd

Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK)

Dansk Kennel Klub (DKK)

The Australian Shepherd is a medium, athletic herding dog, highly intelligent and energetic. Loyal and people oriented, it bonds closely and needs substantial daily exercise, training, and mental work. Its striking, weather resistant coat and varied eye colors add to its appeal.

Electric vibes

Misa

## 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

Norwegian Kennel Club

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.

Jag föder upp Jack Russel Terrier i mindre skala. Min ambition är att föda upp rastypiska, friska valpar med god mentalitet och med en stamtavla som lämpar sig för utställning för den som vill.

Strids

## Quick Facts

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

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

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

## Appearance & Coat

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

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

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

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

## Temperament & Personality

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

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

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

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

## Training & Exercise

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

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

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

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

## Health

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

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

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

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

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

## History & Origins

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

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

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

## Living with the Breed

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

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

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

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

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

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

Japanese Spitz

Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

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

Star of hearts

Vi har Slovensky kopov just nu har vi vår sista kull.Sen föder Vi upp långhårig tax i alla 3 storlekarna. Vi har i snitt 2 kullar om året. Alla hundar bor med oss inne. Vi ställer ut och spårar med hundarna. Kopoven jagar gris,hjort och älg.

Koppargläntan

## Quick Facts

- The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large Swiss farm dog originally used for guarding, draught work and driving cattle. Today, it is primarily a companion and versatile working dog.
- Males stand 64–70 cm at the withers, with 66–68 cm preferred. Females stand 58–66 cm, with 60–63 cm preferred. The breed standard does not specify a weight.
- The breed should be self-confident, attentive, good-natured and devoted to its family, as well as friendly towards strangers.
- An adult needs substantial activity every day. Puppies and young dogs should not be given structured conditioning work or heavy physical loads.
- The long double coat normally needs a thorough brush each week, and more often during moulting.
- In Sweden, both parents must have official hip and elbow results before mating. The HS test for histiocytic sarcoma estimates risk; it does not say that a dog is healthy or affected.
- Tumours and low longevity are the breed's most serious health concerns. The lifespan and documented causes of death among relatives therefore matter when choosing a puppy.

## Appearance & Coat

The Bernese Mountain Dog is large and powerful, but it should also be mobile, harmonious and well balanced. Its body is roughly ten per cent longer than its height at the withers and should look compact rather than elongated. A heavy outline is not the same as correct breed type: the dog should move freely and carry its size without being overweight.

Males should stand 64–70 cm, ideally 66–68 cm. Females should stand 58–66 cm, ideally 60–63 cm. The breed standard gives no weight range. Assess an adult by its proportions, muscle and body condition instead of aiming for a particular number on the scales.

The head should be powerful without being too heavy. The eyes are dark brown and almond-shaped, and the ears are medium-sized and triangular. The bushy tail reaches at least to the hock and hangs down when the dog is relaxed, but may rise to the level of the back when moving.

The coat is long and glossy, either straight or slightly wavy. The base colour is jet black, with rich rust markings on the cheeks, above the eyes, on the legs and on the chest. White appears in places including a symmetrical blaze and the throat and chest. White feet and a white tail tip are desirable, but symmetry of markings says nothing about a dog's health.

The Swedish Kennel Club's breed guide recommends brushing or combing once a week and daily during moulting. Adapt this to the individual dog and the season. Work down to the skin and check behind the ears, in the armpits and through the feathering, where tangles can hide. At the same time, feel for lumps, tenderness and changes to the skin.

Schedule longer summer activities for cooler parts of the day, provide shade and water, and let the dog rest if it is not recovering normally. Never leave a dog in a hot car, even in the shade or with a window partly open.

## Temperament & Personality

A typical Bernese Mountain Dog should be confident, good-natured and biddable, not fearful or aggressive. The standard also describes an attentive, watchful dog that is devoted to its family and friendly towards strangers. This is a breeding and temperament goal, not a guarantee for every puppy or every situation.

The breed is often sociable and willing to cooperate, but a boisterous adolescent of this size can knock over a child, pull an adult off balance or crowd a visitor without any aggressive intent. From an early age, teach four paws on the floor, calm greetings, loose-lead walking and settling in a designated place.

