## Quick Facts

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

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

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

## Appearance & Coat

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

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

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

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

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

## Temperament & Personality

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

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

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

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

## Training & Exercise

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

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

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

## Health

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

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

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

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

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

## History & Origins

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

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

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

## Living with the Breed

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

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

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

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

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

Havanese

The Kennel Club (UK)

Svenska Kennelklubben (Swedish Kennel Club)

Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

Norwegian Kennel Club

Dansk Kennel Klub (Danish Kennel Club)

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

Casa Bichons opdrætter bichon havanais i Jyllinge. Kennelens historie med racen begyndte i 2007, da den første bichon havanais kom til. Dansk Kennel Klubs opdrætteruddannelse blev gennemført i januar 2009, og kennelmærket Casa Bichons blev registreret hos Dansk Kennel Klub i januar 2013. Opdrættet af racen begyndte samme år. Kennelen er medlem af Dansk Kennel Klub og Klubben for Små Selskabshunde. Hvalpene fødes og vokser op sammen med opdrætteren som en del af dagligdagen, og hundene trænes blandt andet i lydighed, agility og udstilling. Casa Bichons har deltaget på udstillinger i Danmark, Sverige, Polen, Holland, Schweiz og Tyskland. Ved Klubben for Små Selskabshundes specialudstilling i Ringsted i september 2023 blev to hunde med kennelnavnet Casa Bichons henholdsvis bedst i modsat køn og bedste junior.

Casa Bichons

## Quick Facts

The Labrador Retriever is a medium-to-large retrieving gundog with roots in Newfoundland, Canada. The breed was developed mainly in Britain. It is known for its willingness to work with people and its interest in carrying and retrieving objects. It is also an active working dog, rather than an automatically easy-going family pet.

- **Height at the withers:** the ideal is 56–57 cm for dogs and 54–56 cm for bitches.
- **Weight:** approximately 25–36 kg is a broad guide for an adult, depending on sex, build and body condition.
- **Typical lifespan:** often around 10–12 years.
- **Recognised colours:** black, yellow or liver. Yellow can range from pale cream to fox red.
- **Coat:** short and dense, with a water-resistant undercoat.
- **Original purpose:** to find and retrieve shot game after the shot.

Labradors are bred with different priorities. Some breeders focus on working ability, others on conformation and companionship, while many aim to combine several qualities. Labels such as “working Labrador” and “show Labrador” therefore do not tell you everything about an individual dog. Look at the parents, adult relatives, working records and how the breeder actually lives and works with their dogs.

## Appearance & Coat

A Labrador should be strongly built, compact and agile without becoming heavy or overweight. Typical features include a broad head, a powerful body, well-angulated limbs and the characteristic “otter tail”: thick at the base, tapering towards the tip and covered in short, dense hair. The ideal height is 56–57 cm for dogs and 54–56 cm for bitches. The number on the scales matters less than a visible waist and ribs that can be felt easily beneath the skin.

The coat has short, dense outer hair and a water-resistant undercoat. It provides good protection in cold, wet conditions, but also means that a Labrador can shed heavily, particularly when the undercoat is changing. Brush more often during shedding periods and bathe the dog when it genuinely needs it. A fixed bathing or brushing timetable will not suit every dog.

Check the skin, paws and ears regularly, especially after bathing or swimming. Dry the outer ear if it is damp, but clean it only when necessary. An unpleasant smell, brown discharge, redness or repeated head shaking should be assessed by a vet rather than treated with routine ear cleaning.

The breed standard recognises solid black, yellow or liver; a small white mark on the chest may occur. “Silver” is not a fourth recognised colour and is registered as a colour that does not conform to the standard. The colour label alone, however, does not justify sweeping claims about an individual dog's health.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed ideal is a friendly, intelligent and biddable dog that enjoys working with its handler. Many Labradors seek social contact, respond well to reward-based training and show enthusiasm in both play and work. No breed description is a guarantee, however. Temperament is also shaped by inheritance, early experience, training, health and everyday surroundings.

The retrieving instinct often appears as a desire to carry things in the mouth. Give the dog suitable objects and teach a calm exchange or “drop” cue instead of chasing it when it picks something up. This makes daily life safer while giving the dog an appropriate outlet for a natural behaviour. Food can be a powerful reward, but play, scent work and the chance to retrieve can also be highly effective.

Differences between breeding lines are real, but they are not absolute. Working-bred dogs are often selected for speed, stamina and focused retrieving work. Dogs from more conformation-led lines may have a different build and working style. This does not mean that every working-bred Labrador struggles to settle or that every show-bred Labrador is calm. Ask the breeder for specific examples of the parents' energy, ability to switch off, noisiness, sociability and willingness to work.

A BPH or MH assessment can add information about how a dog responded in standardised situations. It is a behavioural description, not a temperament test that a dog passes or fails. Consider it alongside your own meetings with the dogs and information about their relatives.

## Training & Exercise

A Labrador needs daily physical activity as well as tasks that engage its nose, memory and partnership with the handler. There is no universal number of hours that suits a puppy, an adult working dog, a family companion and a senior. Adjust the amount and intensity to the dog's age, health, experience and recovery.

Walks can be combined with retrieving, searching for people, tracking, obedience, steadiness exercises and simple scent games. Short, focused sessions are often more useful than repeating the same exercise until the dog loses concentration. Rest and the ability to settle are part of training, not proof that the dog has had too little to do.

Early priorities include a reliable recall, walking on a loose lead, calm handling, steadiness and a clear cue for giving up an object. Use reward-based methods and increase the difficulty gradually. If you use plenty of food in training, count it as part of the dog's daily allowance.

An interest in water is common in the breed, but not every Labrador enjoys swimming and no dog is automatically safe in water. Start in shallow, calm water, let the dog set the pace and make sure it has an easy way out. Supervise around fast-flowing, cold or algae-affected water, and do not throw objects so far that an eager dog is pushed beyond its ability.

## Health

When choosing a puppy, the important question is not simply whether the parents have been “tested”, but which examinations were carried out, when they were done and what the results were. A Labrador's joints, eyes and body condition deserve particular attention.

For a Labrador litter to be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club, both parents must have an official hip dysplasia result before mating. A recorded result is not automatically a clear result. The Swedish Labrador Retriever Club recommends stricter selection: both parents should have clear hip and elbow radiographs and should have had an eye examination within the two years before mating, with no hereditary eye disease apart from specified exceptions.

Ask for the parents' registration numbers and check the actual result, date of examination and, where possible, information about siblings, previous offspring and other close relatives. This provides more information than a general statement that the dogs are health tested.

DNA tests can be valuable when they are used for the right disease and the results of both parents are considered together. A prcd-PRA test, for example, can only provide information about that particular form of retinal disease; it does not exclude other eye diseases or replace a clinical eye examination. For recessive conditions such as EIC, a healthy carrier need not become ill, but the other parent's result must be known to avoid producing affected puppies. A large DNA panel is therefore not proof of good overall health.

Excess weight puts strain on the body and should not be accepted as a normal breed trait. Feel the ribs and look for a clear waist from above and from the side. Weigh the dog regularly and adjust meals, chews and training rewards according to its body condition. Research has linked a POMC gene variant in some Labradors with greater food motivation and higher bodyweight, but not every Labrador carries the variant and obesity is not inevitable.

## History & Origins

The Labrador Retriever has early roots on the coast of Newfoundland in Canada, where dogs of a similar type helped fishermen retrieve objects and catches from the water. During the nineteenth century, such dogs were brought to Britain, where the breed was developed into a specialised retrieving gundog.

The Kennel Club in Britain recognised the Labrador Retriever as a breed in 1903. Its work after the shot shaped several qualities that still characterise the breed: an interest in searching for, carrying and delivering objects, a willingness to cooperate at a distance and an ability to work in water and difficult terrain. Labradors now work in shooting, dog sports and several public-service roles, but their working heritage remains relevant even for someone primarily looking for a companion.

## Living with the Breed

The Labrador Retriever can suit many homes when the owner wants to share an active daily life with the dog and has time for both training and recovery. A garden is not essential and living in a flat can work, but the home cannot replace walks, scent work and other meaningful outdoor activity. The dog should also be taught to remain quiet and settled in stairwells and other shared areas.

Around children, adult supervision, clear rules and an undisturbed resting place for the dog are essential. A young or excited Labrador is strong enough to knock over a small child without intending harm. Children should not be responsible for walking a dog they cannot physically manage.

Many Labradors live happily with other dogs and cats, but breed alone does not determine the outcome. Introduce animals gradually, prevent chasing and crowding, and give the cat high or separate escape routes. Do not leave them alone together until their interactions are calm and predictable.

Time alone needs to be taught in stages. A young puppy should not simply be left; begin with very brief periods once the dog feels secure and increase them only when it can relax. The length of time an adult can cope with being alone varies, so judge the dog's behaviour rather than relying on a universal maximum.

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

- What activities and kind of daily life has the litter been bred for?
- How do the parents work, behave around people and dogs, and settle in practice?
- What official hip, elbow and eye results are available, and what is known about close relatives?
- Are BPH descriptions, field-trial results or other relevant assessments and achievements available, and what do they show?
- How does the breeder match the different puppies with the lives of prospective owners?

The best match depends on more than colour, sex and a line label. Choose a breeder who can describe the dogs' actual qualities, show verifiable health results and speak honestly about variation within the litter.

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers are medium‑large, athletic, friendly dogs with a strong swimming ability and short, dense, water‑repellent coats in yellow, black, or chocolate. Intelligent and food‑motivated, they train easily, need daily exercise and mental work, and are widely used as family and working dogs.

Lab Amazing er en kennel i Køge, der opdrætter labrador retriever. Kennelen er opført på Labrador Retrievers officielle opdrætterliste, som er forbeholdt kenneler under FCI og Dansk Kennel Klub. Ved officielle DKK-udstillinger i 2022 blev en gul hvalp fra opdrættet vist i hvalpeklasse og fik bedømmelsen særdeles lovende. En anden hund fra kennelen blev samme år placeret som nummer ét i babyklasse med den samme bedømmelse. I 2024 var opdrættet desuden repræsenteret i åben klasse ved en officiel udstilling i Tyskland.

Lab Amazing

## Quick Facts

The German Shepherd Dog is a medium-sized, powerful German working, herding and service breed for an owner who wants to train actively and systematically. The breed is cooperative and versatile, but the considerable variation within the breed makes the choice of breeder, parents and litter particularly important.

- **Origin:** Germany
- **Breed group:** FCI Group 1, Sheepdogs and Cattledogs
- **Height at the withers:** males 60–65 cm, females 55–60 cm
- **Weight:** males 30–40 kg, females 22–32 kg
- **Coat:** stock coat or long stock coat, both double coats with an undercoat
- **Activity level:** high; the breed needs physical activity, scent work, problem-solving and cooperation
- **Important before buying:** check the health, temperament, working traits and movement of the parents and close relatives, not only what the breeder calls the line or which show merits the dogs have

A German Shepherd Dog can be a highly capable family and training companion when daily life matches the individual dog's drive to work. It is rarely a good choice, however, for someone who mainly wants an uncomplicated companion dog. A first-time owner needs to be prepared to attend classes, train regularly and seek help early if the dog develops fear, stress, a strong urge to chase moving things or difficulty settling.

## Appearance & Coat

The German Shepherd Dog should be powerful and well muscled without exaggeration in either construction or movement. The body is slightly longer than it is tall. According to the breed standard, males should stand 60–65 cm and weigh 30–40 kg; females should stand 55–60 cm and weigh 22–32 kg.

The back and the croup are not the same thing. The breed standard describes a straight back continuing into a slightly sloping croup. A markedly arched or falling loin and an over-angulated, cow-hocked or unstable hindquarter are not the breed ideal. The Swedish Kennel Club's breed-specific instructions identify the topline and hindquarters as areas of risk and state that movement should be assessed at both walk and trot.

For a puppy buyer, natural movement is more informative than an extreme show pose. Ask to see the parents walk and trot on a level surface. The hind legs should work steadily and remain parallel when viewed from behind, without the hocks collapsing inward or looking unstable. Look at adult relatives as well; a puppy does not yet show how its mature body will function.

The breed has two accepted coat varieties. The stock-coated German Shepherd Dog has a dense, harsh and close-lying double coat. The long-coated variety has longer, softer outer hair that does not lie as close to the body. Both must have an undercoat and both shed. Brush and comb as needed, more often during shedding periods, and pay particular attention to longer hair behind the ears and on the legs and tail. Bathe the dog when dirty rather than according to a fixed schedule.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed standard calls for a well-balanced, steady-nerved, self-assured, attentive and biddable German Shepherd Dog. This is a breeding goal, not a guarantee for every individual. Temperament, working drive, sociability, fearfulness and the ability to settle can differ considerably between dogs and family lines within the breed.

German Shepherd Dogs are often described as intelligent, loyal or naturally protective, but such labels say too little about daily life. A dog with strong working drive may be focused and responsive in suitable work but demanding without clear tasks. Awareness of the surroundings can support good teamwork with the handler, but it can also result in barking or strong reactions if the dog is insecure, stressed or poorly trained. The breed should not be chosen on the assumption that every individual will automatically be a reliable guard dog or an easy family dog.

In some parts of the breed, breeding has focused primarily on working trials and service work; in others, showing has carried more weight. Labels such as “working” and “show” still cannot predict activity level or suitability for family life. Ask the breeder how the parents behave around strangers, dogs, noises, quiet downtime and new environments. Request results and descriptions of everyday behaviour for littermates, half-siblings and previous offspring as well.

During the Swedish Mental Description Dog, MH, the dog's reactions are documented in situations involving contact, play, chasing, inactivity, surprises, threats and gunshots. MH is a description, not a test that the dog passes or fails. Read the full record and compare several close relatives instead of being satisfied that a dog merely has “known mental status”.

## Training & Exercise

The German Shepherd Dog needs to use both body and mind every day, but there is no single number of hours that is right for every individual. Needs are affected by age, health, recovery, fitness and what the activity actually involves. A young dog requires different levels of strain from a fully grown, well-conditioned adult.

A workable routine combines walks and free movement in safe areas with scent work, problem-solving and cooperative exercises. Tracking, search work, obedience, working trials and other tasks that allow the dog to concentrate suit the breed's background. Vary surfaces and environments, but increase duration, difficulty and physical strain gradually. The aim is not to exhaust the dog every day, but to build fitness, body control, self-control and the ability to recover.

Reward-based, individually adapted training makes the desired behaviour clear without building cooperation on fear or discomfort. Start early with recall, engagement, handling, loose-lead walking, working at a manageable distance from distractions and releasing objects. Also train the less spectacular skill of lying quietly when nothing is happening. A German Shepherd Dog given only high-intensity activities may become very good at becoming aroused but struggle to settle again.

Puppies should not be exercised like adult dogs. Short periods of exploration, play at their own pace, rest and positive exposure to new environments are more important than long distances, jumping or sharp turns. Increase the physical load gradually as the dog grows. If the dog becomes lame or stiff, is reluctant to move or shows a changed gait, adjust the exercise and contact a veterinarian.

## Health

Hip dysplasia, HD, and elbow dysplasia, ED, are the central documented health checks when buying a German Shepherd Dog registered in Sweden. Both areas are prioritised by the Swedish Kennel Club and the breed club's breeding strategy. Skin problems and disorders of the musculoskeletal system also occur, while the Swedish breeding strategy notes that consolidated documentation is lacking for some widely discussed back and itching problems. Long disease lists without information about relatives therefore tell a puppy buyer less than verified results and the health of close relatives.

Under the Swedish Kennel Club's registration rules in force in 2026, both parents must have official HD status before mating. Because the breed has an HD index, the average index of the parents at the time of mating is recommended to be above 100, and dogs graded HD D or E must not be used for breeding. The German Shepherd Dog also requires official ED status; for parents born on or after 1 January 2006, the result must be ED 0. An average ED index above 100 is a recommendation. Rules can change, so always check the current version with the Swedish Kennel Club.

When buying a puppy, check more than whether both parents meet the minimum requirements:

- compare the parents' HD and ED results and current indices
- find out how many dogs in previous litters and among close relatives have been screened
- ask about skin problems, recurring itching, movement problems and other diagnoses in the family
- read MH or MT results for parents, siblings and previous offspring
- watch adult dogs move naturally at walk and trot, and ask how they function in work and daily life

One good individual result does not eliminate risk. Results from the whole litter and close family give a better picture before purchase.

## History & Origins

The German Shepherd Dog was developed in Germany as a versatile herding and working dog. After the German breed association was founded in 1899, planned breeding began using herding dogs from central and southern Germany. The aim was to combine functional construction with temperament and working ability.

The first breed standard was written in 1899 following proposals by A. Meyer and Max von Stephanitz. The breed's working ability soon led to uses beyond herding. The German Shepherd Dog has since gained a prominent role as a working, competition and service dog in many fields.

This history explains why cooperation, endurance, scent work and a functional body remain central to the breed. It also explains why the breed should not be judged only by silhouette or colour. A sound German Shepherd Dog should be able to work and move efficiently; appearance should support function.

## Living with the Breed

The German Shepherd Dog can live well in a family and even in an apartment, but only if the owner can provide training, recovery, space and safe day-to-day management. A garden does not replace activity, and the type of home does not replace planning. In a building with poor sound insulation, owners also need to prevent and train barking and reactions to sounds in the stairwell or outside windows.

An adult must be present around children, especially because the breed is large and strong. Children should not be responsible for walks or intervene in highly aroused situations. The dog needs an undisturbed resting place, and children and dogs should not be left alone together. Suitability for family life depends on the individual dog's temperament, experiences and training, not on the breed name.