Socialisation does not mean making the puppy greet everyone. Offer calm experiences of people, dogs, traffic, surfaces, handling and different environments, while allowing it to watch from a distance. Repeated fearfulness should be taken seriously rather than dismissed as the breed being “sensitive”.

A Bernese Mountain Dog can live successfully with children and other animals, but the individual and the introduction make the difference. Children should not climb on the dog or disturb it when sleeping. The dog needs a quiet resting place, and an adult should always supervise interactions between dogs and young children.

## Training & Exercise

An adult Bernese Mountain Dog needs proper exercise and meaningful activity every day, but there is no universal number of minutes. Adapt the amount to age, body condition, health, fitness, surface and temperature. Walks with time to sniff, everyday training, scent work and play create a better routine than simply trying to exhaust the dog.

For puppies and young dogs, the Swedish Kennel Club distinguishes natural movement from deliberate exercise. Let the dog move at its own pace and rest when needed. Planned runs, repeated jumping and heavy draught work should wait until the dog is physically mature. Do not rely on a simple five-minute rule; adjust activity according to the dog's movement, fatigue and recovery.

Short, clear, reward-based sessions work well. Prioritise skills that become difficult to teach only after the dog has reached its full size:

- walking on a loose lead and turning with the handler
- greeting without jumping up or leaning its full weight against someone
- recall and engagement around distractions
- waiting at doorways and getting calmly in and out of the car
- cooperative handling of paws, mouth, ears and coat

The breed's heritage can be channelled into scent work, obedience, rally, carrying a dog pack, or the breed club's draught and working tests. Pulling a load requires suitable equipment, gradual preparation and a physically mature, healthy dog.

## Health

Health and longevity must carry considerable weight when choosing a Bernese Mountain Dog. The current Swedish breeding strategy identifies tumours as the breed's greatest health problem and shows that low longevity remains an issue. Even so, nobody can promise how many years an individual dog will live.

In the Swedish insurance mortality data for 2016–2021 reported in the breeding strategy, the median age was 5.5 years. In a Swiss study of club-registered dogs born in 2001–2002, median survival was 8.4 years. The populations, periods and methods differ, so these figures are not the same kind of forecast. They show why health and longevity in close relatives are more useful than one general range.

Tumours accounted for more than half of deaths in both a Swiss and a Dutch study. Histiocytic sarcoma is the tumour type specifically targeted by the breed's health programme. The HS test places dogs in lower, average or higher genetic risk groups relative to the breed. It is not a diagnostic test: a lower-risk dog may still develop the disease, while a higher-risk dog may remain healthy.

HSIMS estimates the risk of a proposed mating from the parents' HS results. It must be considered alongside longevity, other aspects of health, relatedness and function. Selecting solely for the lowest risk would reduce genetic diversity. The Swedish breeding strategy recommends HS testing, but it is not required for registration with the Swedish Kennel Club. Since 2025, however, the Swedish Sennenhund Club's puppy-listing service has required both parents to be tested.

Both parents must have official hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia status before mating for their offspring to be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club. Dogs with HD grades D or E and ED grades 2 or 3 must not be used. The breeding strategy also recommends parents free from ED and a combined HD and ED index above 100. An index of 100 is the breed average and incorporates information from relatives, so indices and the results of screened littermates reveal more than one isolated result.

Renal dysplasia, or RD, is a serious developmental kidney disorder that mainly affects young dogs. Confirmed cases are recorded centrally, and a definitive diagnosis requires examination of kidney tissue. Familial nephropathy is another documented kidney disease and more often affects young adults. There is no simple DNA test that can show that a proposed mating is free from the inherited risk behind these diseases.

Ask the breeder to show and explain:

- the parents' official hip and elbow results and the proposed mating's current indices
- how many littermates and previous offspring have been screened, and their results
- HS results and how HSIMS and genetic diversity have been taken into account
- kidney disease, tumour diagnoses, longevity and verified causes of death among parents, siblings and older relatives

## History & Origins

The Bernese Mountain Dog has a documented history as a farm dog in the Alpine region around Bern, Switzerland. It guarded farms, pulled loads and helped with cattle. The dogs were known as Dürrbächler after the Dürrbach inn near Riggisberg, where the long-haired, tricoloured type was common.