The same caution applies to other animals. A German Shepherd Dog can live with another dog or a cat, but this cannot be promised on the basis of breed. Let dogs meet calmly, preferably on neutral ground. When introducing a cat, provide dog-free escape routes for the cat; use a barrier and a lead, and prevent chasing from the first meeting. Proceed only when both animals are relaxed and supervise them until their interaction is stable.

Time alone must be trained gradually. A young puppy should not be left alone, and a secure adult that has been trained to stay alone can normally manage a few hours rather than a full working day. Increase the time in small steps and arrange a dog sitter or another solution if daily life requires more time alone than the individual dog can handle calmly.

The best home for a German Shepherd Dog does not have a particular address. It has adults who want to train, can read the dog's signals, follow up its health and provide both meaningful activity and genuine rest throughout the dog's life.

German Shepherd Dog

Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) e.V. (Germany)

Den Danske Kennel Klub (Danish Kennel Club)

The German Shepherd Dog is a medium‑large, athletic working breed, highly intelligent and trainable. Loyal and naturally protective, it needs extensive daily mental and physical exercise. It has a double coat with notable shedding and is widely used in police, military, and search and rescue roles.

Calippo

## 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.

Susan Leth Hansen, Martin Leth er opdrætter af racen Lagotto romagnolo med base i Holte i Danmark.

Susan Leth Hansen, Martin Leth

## Quick Facts

The Pug is a small, compact companion dog that likes to live close to its people. The breed is best suited to someone who wants a sociable everyday companion and is prepared to check its breathing, eyes, facial folds, teeth and weight regularly.

- **Origin:** China; Great Britain is responsible for the breed standard
- **Breed group:** FCI Group 9, Companion and Toy Dogs
- **FCI number:** 253
- **Ideal weight in the breed standard:** 6.3–8.1 kg
- **Height at the withers:** the breed standard gives no height
- **Standard colours:** silver, apricot, fawn and black
- **Coat:** short, fine, smooth and soft
- **Traditional role:** companion dog

The ideal weight describes how the breed should be built; it is not an individual target weight for every dog. A Pug should be muscular and powerful for its size without being overweight. Weight must therefore be considered alongside the dog's build, sex and body condition.

## Appearance & Coat

The Pug should be distinctly square, compact and powerfully built while still able to move efficiently. Its high-set, tightly curled tail and the dark mask on the lighter colours are characteristic features. The breed standard gives an ideal weight but no height at the withers, so claims of an official height range should not influence your choice of dog.

A Pug's head should be both characteristic and functional. The nostrils should be open, the nose wrinkle must not cover or interfere with the nose or eyes, and the eyes should not protrude. Look at the dog both at rest and after movement: free breathing, clear eyes and steady movement matter more than an especially short muzzle or heavy wrinkling.

The short coat does not need clipping. Brushing removes loose hair and provides an opportunity to spot changes in the skin. The amount a Pug sheds varies, and a short coat does not make the breed hypoallergenic.

Adapt the care of the facial folds to the individual dog's skin rather than following a timetable assumed to suit every Pug. The skin should be dry and free from redness and sores. Tenderness, discharge or a marked smell are reasons to contact a vet instead of trying different products yourself. Check the nails, ears and mouth regularly as well, and introduce handling in small steps.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed standard describes the Pug as charming, dignified and intelligent, with an even temperament and a happy, lively disposition. Bred as a companion, it often wants to be close and involved in daily life. This suits someone who wants to spend plenty of time with their dog, but it does not make every Pug the same.

Too few Pugs have completed Sweden's BPH behavioural assessment to support firm, detailed conclusions about the breed as a whole in Sweden. Upbringing, experience and health all influence confidence, activity, how readily a dog barks and reactions to unfamiliar people. If possible, meet the puppy's mother and other adult relatives. Look for dogs that settle after new experiences and can be sociable without becoming excessively aroused.

A Pug can live happily with children, dogs or cats, but the breed name is no guarantee. An adult should be present when children and dogs are together, and the dog needs a quiet resting place where it will not be disturbed. Introductions to other animals should be calm and gradual, with room to move apart. For an adult dog being rehomed, its own history is often more useful than a general claim about the breed.

Discomfort can also change behaviour. A dog that suddenly avoids touch, becomes unsettled, loses interest in moving or changes temperament needs a health assessment, not simply more training.

## Training & Exercise

The Pug needs daily movement and mental stimulation, but no single number of minutes suits every dog. Age, fitness, body condition, temperature and, above all, breathing capacity determine how demanding an activity will be. Calm walks, scent-based activities and simple everyday training can be combined to suit the individual.

Reward-based training works well for engagement, recall, lead walking and cooperative handling. Keep tasks clear and pause before the dog becomes tired or frustrated. Food can be a useful reward, but include training treats in the dog's total food allowance so that training does not lead to weight gain.

Watch how the dog functions rather than comparing walking distances. A Pug should be able to move without loud breathing or obvious effort and recover without struggling for breath for a prolonged period. Stop and move the dog to a cool, quiet place if its breathing becomes markedly heavier, the dog starts to weaken or it does not want to continue. Bluish mucous membranes, collapse or fainting are emergency warning signs.

Warm, humid weather can make temperature control more difficult for a flat-faced dog. Move activity to cooler parts of the day, choose a gentler pace and avoid hard exertion. There is no single safe temperature threshold for every Pug. Let the dog's breathing, recovery and behaviour determine what is appropriate.

A puppy should be allowed to explore and develop coordination without long, pressured sessions. An adult Pug with good breathing and fitness can often do more than brief walks around the block, but increase the workload gradually. A dog that is repeatedly limited by its breathing needs veterinary assessment. This should not be dismissed as normal for a flat-faced dog.

## Health

Breathing is the most important feature to monitor in a Pug. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, or BOAS, occurs when narrowed upper airways make breathing difficult. Signs may include laboured or noisy breathing, poor recovery, sensitivity to heat and exercise, or disturbed sleep. Regurgitation can occur alongside airway problems. Severe breathing difficulty, bluish mucous membranes or collapse require immediate veterinary care.

In Sweden, the Pug is covered by the Swedish Kennel Club's RFG-Scheme health programme. For a litter to be registered, both parents must have a valid official RFG result before mating. The official assessment can be completed from 24 months of age, and the certificate must be no more than 24 months old at the time of mating. Dogs with BOAS grade 2 or 3, or with severely stenotic nostrils, must not be used for breeding.

Grade 0 means that the dog is clinically unaffected and free from BOAS-related breathing problems at the assessment. Grade 1 means that the dog is clinically unaffected but has mild signs that do not affect performance during the exercise test. The result describes the dog at that point in time and is not a lifelong guarantee. When choosing a puppy, ask to see both parents' results, assessment dates and assessments of their nostrils. A puppy is too young to have its own official result.

The eyes are another important area to check. Protruding eyes are more exposed to injury, while misdirected hairs, inward-turning eyelids or dry eye can irritate the cornea. Squinting, increased tearing, redness, cloudiness, discolouration or rubbing at an eye should be assessed promptly by a vet. A corneal ulcer can be very painful even when it is difficult to see without a special stain.

Facial folds, the mouth and body condition need attention throughout life. Dry the folds when they become damp and seek help if the skin becomes inflamed. Introduce toothbrushing while the dog is young and check the teeth and gums regularly. Ask a vet to show you how to assess body condition as well; excess weight can add to the strain on breathing and movement.

The Swedish breed club, MopsOrden, recommends that both parents have a known status for patellar luxation and for NME/PDE, an inflammatory brain disease seen in Pugs. These are breed-club recommendations and should not be confused with the mandatory RFG requirement for registration. The NME DNA test indicates genetic susceptibility; it does not show that a dog has the disease or will definitely develop it. Ask the breeder to explain both the results and the reasoning behind the mating, without treating a marker test as a clean bill of health.

In a large British study published in 2024, the median lifespan for Pugs was 11.6 years. The study describes the British dogs included and does not predict the lifespan of an individual dog in Sweden. Breathing, body condition, eyes, teeth, general health and access to veterinary care all affect quality of life over the years.

## History & Origins

The Pug's official country of origin is China, while Great Britain is its home country and is responsible for the breed standard. Its early history is not fully documented. Stories about Chinese palace dogs, Dutch trading ships and royalty are therefore better viewed as traditions associated with the breed than as a completely verified history.

There are firmer milestones later on. The Pug was mentioned in a Swedish academic dissertation in 1753. The breed was shown at a British dog show in 1861, and the English breed club was founded in 1883. During its development in Great Britain, the Pug acquired much of the form described in today's breed standard.

The breed's history explains its role as a companion, but older ideals should not be used to defend exaggeration. The modern standard requires open nostrils, non-protruding eyes and efficient movement, among other features. A typical Pug should also function well in everyday life.

## Living with the Breed

A Pug can live in a flat or a house. The size of the home matters less than what the dog's days are like. Regular toilet breaks, activity suited to the dog, a cool resting place and the chance to be close to the family without constantly being the centre of attention are what matter. In a building where sound carries, it is also worth teaching calm responses to noises in corridors and outside the door from an early age.