Dürrbächler dogs were shown at dog shows in 1902, 1904 and 1907. In November 1907, breeders around Burgdorf founded the Schweizerischen Dürrbach-Klub to breed the dogs to a consistent type and define their characteristics. The name Bernese Mountain Dog was later established in relation to the other Swiss mountain dog breeds.

The claim that the breed descends from Roman mastiffs is often repeated, but it is not part of the securely documented history. The reliable account centres on the local farm dog around Bern, its work in guarding, draught and cattle handling, and the organised development of the breed in the early twentieth century.

## Living with the Breed

A Bernese Mountain Dog needs practical space in daily life, not just enough floor area. Flat living can work, but check the stairs, lift, slippery floors, access to suitable walking areas and how an ill dog could be transported. A garden is useful, but it does not replace walks and shared activity.

Plan for a large bed, a car and harness that can accommodate the dog, food, insurance and somewhere to dry a wet coat. Add non-slip surfaces where needed. It is better to solve these practical issues while the dog is young than when it is in pain.

Time alone must be trained to suit the individual. Begin with very short separations while the dog is settled, and increase them only when it can lie down and relax. Persistent whining, pacing, panting or scratching shows that the step was too difficult. The breed's devotion does not prove that it will have separation problems, but nor does it guarantee that a dog can cope with a whole working day alone.

Introduce dogs and cats gradually. Keep them apart at first, let them become used to each other's scent, give the cat a dog-free place and prevent the dog from chasing. Brief meetings through a gate or with the dog on a lead can then be extended when both animals are relaxed. The same calm principle applies when meeting other dogs; the Bernese Mountain Dog's size makes early lead control particularly important.

A good breeder can discuss both strengths and problems in the family and provides documentation, not merely the names of tests. Choose a mating in which health, temperament, function and genetic diversity have been considered together. Openness about ill and deceased relatives is at least as valuable as good results for the parents.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Deutscher Club für Berner Sennenhunde e.V. (Germany)

Société Centrale Canine (France)

Large Swiss farm-bred dog with a strong, balanced build and a thick tricolour coat. Affectionate, people focused, and usually gentle with children. Needs moderate daily exercise, cool climates, regular grooming, and kind training. Health screening is crucial due to joint issues and cancers.

Lad’s

## 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 Danish Kennel 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.

Vangarion

## Quick Facts

The Miniature Pinscher is a small, active and self-assured companion dog that needs far more consistent training and guidance than its size might suggest.

- The breed comes from Germany and is a breed in its own right, not a scaled-down Dobermann.
- Under the breed standard, an adult Miniature Pinscher should stand 25–30 cm and weigh 4–6 kg.
- The coat is short, smooth and easy to care for. The colours recognised in the Swedish breed standard are shades of red and black with red or rust-coloured tan markings.
- The Miniature Pinscher is lively, quick to learn and alert. Its watchdog instinct may show as barking at noises and visitors.
- Daily walks need to be combined with scent work, play, problem-solving or another form of mental activity.
- Swedish breeding work focuses particularly on kneecaps, eyes and dental health.
- The breed can live successfully in a flat and with a family, provided there is room in daily life for activity, training around everyday noises, gradual training for time alone and gentle handling.

## Appearance & Coat

The Miniature Pinscher is compact and elegant but should look neither fragile nor exaggeratedly small. Its body should be as square as possible, with height and length roughly equal, and the short coat makes its outline easy to see. Dogs and bitches have the same standard measurements: a height of 25–30 cm at the withers and a weight of 4–6 kg.

The breed has dark, oval eyes and either erect ears or V-shaped ears that fold forwards. The tail is natural. Tail docking is prohibited in Sweden.

The breed standard calls for harmonious, free, ground-covering movement with a firm back. The high, exaggerated front action sometimes called a hackney gait is therefore not the ideal under the Swedish standard; it is specifically listed as a fault.

The coat should be short, dense, smooth and glossy. It normally needs no more than an occasional once-over with a soft brush or grooming mitt, plus a bath when the dog is dirty. Use the same opportunity to check the nails, skin, ears and teeth so that small changes are noticed early.

The Swedish and international FCI standards recognise two colour varieties:

- solid deer red, reddish-brown or dark red-brown
- jet black with clearly defined red or rust-coloured tan markings

Brown, blue and other so-called special colours are not included in the Swedish FCI standard. If a puppy is advertised in an unusual colour, it is sensible to ask which country’s standard the breeder is referring to.

Because the Miniature Pinscher is both small and short-coated, it may need help keeping warm in Swedish winter weather. Adjust the length of the walk to the individual dog, keep it moving and use a well-fitting coat in cold weather if it becomes tense, lifts its paws, shivers or seeks warmth. Not every dog needs a coat at the same temperature.

## Temperament & Personality

The Miniature Pinscher is typically lively, spirited, self-assured and alert. It often wants to stay close to its family, learns quickly and notices small changes around it. These qualities can make the breed both enjoyable to train and demanding to live with: a dog that quickly discovers the right reward will also soon learn which noises, doors and movements make people react.

Its watchdog instinct should be taken seriously without being encouraged. A Miniature Pinscher may announce someone’s arrival, but in a home with neighbours the aim should be for the dog to register a noise and then settle again. Start early with calm practice around the doorbell, visitors and sounds in communal hallways. Reward quiet behaviour before barking has developed into a long sequence.

Swedish behaviour assessments give a more nuanced picture than labels such as ‘tough’ or ‘stubborn’. Results from BPH, Sweden’s Behaviour and Personality Assessment for Dogs, show curiosity, interest in food and interest in the dog’s own toy among the assessed population. Many of those dogs were less interested in greeting or playing with strangers than with people they knew. The results apply to the dogs that took part, not to every Miniature Pinscher. When choosing a puppy, the everyday behaviour of its parents and close relatives matters more than a general breed description.

Fear, aggression or constant stress should not be dismissed as the breed being a ‘big dog in a small body’. A sound Miniature Pinscher may have clear personal boundaries and be reserved, but it should be able to recover and cope with everyday life.

## Training & Exercise

The Miniature Pinscher needs physical exercise and mental tasks every day, but no single number of minutes suits every dog. Age, health, pace, terrain and what the dog gets to do matter more than a number. A relaxed sniffing walk, a few short training sessions and some play can offer more than an equally long but stressful outing with no chance to explore.

A good routine combines:

- walks that allow the dog to sniff and move through varied surroundings
- short sessions on engagement, walking with you, recall and lead manners
- scent games, problem-solving or tricks
- play with a clear beginning and end
- undisturbed rest and practice in settling down

Train kindly and consistently. Short sessions, clear tasks and rewards the dog genuinely values usually work better than nagging or harsh corrections. Build recall step by step on a long line, moving to more difficult surroundings only when the dog succeeds somewhere calm. Use a lead wherever traffic, open doors or a lack of fencing could turn one quick mistake into an accident.

Get the puppy used to nail trimming, mouth and tooth checks, a harness, a coat and being lifted safely. Include calm-time practice too. A dog that is given more fast-paced activity whenever it becomes overexcited does not automatically learn how to switch off.

## Health

The Miniature Pinscher is described as a relatively healthy breed, but puppy buyers in Sweden should pay particular attention to kneecaps, eyes and teeth. These are the priorities in the Swedish breed club’s breeding strategy adopted in 2025.

Patellar luxation means that the kneecap can move out of its normal position and may cause pain or lameness. The breed club recommends an official patellar examination, recorded as clear, for breeding dogs over twelve months old. Ask to see the result for both parents and check that it has been registered rather than relying on a verbal assurance.

An eye examination is recommended before breeding. The dog should be at least one year old at its first examination, and the result should ideally be no more than three years old at the time of mating. A finding must be assessed against the veterinary breeding advice, so ‘examined’ does not automatically mean ‘no findings’.

Dental health is a clear area for improvement. In the breed club’s health survey of 298 anonymous responses, 33 per cent reported tartar problems and 14 per cent reported periodontitis. Because these figures are based on owners’ own reports, they do not show how common the problems are across the whole breed. They do, however, show why dental care should not be treated as an afterthought. Brush the teeth, preferably every day, and introduce handling gradually. During the change of teeth at around five to six months, check that retained deciduous teeth are not affecting the adult bite.