Time alone must be introduced gradually. Begin when the dog feels secure at home, increase the duration in small steps and shorten it again if the dog becomes distressed. How long an adult Pug can remain settled alone varies with the individual, its experience, age and health. A puppy needs more frequent supervision and toilet breaks than an adult.

Before choosing a puppy, it is particularly useful to:

- watch the parents move and listen to their breathing before and after activity
- check both parents' current official RFG results and assessment dates
- ask about eyes, skin, teeth, patellas and NME/PDE in the family
- check that the nostrils are open and the nose wrinkle does not interfere with the eyes or nose
- choose a breeder who can explain both the strengths and weaknesses of the mating
- plan for veterinary care and ongoing checks of breathing, eyes, mouth, skin and body condition

The Pug is best suited to someone who values a sociable, compact companion and lets the dog's breathing and stamina guide daily life. It is less suitable for anyone who wants a dog for hard exercise in all weather or does not want to spend time on health checks and preventive care.

Norsk Kennel Klub (Norwegian Kennel Club)

Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR) - Germany

Small, sturdy companion dog with wrinkled face, curled tail and expressive eyes, usually 6–8 kg and suited to city homes. Affectionate, people focused and playful, needs moderate gentle exercise, close family contact, careful weight control and extra management in hot weather due to its short nose.

Stefana Andreea Aftanase er opdrætter af racen Mops med base i København Nv i Danmark.

Stefana Andreea Aftanase

## Quick Facts

The Russkiy Toy is a very small Russian companion dog that combines a delicate build with an alert, active nature. It is recognised by the FCI and comes in two coat varieties: smooth-haired and longhaired.

- The breed standard gives a height of 22–27 cm and a maximum weight of 3 kg. The same measurements apply to males and females.
- The Russkiy Toy should be active, very cheerful, curious and strongly attached to its owner, but neither shy nor aggressive.
- The smooth-haired variety has a short, glossy coat without an undercoat. The longhaired variety has a moderately long coat and pronounced feathering on the ears, legs and tail.
- A Russkiy Toy needs daily walks, play and activities that use its mind. It may be tiny, but it should not be treated as an ornament.
- Its body is light and fine-boned. Time with children and larger dogs therefore needs to be calm and carefully supervised.
- In Swedish breeding, an official patella result is a registration requirement. The breed club also has current policies on patella results and eye examinations.

The breed may suit someone who wants a responsive dog for a close everyday relationship and enjoys short training sessions, walks and shared activities. It is less well suited to a home where such a tiny dog could be dropped, stepped on or exposed to rough play.

## Appearance & Coat

The Russkiy Toy is small, elegant and almost square, with long legs, fine bone and lean muscle. It should look balanced and mobile, rather than heavy or excessively frail. Its large, thin, upright ears are a defining feature. The standard specifies 22–27 cm at the withers and no more than 3 kg, with 25 cm and 2.3 kg given as preferred reference points. No breeder can promise the final size of an individual puppy, so look at both parents and closely related adult dogs.

Both coat varieties belong to the same breed. The smooth coat is short, close-lying and glossy, with no undercoat or bald patches. On the longhaired variety, the coat on the body and neck is about 3–5 cm long. It should lie close and be straight or slightly wavy, with pronounced feathering on the legs and tail. In an adult longhaired dog, the long hair on the ears forms the characteristic fringes.

Accepted colours include black, brown, blue or a very pale diluted shade with tan markings, as well as red in different shades with or without darker hair tips, cream and fawn. Small differences in colour say nothing about a dog's temperament or ability to cope with everyday life.

Coat care is generally straightforward. Check the skin and coat regularly, comb the longhaired variety's fringes before tangles develop and bathe the dog when it is dirty. The frequency depends on coat volume, weather and lifestyle, not a fixed weekly timetable. Check the nails, paws, ears and skin at the same time. The natural tail is of medium length; tail docking is prohibited in Sweden.

## Temperament & Personality

A typical Russkiy Toy should be active, very cheerful, curious and closely attached to its person. This describes the breed ideal, not a guarantee of how every individual will react. Genetics, upbringing, experience and the situation itself all influence whether a dog greets unfamiliar people and places with confidence, caution or anxiety.

Many individuals quickly notice sounds and movement. Barking can therefore become an everyday issue, particularly in communal stairwells or at windows. Start early by rewarding calm behaviour, teach the dog to move away from the door or window on cue and provide an undisturbed resting place. Picking the dog up whenever something happens rarely addresses the underlying problem; with your support, it needs to practise coping with situations that are challenging but still manageable.

Socialisation does not mean making a puppy greet everyone. The aim is for it to see people, dogs, traffic, different surfaces and other ordinary sights without being pushed beyond what it can handle. Choose calm canine contacts and allow the puppy to increase the distance. The breed is so small that a friendly but boisterous larger dog can cause injury without intending to.

When assessing a puppy's likely temperament, meet the mother and, if possible, other adult relatives. Ask how they respond to visitors, noise, handling, dog encounters and recovery after a surprise. A BPH behavioural assessment can add information about the reactions of dogs that have taken part, but it is not a simple pass-or-fail test.

## Training & Exercise

The Russkiy Toy needs to move, explore and learn every day. Its size does not remove the need for walks or mental activity, although the amount and intensity must suit the dog's age, health, the weather and the individual. A good routine includes several opportunities to go outside, walks with time to sniff, play, brief skills sessions and time to settle. There is no authoritative number of minutes that suits every dog of the breed.

Reward-based, progressive training suits this quick dog, which is often keen to work with its owner. Prioritise recall, calm dog encounters, walking on a loose lead, comfortable handling of the paws and mouth, and the ability to relax in a designated place. Also practise waiting at doors and teach the dog not to launch itself from someone's arms or from furniture. For a dog weighing no more than 3 kg, controlled movement and safe everyday habits matter.

The breed may enjoy activities such as rally obedience, scent work, tracking, canine freestyle and agility with equipment and surfaces suited to its size. The activity should build confidence and cooperation, not merely raise arousal. If the dog becomes scattered, barks more or struggles to settle, it may need easier tasks and more recovery rather than automatically needing more exercise.

Puppies should be allowed to explore and develop strength without long forced distances or repeated high jumps. Increase demands gradually. Cold, wet weather and strong heat can affect a very small dog quickly, so adjust the outing to how the dog is actually moving and feeling.

## Health

The most important verifiable health checks for the Russkiy Toy in Sweden concern the knees, eyes and mouth. This does not mean that every dog will become ill; it gives prospective owners clear records to check and breeders evidence on which to base mating decisions.

The Russkiy Toy is covered by a Swedish health programme for patellar luxation. For a litter to be registered, both parents must have an official patella result recorded before mating. The examination can be performed from 12 months of age by a veterinarian with the required specialist qualification. Results are graded from 0 to 3. Check the dog's identity, the examination date and the result rather than accepting only that the knees have been “checked”.

The Swedish Russkiy Toy Club's breeding policy is stricter than the registration requirement itself. Since 18 March 2026, the club's policy allows a maximum result of 0/1, and such a dog may only be mated to one with 0/0. The club also requires an official eye certificate no more than one year old for its breeder, puppy referral and stud-dog lists. It is important to distinguish the club's policy from the Swedish Kennel Club's binding registration rule.

Individual findings including different forms of cataract, progressive retinal atrophy and vitreous prolapse have been documented in the breed. This supports checking current eye results, but it does not mean that every Russkiy Toy carries the same risk or that one old examination describes the dog's eye status for life. If a result contains a finding, ask for its exact diagnostic name and the examining veterinarian's recommendation.

Teeth need attention from puppyhood. Check that the deciduous teeth fall out as the adult teeth emerge and ask a veterinarian to assess any that remain. Introduce tooth brushing early, preferably daily, to reduce plaque and tartar. Claims about heart disease, hypoglycaemia or a general need for DNA tests do not have sufficiently current breed-specific support to be presented as universal risks. Such questions need an individual veterinary assessment.

## History & Origins

The Russkiy Toy's earlier origins are not fully established, so a reliable account begins with its documented development during the twentieth century. The English Toy Terrier was a popular small dog in Russia at the beginning of the century. Between 1920 and 1950, almost all organised breeding in the Soviet Union ceased and numbers fell sharply.

In the mid-1950s, Russian breeders began rebuilding a distinct toy-terrier type. Many of the dogs had no pedigree, and the new standard came to differ clearly from that of the English Toy Terrier. The Russkiy Toy subsequently developed as a breed in its own right.

The longhaired variety has an unusually well-documented starting point. On 12 October 1958, a male puppy was born to two smooth-haired dogs, one of which had slightly longer hair. The puppy developed long fringes on his ears and legs. Breeders retained the trait under the guidance of the Moscow breeder Yevgueniya Fominichna Zharova, and the variety became known as the Moscow Longhaired Toy Terrier.

The FCI accepted the breed provisionally in 2006 and definitively in 2017. Sweden recognised it in 2006; that same year, its name was changed to Russkiy Toy and it was placed in group 9 for companion and toy dogs. Today, smooth-haired and longhaired dogs are two varieties of the same recognised breed.