Ask the breeder about health and longevity among close relatives, the family’s dental health, and whether the parents have completed BPH or MH, the Swedish mental assessment. No examination can guarantee a problem-free dog, but documented results make risk easier to judge.

## History & Origins

The Miniature Pinscher is a German pinscher breed with a history as a ratter and watchdog, not a smaller version of the Dobermann. Similarities in outline and black-and-red colouring have caused the misunderstanding, but the breed standard describes the Miniature Pinscher as a miniaturised image of the German Pinscher.

Small, smooth-coated pinscher types have deep roots in Germany. The organised development of the breed as we know it gathered pace in the 1870s, and the German pinscher club was founded in 1895. Miniature Pinschers were already numerous around 1900; the German stud book recorded about 1,300 individuals in 1925.

The first documented import to Sweden arrived in 1905. The breed is now chiefly a companion dog, but its history can still be seen in its vigilance, speed and readiness to investigate small movements in its surroundings.

## Living with the Breed

The Miniature Pinscher can live well in either a flat or a house, but its small size does not make daily life effortless. In a flat, training around noise, planned activity and the ability to settle are especially important. A garden may make toilet breaks easier, but it does not replace walks, exposure to different surroundings or time with the owner.

Being left alone is a trained skill and varies between individuals. A young puppy should not be left alone. Start only when the puppy feels secure in its new home, leave for a very short time and extend the period when it remains calm. An adult dog that has been trained gradually may cope with a few hours, but a full working day away from home requires another arrangement. Take the training back a step if the dog barks, howls, paces or shows other signs of distress.

The breed can be a good family dog when an adult guides interactions with children. A Miniature Pinscher is small enough to be hurt if it is dropped, stepped on or lifted incorrectly. Young children and dogs should always have an adult present, and the dog needs its own resting place where it will be left undisturbed. The child’s age matters less than the family’s ability to respect the dog’s signals.

Introductions to other dogs should be calm and controlled. Living with a cat depends on the individuals and the way they are introduced. Particular care is needed around rodents, birds and other very small animals because the breed’s background as a ratter remains relevant; do not leave them together without secure separation.

Before buying a puppy, look beyond the advert. Ask for registered patella and eye results, enquire about dental health and BPH or MH, and, if possible, meet the mother and other adult relatives. Ask the breeder how their dogs respond to visitors, noises and handling, and how readily they settle again. The best match is not necessarily the puppy that looks boldest for five minutes, but the one with a good chance of thriving in the life you can offer.

Miniature Pinscher

The Miniature Pinscher is a small, square-built, muscular toy breed with a short, sleek, low-shedding coat and high-stepping gait. Energetic, bold, and alert, it’s an affectionate yet independent companion and effective little watchdog, thriving with active, engaged owners.

Millenhoff’s

## Quick Facts

- The Shetland Sheepdog, often called a Sheltie, is a small British companion and herding dog with a background as a farm dog on the Shetland Islands.
- The breed standard describes an active, alert, friendly and intelligent dog that is attentive to its owner. Reserve towards strangers is acceptable, but nervousness is not.
- The ideal height at the withers is 37 cm for males and 35.5 cm for females. The breed standard specifies no ideal weight.
- The long double coat needs to be groomed through to the skin, especially behind the ears and during shedding, but should not require routine full-body clipping.
- The breed is best suited to someone who wants to combine everyday exercise with training, scent work or other mental activity and who can work calmly on sounds, environments and time alone.
- When choosing a puppy, documented eye results, the temperament of close relatives and knowledge of MDR1 and merle matter more than general promises that the breed is always healthy or easy to live with.

## Appearance & Coat

The Shetland Sheepdog is a small, light and agile dog that should be slightly longer than tall. The breed standard's ideals are 37 cm at the withers for males and 35.5 cm for females; a deviation of more than 2.5 cm in either direction is highly undesirable under the standard. These are ideals for breed assessment, not a guarantee for every individual. The standard gives no ideal weight, so body condition and build are better guides than a single figure on the scales.

The head should form a long, blunt wedge. The skull and muzzle should be equal in length, with the midpoint at the inner corner of the eye. The eyes are almond-shaped and usually dark brown; in blue merles they may be wholly or partly blue. The small ears are carried back at rest and brought forward with folded tips when the dog is alert.

The coat is double: the outer coat is long, straight and somewhat harsh, while the undercoat is short, soft and dense. A thorough grooming about once a week suits many dogs, with more frequent care during shedding. Comb all the way to the skin and pay particular attention behind the ears. Hair around the feet and on the hocks can be tidied when needed. After a bath, the coat needs to dry right through to the skin.

Accepted colours are sable, tricolour, blue merle, black and white, and black and tan, although the last is not seen in modern times. Blue merle should have an overall silver-blue appearance with black marbling. White markings may appear on areas including the blaze, collar, chest, frill, legs and tip of the tail; white body patches, however, are highly undesirable under the standard. The colour standard and the genetic rules for merle are separate issues.

## Temperament & Personality

A typical Shetland Sheepdog is alert, friendly, intelligent and closely focused on its owner, but individuals differ clearly in sociability, sensitivity to sound and confidence. A dog may be cool towards strangers and choose not to greet them, but fear should not be dismissed as normal reserve.

The Swedish Kennel Club's BPH behavioural analysis shows why an average is not enough when choosing a dog. The Shelties described showed little fear in several test situations, but there was marked variation in situations including greetings and surprises. The analysis applies to the participants and cannot predict an individual puppy. Ask how the parents and close relatives react to strangers, sounds and new environments, and how quickly they recover.

The breed historically had to stay watchful and raise the alarm. This can make barking an important everyday consideration, but it does not mean that every Sheltie is very vocal. The fact that few dogs barked or whined where noise was not expected during BPH does not mean that the breed is always quiet at home when someone walks through the stairwell. Assess the individual dog and rearing environment you are actually choosing.

Shelties are described as dogs that can typically mix with other dogs without conflict, but this guarantees neither every encounter nor life with cats and small pets. Early experiences, the individual dog's behaviour and controlled introductions all matter greatly.

## Training & Exercise

The Shetland Sheepdog needs physical activity and mental tasks every day, but there is no serious minute-by-minute quota that suits every individual. A good routine alternates walks with opportunities to sniff, short training sessions, play and rest. Agility, rally obedience, obedience, nose work and trick training can suit the breed's speed and willingness to cooperate, but dog sport is not essential if everyday life already provides varied movement and problem-solving.

Use reward-based, progressive training that takes the dog's sensitivity into account. Harsh voices can increase uncertainty; make the situation easier instead and reward the behaviour you want. For a dog that reacts to sounds at the door, movement outside a window or visitors, you can:

- increase the distance or block the trigger so the dog can still think;
- reward the dog for turning back to you and settling calmly in a designated place;
- practise with quiet, predictable sounds before increasing the difficulty;
- give the dog a break if it cannot take a reward or settle.

The aim is not to stop all communication, but to help the dog disengage, recover and settle. If your particular dog starts chasing, circling or nipping at running children, bicycles or other fast movement, treat it as a specific safety and training problem rather than excusing it as breed background. Use a lead or distance while teaching a safe alternative.

Puppies need short, positive experiences and plenty of recovery. Increase demands and difficulty in line with the dog's age, fitness and confidence. In an adult dog, the ability to rest between activities matters just as much as the distance it can walk.

## Health

The Shetland Sheepdog has several well-documented health concerns, particularly involving the eyes, and a sound puppy choice starts with verifiable results rather than the phrase “healthy lines”. Ask the breeder to show registered examinations and explain why the particular parent combination was chosen.

CEA, collie eye anomaly, is a congenital change in the development of the eye. The milder change, CRD, is not normally considered to affect vision, while coloboma can. Some CEA changes are easiest to see when a young puppy receives an eye examination and may later be hidden by pigment. PRA, by contrast, is a progressive retinal disease that can lead to blindness. A DNA test shows whether the dog has a particular tested genetic variant; it does not reveal every eye change. The breed has more than one form of PRA as well as other retinal diseases, so DNA testing and a clinical eye examination answer different questions.

The former Swedish health programme that required an eye certificate no more than one year old before breeding ended in 2017. The breed club's breed-specific breeding strategy, RAS, recommends eye examinations for puppies, an examination after one year of age before breeding and follow-up of older breeding dogs. Recommendations are not the same as registration requirements. Check the Swedish Kennel Club's latest rules and registered results before buying or breeding.