Stories about aristocratic ladies, rat catching and “living doorbells” appear in older breed writing, but the Swedish breed strategy describes the early history as difficult to establish and largely based on hearsay. Those accounts should therefore not be presented as certain history.

## Living with the Breed

A Russkiy Toy can live well in either a flat or a house. The size of the property matters less than regular opportunities to go outside, activity, rest and training. In a block of flats, particular attention is needed around noises, doorways and barking. A tiny body does not mean that walks can be replaced by carrying the dog or providing an indoor toilet.

With children, the key question is not whether the breed is “good with children”, but whether the adults can protect both dog and child. Young children should always have an adult present. They should not carry or chase the dog, or disturb it while it is eating or resting. Provide a safe place where the child does not follow. Even an accidental fall can injure a dog weighing no more than 3 kg.

The same care is needed with larger dogs. Choose calm playmates, interrupt physically rough play and do not treat the size difference as an experiment. Living with a cat or another dog can work, but it depends on the individuals and the introduction. Begin at a distance with short, controlled meetings. A cat should have separate resources and a safe escape route.

Alone time should be taught gradually once the dog feels secure at home. Start with very short distances and absences, and increase them only when the dog can rest. A camera can help reveal pacing, vocalising or attempts to follow. The Swedish Board of Agriculture's guidance that dogs should be taken out at least every six hours during the day is not a statement of how long an individual dog is comfortable alone; puppies, older dogs and anxious individuals need more frequent supervision and outings.

Before buying, check:

- that the names and registration numbers match on the parents' records and certificates,
- the official patella result and examination date for both parents,
- current eye results and the meaning of any findings,
- how the puppy's and adult relatives' teeth, movement and temperament have been followed up,
- how the breeder introduces puppies to handling, everyday sounds, different surfaces and very brief periods of separation.

The right home sees the Russkiy Toy as a real dog in miniature: active, quick to learn and social, but also physically vulnerable in situations that a larger dog might cope with easily.

Russkiy Toy

Svenska Kennelklubben (Sweden)

Tiny, elegant toy breed (1–3 kg, 20–28 cm) with smooth or long coat. Lively, athletic, and strongly attached to family, often choosing a favorite person. Alert and vocal, suited to gentle, consistent training and moderate exercise, but physically delicate and needs careful handling.

Karina Stumpe Pedersen er opdrætter af racen Russkiy toy med base i Farum i Danmark.

Karina Stumpe Pedersen

Drumbeat er en kennel i Slangerup, der opdrætter labrador retriever. Kennelmærket blev etableret i 2005, og kennelen har gennemført Dansk Kennel Klubs opdrætteruddannelse. Avlsmålet er racetypiske familiehunde, som også kan deltage på markprøver, i praktisk jagt og på udstillinger. Arbejdet med hundene har omfattet markprøvetræning og praktisk jagt, og kennelen har deltaget på udstillinger i både Danmark og udlandet. I 2013 kårede Dansk Retriever Klub Drumbeat til årets labradoropdrætter, og to tæver fra kennelen blev samme år nummer ét og tre i konkurrencen om årets labrador. I 2023 blev et opdræt fra Drumbeat bedste baby i labradorringen ved en officiel DKK-udstilling.

Drumbeat

## Quick Facts

- Tiny companion breed from the Czech Republic, traditionally used as a nimble ratter in castles and city homes  
- Very small and lightweight, yet surprisingly athletic and confident in attitude  
- Strong bond with their people, often choosing one favorite person while still loving the whole family  
- Short, easy care coat, but they feel the cold and usually need a sweater or coat in cooler weather  
- Alert watchdog with a big voice for such a small body, making them excellent little house guardians  

## Appearance & Coat

The Prague Ratter is one of the smallest dog breeds in the world, but their presence feels much larger than their size. Most adults stand around 20 to 23 centimeters at the shoulder and weigh between 1.5 and 3.5 kilograms. They are compact, well balanced and lightly built, with a fine bone structure that still feels surprisingly sturdy in the hand. Their body is slightly longer than tall, with a graceful neck and an elegant, almost toy like silhouette.

The head is small and refined, with a gently rounded skull and a narrow muzzle that tapers without appearing snippy. Dark, expressive eyes give the Prague Ratter a lively and alert expression that many owners describe as nearly human. Ears are usually set high and carried erect, which adds to their inquisitive look. The tail may be natural or docked depending on local regulations, but in motion it often curves slightly and shows how much they enjoy life.

The coat of the Prague Ratter is most commonly short, smooth and tight to the body, with a glossy shine when in good condition. There is also a longer coated variety, sometimes with light feathering on ears, legs and tail, although the short coat is still much more widespread. Classic coloring for the breed is black and tan, with rich tan markings above the eyes, on the cheeks, chest, legs and under the tail. However, other colors exist, such as brown and tan, blue and tan, red, yellow and occasionally merle in some lines where it is allowed.

Caring for the coat is generally straightforward, which is one reason the Prague Ratter appeals to many modern owners. A weekly brush with a soft bristle brush or grooming glove is usually enough to remove loose hairs and keep the coat shiny. During seasonal shedding periods, brushing two or three times a week can help reduce hair around the house. Because the coat is so short, skin health is particularly important. Use mild dog shampoo, avoid over bathing, and check regularly for dry patches or irritation.

Their small size means they feel temperature changes quite strongly. In cool or wet weather, most Prague Ratters appreciate a light coat or sweater, especially on windy days. In winter in colder climates, a warm jacket and even small dog boots can be useful for longer walks, as salt and ice may irritate their delicate paws. Regular nail trimming, ear cleaning and dental care are also essential, since many toy breeds are prone to dental tartar and gum issues. With a simple but consistent grooming routine, a Prague Ratter will stay neat and comfortable with very little fuss.

## Temperament & Personality

The Prague Ratter is often described as a big dog in a tiny body. They are confident, spirited and curious, and they love to be involved in everything their family does. In daily life, you can expect a Prague Ratter to follow you from room to room, jump onto the sofa to sit beside you, and quickly learn the sounds of your routine. They thrive on human company and usually do not enjoy being left alone for long periods.

With their families, Prague Ratters tend to be very affectionate and loyal. Many form a particularly close bond with one person, often the main caregiver, while still being friendly and cuddly with other family members. They like to burrow under blankets, curl up on laps, and sleep close to their people at night. For some owners this closeness is the best part of living with the breed, but it also means that these dogs can become quite dependent and may develop separation anxiety if not trained to be comfortable alone.

Around children, the Prague Ratter can be a loving and playful companion, but their tiny size requires careful supervision. Well raised children who understand how to be gentle can enjoy teaching tricks, playing short games of fetch or simply cuddling on the sofa. However, rough handling, squeezing or accidental dropping can seriously injure such a small dog. Families with very young or boisterous children must think honestly about whether everyone can respect the physical limits of the breed.

With other dogs, Prague Ratters are often confident and sometimes a little too bold. They may challenge much larger dogs without realizing how small they really are. Early socialization in safe environments is important, so they learn to read other dogs correctly and to interact politely. With other small dogs they usually get along well, especially if introduced gradually. Their original role as a ratter means that many keep a strong prey drive, so caution is needed with pet rodents, small birds or free roaming rabbits. Some can live with cats, especially if raised together from puppyhood, but many will still chase if the cat runs.

One notable personality trait of the Prague Ratter is their alertness. They notice every sound in the hallway, footsteps outside the door, and cars arriving at the house. This makes them excellent little watchdogs, but it can also lead to nuisance barking if not managed. Teaching a reliable “quiet” cue and rewarding calm behavior works better than scolding. Because they are intelligent and eager to please, Prague Ratters respond well to gentle, reward based training that makes them think and keeps them included.

Potential challenges include:

- Tendency to bark at noises or strangers  
- Strong attachment that can turn into separation anxiety  
- Prey drive towards small animals  
- Overconfidence with larger dogs

For owners who can provide structure, patience and plenty of closeness, the Prague Ratter is a deeply loving companion with a lively, entertaining personality that fills the home with energy.

## Training & Exercise

Despite their tiny body, the Prague Ratter is an active and quick thinking dog that truly enjoys training. They are usually food motivated, curious and eager to be part of whatever their person is doing. This combination means that, with the right approach, training can be both effective and great fun for everyone.

The best training methods for a Prague Ratter are positive and encouraging. They respond very well to:

- Small, tasty treats as rewards  
- Verbal praise delivered in a warm, happy tone  
- Short, varied sessions that keep boredom away  
- Games that let them use both body and brain  

Harsh corrections, shouting or physical punishment can damage their trust and may make them anxious or defensive. Given their sensitive nature, it is much more successful to guide them gently and reward what you like, rather than focusing heavily on what you do not want.