MDR1, also called ABCB1, affects a transport protein that helps protect the brain from certain substances. The mutation has been found in Shetland Sheepdogs and can increase the risk of serious adverse reactions to some medicines. Only an individual DNA test establishes a particular dog's status. Keep the result and show it to the veterinarian; never change a dose or treatment based on a list found online.

Injuries to the hock and other joint problems are also documented in the breed's Swedish breeding strategy. Ask about lameness, hock problems and joint results in the parents and older relatives, but do not treat a single radiograph result as a complete guarantee.

Blue merle is an accepted colour, but two dogs carrying merle must not be mated. Doubling the variant creates a risk of serious defects, including defects of sight and hearing. The Swedish Kennel Club prohibits registration of offspring from two merle Shelties and has specific rules for hidden merle in sable offspring.

## History & Origins

The Shetland Sheepdog comes from the Shetland Islands and developed from small farm dogs. Crosses with Collies are documented, while much else about the early ancestry rests on assumptions.

On the islands, the dogs were used, among other things, to keep sheep away from crops and to raise the alarm on the farm. They are therefore not described primarily as specialised herding dogs of the modern kind. Their small size and weather-resistant coat suited a harsh, windy and damp climate where resources were limited.

During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the breed was shaped towards a more consistent type. The British Kennel Club recognised the Shetland Sheepdog in 1914, and the first individual arrived in Sweden in 1930. The Sheltie is a distinct FCI-recognised breed with its own standard, size and development.

## Living with the Breed

The Shetland Sheepdog can live successfully with children, other animals and in a flat, but only when the individual dog's temperament and the household routine are a good match. Its size is convenient, while awareness of sound, need for cooperation and variation in confidence may matter more than the home's floor area.

An adult should always supervise interactions in a family with children. Children need to let the dog eat, sleep and withdraw undisturbed. Do not choose the breed solely because it is said to be “good with children”; ask about the dog's own experiences and the parents' temperaments.

Introductions to a cat or another dog should be controlled, with room for distance and separate resting places. Reward calm behaviour and prevent chasing or crowding while the relationship develops. Small pets require physical protection even if the dog appears friendly.

Flat living can work if the dog receives daily activity and can rest despite stairwells, lifts and neighbours. Assess the sound environment and ask which puppies recover easily after new experiences. A garden does not replace walks, training or company.

Time alone must be built up gradually, once the puppy feels secure in the home. Start with very short, uneventful periods and increase them only while the dog remains calm. An adult dog that has learned to be alone may manage a few hours, but individual differences are substantial and a young puppy should not be left alone. If the dog barks, paces, pants or cannot settle, take the training back a step and arrange daily life so the dog is not left beyond its ability.

The breed is a strong choice for someone who appreciates an attentive, trainable dog and is prepared for coat care, sound training and mental activity. It is less suitable for someone seeking a completely independent dog, a guaranteed quiet home or a dog that must be left alone for long working days.

Shetland Sheepdog

Shetland Sheepdog Club of the UK

The Shetland Sheepdog is a small to medium, agile herding breed with a dense double coat and striking colors. Bright, sensitive, and very people focused, it bonds closely with family, is reserved with strangers, excels in dog sports, and needs regular grooming, daily walks, and mental exercise.

## Quick Facts

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

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

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

## Appearance & Coat

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

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

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

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

## Temperament & Personality

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

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

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

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

## Training & Exercise

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

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

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

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

## Health

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

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

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

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

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

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

## History & Origins

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

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

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

## Living with the Breed

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

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

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

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

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

Miniature American Shepherd

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

Gold Zita's

## Quick Facts

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

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

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

## Appearance & Coat

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

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

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

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

## Temperament & Personality

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

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

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

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

## Training & Exercise

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

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

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

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

## Health

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

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

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

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

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

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

## History & Origins

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

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

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

## Living with the Breed

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

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

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

Before buying a puppy, ask for specific evidence:

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

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

Whippet

Swedish Kennel Club

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

En liten uppfödning av en underbar ras whippet.
Nu har vi fjärde kullen till salu.
Jag har fött upp schäfer på 80-90 talet och coton de tulear 2000 talet.
Föder även upp ras katter sibirisk katt och neva masquerade.

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