Basic obedience such as sit, down, stay, recall and walking nicely on a leash should start early. Because of their size, some owners fall into the trap of carrying them everywhere and allowing pushy behaviors that would never be accepted in a larger dog. It is important to remember that a Prague Ratter is still a dog, not a toy, and needs the same clear boundaries and consistent rules as any other breed. Teaching them to walk on their own four paws, wait calmly at doors, and greet people politely helps prevent “small dog syndrome” and makes daily life easier.

Exercise needs are moderate but not negligible. A Prague Ratter does not require long mountain hikes, but they do enjoy several short walks every day, along with time to sniff, explore and play. Many adults are happy with around 45 to 60 minutes of activity spread throughout the day, adapted to their age and health. This might include:

- Two or three brisk walks of 10 to 20 minutes each  
- Play sessions at home such as fetch or tug with safe, lightweight toys  
- Short indoor training games on rainy or very cold days  

Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise. Because of their history as ratters, many Prague Ratters enjoy nose work games, searching for treats hidden in folded towels or simple puzzle toys. Some take to beginner level agility, trick training or mini obedience competitions. These activities help to channel their natural alertness and intelligence, and they also strengthen the bond between dog and owner.

Owners should keep in mind that the Prague Ratter is small and can tire more quickly than a larger, athletic breed, especially on rough terrain or in extreme temperatures. Watch for signs of fatigue, such as lagging behind, panting heavily or refusing to continue. In hot weather, avoid walking in the full midday sun and offer water frequently. In cold weather, keep walks shorter and use dog clothing to protect their body and paws.

Early socialization is a key part of training. Expose your Prague Ratter puppy to different people, gentle dogs, vehicles, sounds and environments in a positive, controlled way. Reward calm curiosity and allow them to retreat if something worries them, rather than forcing contact. A well socialized Prague Ratter is far less likely to develop fearfulness or sharpness in adulthood.

When training and exercise are tailored to their size and temperament, Prague Ratters become delightful, manageable companions who enjoy learning, exploring and being by your side in everyday life.

## Health

Although usually a robust and lively little dog, the Prague Ratter does have some health issues that owners and breeders should be aware of. Responsible breeding, routine veterinary care and careful daily management all play an important role in keeping this breed healthy over the long term.

Common health concerns in Prague Ratters can include:

- Patellar luxation, where the kneecap slips out of place, causing lameness or hopping  
- Dental problems such as tartar build up, gum disease and retained baby teeth, which are common in many toy breeds  
- Fragile bones in very small individuals, leading to a risk of fractures from jumping or accidental falls  
- Heart issues in some lines, particularly valve diseases that may appear with age  
- Eye conditions such as cataracts or dry eye in certain bloodlines  

Because of these potential problems, many breed clubs and responsible breeders recommend specific health tests. These may include veterinary examination of the knees to check for patellar luxation, eye examinations by a specialist, and in some cases heart evaluations. Prospective puppy buyers should feel comfortable asking breeders what health checks have been carried out on the parents, and requesting to see the relevant documentation.

Lifespan for a well cared for Prague Ratter is often between 12 and 15 years, and many remain active and playful well into their senior years. To support a long and healthy life, owners should focus on several key areas.

Firstly, weight management is essential. Even a small amount of extra weight is significant on such a tiny frame and can increase the strain on joints, heart and other organs. Feed a high quality, age appropriate diet and measure portions carefully. Treats should make up only a small part of daily calorie intake. It is easy to spoil such a small, cute dog with snacks, but their body will thank you for moderation.

Secondly, dental care deserves special attention. Daily or at least frequent tooth brushing with dog safe toothpaste helps to prevent plaque and tartar buildup. Regular dental check ups with the vet allow early intervention if problems arise. Many Prague Ratters accept tooth brushing readily if introduced gradually with patience and rewards.

Thirdly, owners should protect their dog from accidents and injuries. Avoid allowing a Prague Ratter to jump from high furniture or run up and down steep stairs repeatedly. Train them to use ramps or small steps to reach sofas or beds if they are allowed on furniture. When out on walks, use a lightweight harness instead of a collar for leash attachment, to avoid pressure on the delicate neck and trachea.

Routine preventive care such as vaccinations, parasite control, and annual health checks are also important. Senior Prague Ratters may benefit from more frequent veterinary visits to monitor heart function, joints, dental health and general condition. Early detection of changes, such as weight loss, coughing, stiffness or increased thirst, can greatly improve the success of treatment.

Breeders who care about the future of the Prague Ratter focus not only on appearance but also on solid health, sound temperament and appropriate size. As a buyer or owner, supporting these efforts by choosing responsible breeders and following veterinary advice will help to keep this charming little breed healthy and happy for generations to come.

## History & Origins

The Prague Ratter, known in its homeland as Pražský krysařík, has a history that stretches back many centuries in the Czech lands and neighboring regions. While the exact origins are not fully documented, it is widely believed that small, agile terrier type dogs were kept in royal courts, castles and city houses to control rats and other vermin. Their compact size, quick reflexes and keen hunting instinct made them extremely effective at this job.

Historical records and paintings from Central Europe show tiny black and tan dogs at the side of nobility and in the bustling streets of medieval towns. These early Prague Ratters were valued not only as working ratters but also as charming companions, often living close to their owners and sharing their daily life. Their presence in royal courts helped spread their reputation abroad as well, and small dogs similar to the Prague Ratter appeared in other European countries.

Over time, changes in living conditions, urban development and the introduction of other fashionable toy breeds led to a decline in the popularity of the Prague Ratter. For a period, the breed seemed at risk of disappearing, kept mainly by a small number of enthusiasts in rural areas and by families who valued them as traditional rat catchers and house companions.

In the late 20th century, interest in native breeds and cultural heritage in the Czech Republic led to renewed efforts to preserve and standardize the Prague Ratter. Dedicated breeders began to select carefully for type, temperament and health, and a modern breed standard was created. This work helped the Prague Ratter move from a nearly forgotten local dog to an internationally recognized companion breed with growing popularity in various European countries and beyond.

Today, the Prague Ratter is no longer relied on as a working ratter in most homes, although many still show a strong instinct to chase mice and small pests if they get the chance. Instead, the breed is primarily a beloved companion, valued for its affectionate nature, intelligence and compact size that fits well into modern city living. In some countries, Prague Ratters can also be seen in dog sports such as agility, obedience or trick competitions, where their lively character and quick learning stand out.

Breed clubs in the Czech Republic, France, Scandinavia and other regions now work together to maintain and promote the Prague Ratter. The focus is on preserving its historic charm and usefulness as a small, alert and loving family dog, while ensuring solid health and stable temperament. For people who appreciate a breed with deep local roots and a story that connects royal courts, city alleys and modern apartments, the Prague Ratter carries a rich and fascinating heritage in a very tiny body.

## Living with the Breed

Sharing your life with a Prague Ratter is often described as having a tiny shadow with a huge personality. This breed thrives on being close to their people and is best suited to owners who enjoy a dog that wants to be involved in daily routines rather than lying quietly in a corner. If you like a dog that sits on your lap while you work, curls up under the blanket in the evening and greets you joyfully after even short absences, the Prague Ratter can be a wonderful match.

Prospective owners should be prepared for a relatively high level of emotional commitment. These dogs form strong attachments and can be sensitive to changes in routine, raised voices or family tension. They do best in homes where they are treated as a true family member and where someone is usually present for much of the day. A Prague Ratter left alone regularly for long hours may develop barking, destructive behavior or anxiety.

From a practical point of view, their small size is both an advantage and a responsibility. On one hand, they fit easily into small apartments, and many landlords who accept dogs are more open to such a tiny breed. Daily exercise is relatively easy to provide, since shorter walks and indoor play can already meet a large part of their needs. On the other hand, owners must always be aware of physical risks, such as being stepped on, caught in a door, or injured by larger animals. Simple habits like checking where the dog is before moving a chair or closing a door become second nature.

Financially, annual costs for a Prague Ratter are often lower than for large dogs, particularly when it comes to food and some medications that depend on weight. However, there are still important expenses to consider:

- Purchase price from a responsible breeder  
- Vaccinations, routine veterinary checks and parasite control  
- Sterilization or castration if not used for breeding  
- Pet insurance or a savings fund for unexpected veterinary bills  
- Quality food, treats and dental care products  
- Equipment such as harnesses, collars, leashes, coats and bedding  

Because of the potential for dental and orthopedic issues, choosing a good pet insurance policy or setting aside money regularly for veterinary care is wise. Over the course of their life, preventive care, dental work and occasional testing can add up, even for a small dog.

Useful equipment for living with a Prague Ratter includes a comfortable, well fitting harness that does not rub under the arms; a lightweight leash; and a selection of soft, appropriately sized toys. Many owners find that puzzle feeders and treat balls help keep their dog mentally busy, especially on days when outdoor activity is limited. Several soft beds or blankets around the home allow the dog to rest near different family members. Warm coats and sweaters for winter, along with a rain jacket for wet weather, are more than a fashion choice for this breed, as they genuinely support their comfort and health.

Training should continue throughout the dog’s life, not just during puppyhood. Short daily sessions, even of only five minutes, keep their mind engaged and reinforce good manners. Basic house rules such as where the dog is allowed to go, how they greet visitors, and how they behave at mealtimes should be clear and consistent. Many behavior issues in small dogs arise simply because boundaries were never clearly set.

For families who understand toy breed needs and are willing to adapt their home and habits slightly, the Prague Ratter offers an enormous amount of joy in a very small package. Their combination of devotion, playfulness and intelligence makes them a rewarding companion for people across different ages, from active singles to older adults who want a dog that can participate fully in daily life without demanding extreme exercise. With care, patience and love, living with a Prague Ratter can feel like sharing your world with a brave and loyal little friend who never stops trying to be by your side.

Prague Ratter

Verein für Deutsche Spitze

Dansk Kennel Klub

Svenska Kennelklubben

British Veterinary Association

Club Français des Rats de Prague

The Prague Ratter is a tiny Czech companion once used for ratting, lively and athletic despite its size. It has a short, low‑maintenance coat but feels the cold. Very affectionate and people‑oriented, it’s an alert little watchdog that bonds closely with its family.

Keyshia's er opdrætter af racen Prague Ratter med base i Føllenslev i Danmark.

Keyshia's

## Quick Facts

The Danish Swedish Farmdog is a small but sturdy and active farm and companion dog from Denmark and Sweden. The FCI places the breed in Group 2 as a pinscher-type dog. It is therefore not a terrier, although it was previously called the Scanian Terrier.

- **Height at the withers:** 34–37 cm for males and 32–35 cm for females, with a permitted variation of 2 cm either way.
- **Original purpose:** to raise the alarm, catch rats and live closely with the people on the farm.
- **Temperament according to the breed standard:** alert, lively and attentive.
- **Coat:** short, harsh and smooth, with white as the dominant colour.
- **Best suited to:** a person or family who wants to teach everyday skills, provide both physical activity and scent work, and help the dog to settle.

The breed standard gives no official weight. Figures found on different websites should therefore be treated as guidelines, not as a range into which every adult Danish Swedish Farmdog must fit. When choosing a puppy, the parents’ size, body condition and soundness are more useful than a single weight range.

## Appearance & Coat

The Danish Swedish Farmdog should be small, compact and substantial, not fine or elegant. The body is slightly rectangular: the ratio of height at the withers to body length is 9:10. The breed matures physically at a late stage, and full muscle mass and body substance may not develop until the dog is three to four years old.

The head is relatively small and triangular. The ears may be rose-shaped or folded forwards; pricked ears are not part of the breed ideal. The tail may be naturally long or a congenital bobtail of varying length. A congenital bobtail is a natural variation and should not be confused with a docked tail.

The coat is harsh, short and smooth and has no undercoat. White should predominate, with patches of one or more colours: black, tan, yellow, liver, agouti or various shades of fawn. Patches should also be present on the head, and flecking in the white is permitted. Appearance can therefore vary considerably without the dogs belonging to different varieties of the breed.

The coat needs little care, although shedding can be noticeable. Brush out loose hair as required, particularly during periods of heavier shedding, and bathe the dog when it is actually dirty. Check the skin, ears, paws and claws at the same time. Introduce the puppy gradually to tooth brushing and other handling. Calm, reward-based handling practice makes both routine care and veterinary visits easier.

## Temperament & Personality

The Danish Swedish Farmdog is usually quick, curious and people-oriented, but the breed name is no guarantee of an easy-going family dog. The standard describes the breed as alert, lively and attentive. In daily life, this often means being ready to join in, reacting to movement and letting people know when something is happening nearby.

The farm watchdog role is still apparent in many individuals. Many will bark to alert when someone arrives, but how readily barking starts and how quickly the dog becomes quiet varies. In a home where sound carries easily, it is sensible to find out how the parents and adult relatives react to doors, communal stairwells and visitors. This is more informative than assuming that the breed is always quiet or always vocal.

In the Swedish Kennel Club’s older BPH behavioural assessment summary, the breed appears mainly confident and relatively energetic. At the same time, curiosity, playfulness and interest in unfamiliar people vary clearly. BPH describes a dog’s reactions; it is not a test that the dog passes or fails. Read the individual dog’s assessment record and ask how the parents behave in everyday life.

The breed’s background as a rat catcher makes interest in small, fast-moving animals relevant. This does not mean that every Farmdog chases everything it sees, but a prospective owner should expect to teach interruption cues and recall. Rabbits, guinea pigs and other small pets need secure areas that the dog cannot access.

## Training & Exercise

The Danish Swedish Farmdog needs regular physical and mental activity, but there is no correct hourly rule that suits every dog. Age, health, intensity, environment and recovery determine what a good day looks like. An adult dog can have a mixture of walks, free movement in a safe place, scent work, play and short sessions of everyday training. Puppies need gradually increasing experiences and plenty of rest, not a miniature version of an adult programme.

Watch the dog’s behaviour rather than the clock. An appropriate amount leaves a dog able to settle at home, recover after activity and still move freely the next day. Persistent restlessness may mean that daily life lacks meaningful tasks, but more high-speed activity is not always the answer. Sometimes the dog needs more scent work, clearer routines or help to settle.

Prioritise skills that help a quick and attentive dog function in daily life:

- recall and voluntary check-ins when wildlife or other distractions appear
- being able to stop chasing, digging and intense play
- calm behaviour at doors, windows and when visitors arrive
- being able to rest while people move around the home
- loose-lead walking and responsiveness in busy environments
- comfortable handling of paws, mouth, ears and body

Train progressively with positive, reward-based methods and adjust the difficulty to the individual. The breed often learns quickly, which also means that barking, pulling or overexcitement can become established if it repeatedly leads to what the dog wants. Agility, rally obedience, tracking, nosework and other dog sports may suit the breed, but no particular activity is essential. What matters is a sustainable combination of cooperation, scent work, movement and recovery.

## Health

The Danish Swedish Farmdog is generally regarded as a healthy breed, but the description “healthy breed” is no substitute for checking the specific litter. Ask for registered results, dates and information about close relatives. The name of a test or a statement that the parents are health tested says too little without the actual results.

Hip dysplasia, HD, is an area in which old and current information is easily confused. The breed currently has a Swedish Kennel Club health programme at Level 1. This means that HD results can be recorded centrally, but radiography is not required for the puppies to be registered. According to the breed club, dogs with HD grade D or E or with clinical symptoms should not be used for breeding. An official result and, where available, an HD index still provide useful information about the hips specifically; they are not a certificate of the dog’s overall health.

For patellar luxation, the breed club’s current recommendations state that a dog affected by the condition or operated on for it should not be used for breeding. The recommendation does not, however, mean that all parents must have an official patella result. Ask both about examinations and about knee problems in the parents, siblings and previous offspring.

Primary lens luxation, PLL, is a serious eye disease associated with a mutation in the ADAMTS17 gene, and a validated DNA test is available for the breed. The breed club particularly recommends testing where there are carriers or untested close relatives in the line without a DNA-tested clear dog in between. According to the recommendation, a carrier may only be mated to a DNA-tested clear dog or one that is clear by descent, also known as hereditarily clear. A clear PLL result applies to this mutation; it does not rule out other eye problems or other diseases.

Before buying, it is reasonable to check:

- the parents’ identities and actual HD results, if they have been radiographed
- any patella examinations and the known family history
- PLL status and how the result fits with that of the other parent
- diseases, lameness, dental problems and temperament in close relatives
- that the breeder can explain both the strengths and uncertainties of the mating

## History & Origins

The Danish Swedish Farmdog is an old Scandinavian farm dog type but a comparatively recently recognised breed. Similar dogs lived on farms in Denmark and southern Sweden for a long time, where they controlled rats, raised the alarm when someone arrived and served as companions. Exactly how the type developed is not known. Links with pinschers and British white hunting terriers have been discussed, but should not be presented as a certain pedigree.

Before recognition, names including Scanian Terrier were used. At a Swedish survey in 1986, 107 dogs were brought together, contributing to the conclusion that the type was sufficiently consistent while also retaining useful genetic variation. Sweden and Denmark jointly recognised the breed in 1987 under the name Danish Swedish Farmdog.

The FCI granted the breed provisional international recognition in 2008 and definitive recognition in 2019. It was placed in Group 2 as a pinscher-type dog, not in the terrier group. Most are companion dogs today, but the urge to alert, interest in small rodents and strong desire to work make the breed’s history relevant even in a modern home.

## Living with the Breed

The Danish Swedish Farmdog is best suited to a home where companionship, activity and everyday training are a natural part of life. It can suit a first-time owner, but its compact size does not make the breed undemanding. The owner needs to appreciate a quick dog, be able to prevent chasing and alert barking, and be prepared to train calmness as carefully as energetic activities.

Interactions with children should always be supervised by an adult. The dog needs a resting place where it will not be disturbed, and children should not bother it when it is eating, sleeping or trying to move away. Assess the parents’ behaviour and the individual dog’s ability to break off play; the phrase “child-friendly breed” is not a guarantee of safety.

A Farmdog can live with a cat, but the outcome depends on the individuals and the introduction. Prevent the dog from chasing the cat, give the cat high places and clear escape routes, and keep the first meetings short and controlled. Small animals such as rabbits and rodents should be kept physically separate even if the dog appears calm under supervision.

Flat living can work if the dog gets outside, has opportunities to use its nose and learns not to alert at every sound in the building. A garden does not replace activity, and a large home does not solve being left alone. Begin alone-time training with very short periods when the dog is secure and calm, increase the time only when it can genuinely relax, and arrange other care if daily life requires longer absences than the dog can manage.

If possible, meet both parents or other adult relatives before deciding. Observe how they greet people, recover after a surprise, react to small animals and sounds, and settle after activity. That information, together with verifiable health data and a breeder who knows their lines, says more about daily life than general promises that the breed suits everyone.

Danish Swedish Farmdog

Swedish Kennel Club

Danish Kennel Club

The Danish/Swedish Farmdog Club of America

Fédération Cynologique Internationale

The Danish Swedish Farmdog is a lively, medium‑small Scandinavian farm breed, compact and athletic with a smooth, mainly white coat and colored patches. Highly people‑oriented, intelligent, and energetic, it excels as an affectionate family companion when given daily exercise, training, and mental stimulation.

Piccobello opdrætter dansk-svensk gårdhund i Hvalsø. Opdrættets historie med racen går tilbage til 2003, og det første kuld blev født i 2009. Hundene er familiehunde, og nogle har desuden deltaget på udstillinger eller været anvendt i avl. Opdrættet har landlige omgivelser med marker og skov. Socialiseringen omfatter forskellige aktiviteter samt campingture i både Danmark og udlandet. Avlsmålet er racetypiske hunde med fokus på mental, fysisk og eksteriørmæssig sundhed, hvor det mentale har førsteprioritet. En hund fra opdrættet er blevet Bedst i modsat køn ved en officiel DKK-udstilling. En anden er registreret med norsk udstillingschampiontitel og titler i rallylydighed.

Piccobello

## Quick Facts

The Leonberger is a very large German companion and family dog. The breed ideal combines calm confidence with a profuse double coat and a clear need to take part in everyday family life. Size affects almost every decision: training must start early, coat care takes regular time, and the home, car and budget all need to work for a giant dog.

- The FCI recognises the Leonberger as breed number 145 in Group 2, with Germany as its country of origin.
- Males should stand 72–80 cm at the withers and females 65–75 cm. The breed standard specifies no weight.
- The breed ideal is a confident, biddable and friendly family dog, but each dog’s temperament and experience of children must be assessed individually.
- The coat is long and profuse, with an undercoat. Leonbergers shed heavily, particularly during distinct seasonal moults.
- A Leonberger needs physical and mental activity every day, adjusted to age, health and recovery.
- In Sweden, breeding dogs must have an official hip dysplasia result before mating. The breed club’s RAS breeding strategy contains further recommendations worth checking when choosing a puppy.

## Appearance & Coat

The Leonberger is a powerful, muscular dog that should still look balanced, agile and elegant. Males stand 72–80 cm and females 65–75 cm. The FCI standard gives no weight range, so a particular figure on the scales is not an official measure of breed type. Proportions, body condition, movement and the build of adult relatives are more useful guides.

A black mask is required by the breed standard. The base colour may be lion yellow, red, reddish brown or sandy, including shades between them. The long, profuse coat ranges from medium-soft to coarse and has a substantial undercoat. It may be straight or slightly wavy. Males in particular may develop a marked mane over the neck and chest, while the legs and hindquarters carry longer feathering.

Give the coat a thorough groom at least once a week and more often when the undercoat is coming away. Brush it section by section all the way to the skin, paying particular attention behind the ears, under the chin, between the front legs, through the breeches and along the tail. Mats can quickly grow in such a dense coat. After bathing or wet walks, both the skin and thick undercoat need to dry properly.

Leonbergers are not shaped with clippers or trimmed like a clipped breed. Hair on and beneath the feet can be tidied, and an occasional long hair around the ears may be neatened if necessary. Bathing should reflect the individual coat, activity and level of dirt; no fixed timetable suits every dog. Anyone hoping for an almost hair-free home should choose another breed.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed standard calls for an agreeable, biddable and fearless companion with confidence, moderate liveliness and a good capacity to learn and remember. That is a breeding ideal, not a guarantee for every Leonberger. The Swedish breed club’s breeding strategy therefore stresses the importance of reading the full behavioural assessment, with particular attention to fear and aggression.

Leonbergers are closely associated with family life and friendliness towards children. Marked friendliness to children is part of the breed standard, but adults must still manage every interaction. A large adolescent can knock a child over without meaning any harm, and the dog should always have a resting place where it will not be disturbed. Children need to learn to leave the dog alone when it is eating, sleeping or moving away.

Compatibility with other dogs, cats and small pets depends on the individual, its past experience and the introduction. Do not assume that the breed name guarantees a low prey drive or automatic tolerance. When introducing a cat, provide dog-free areas and escape routes, keep the dog under control and make meetings short and calm. Prevent chasing, and do not leave the animals together unsupervised until their behaviour is stable and predictable.

Some guarding instinct may be present, but the Leonberger is not intended to be a sharp guard dog. Ask the breeder how the parents respond to visitors, sudden noises, unfamiliar places and handling. This tells you more about future daily life than labels such as “gentle giant”.

## Training & Exercise

A Leonberger needs practical training from the first day, especially loose-lead walking, recall, cooperative handling and greeting people with all four feet on the ground. What looks charming in a small puppy can become a safety problem in an adult giant. Reward-based training gives the dog clear choices and should be the first option; harsh or frightening methods are unnecessary.

Exercise should build a capable body rather than follow a rigid time formula. There is no scientific evidence behind the familiar “five minutes per month of age” rule. Short walks, free play at the puppy’s own pace, gentle exposure to new environments and simple training all work well, interspersed with plenty of sleep. Stop when the puppy tires, loses coordination or begins to lag behind. Increase one thing at a time, and notice how the dog moves and recovers later that day and the following morning.

Avoid long distances at a pace set by the handler, as well as repeated jumping, hard stops and running beside a bicycle while the dog is growing. This does not mean keeping a puppy still. Varied movement at its own pace and gradually longer walks develop body awareness and confidence.

A healthy adult Leonberger benefits from daily walks and tasks that engage the mind. Scent work, tracking, everyday obedience and unhurried outings are often practical choices. Judge the right level by the dog’s fitness, the surface, the weather and recovery, not by a generic number of minutes. A dog that becomes stiff, reluctant or unusually tired needs a lighter workload and, if signs persist, a veterinary assessment.

## Health

The Leonberger’s size makes health and longevity important questions before a puppy is bought. In a British study published in 2024, median life expectancy was 10.0 years among 676 Leonbergers. That is a population estimate, not a forecast for an individual dog or a Swedish litter. Also ask about ages and causes of death among the parents, grandparents and previous offspring.

In Sweden, the Leonberger has a health programme under which both breeding dogs must have an official hip dysplasia result before mating for their puppies to be eligible for SKK registration. For this breed, radiographs are taken no earlier than 18 months. This must not be confused with the current RAS from the Svenska Leonbergerklubben, which is advisory and goes further. It recommends, among other things, a litter HD index of at least 100, not breeding from dogs graded HD D–E or ED 2–3, eye examination before first breeding and known behavioural status.

Ask the breeder to show the official result records and explain both parents’ results and the proposed pairing. Useful records include:

- official HD status, preferably an ED result as well, and current HD/ED indices;
- eye examination results and the complete record from BPH or another behavioural assessment;
- DNA results for LPN1, LPN2, LPPN3 and LEMP, interpreted correctly for each variant;
- known heart disease, tumours, neurological signs and early deaths among close relatives.

The LPN variants and LEMP are neurological diseases that can affect movement, muscle, coordination and sometimes breathing. The tests are not interchangeable and their inheritance differs: LPN2, for example, is dominant, while LPPN3 and LEMP are managed as recessive variants. Do not settle for “DNA tested”; ask to see the exact test and result and how the pairing follows current breed-club guidance.

The Leonberger is large and deep-chested, a body shape associated with an increased risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus. Unproductive retching, a rapidly swelling abdomen, restlessness, panting and difficulty lying down are emergency warning signs. Contact a vet immediately and set off for the clinic; do not wait to see whether the signs pass.

## History & Origins

The Leonberger was developed in southern Germany during the nineteenth century and takes its name from the town of Leonberg near Stuttgart. According to the FCI breed standard, town councillor Heinrich Essig crossed a black-and-white Newfoundland bitch with a dog from the hospice at the Great St Bernard Pass and later added a Pyrenean Mountain Dog. He aimed to create a large dog with a lion-like appearance, reflecting the lion on the town’s coat of arms.

The first dogs genuinely called Leonbergers were born in 1846. By the end of the nineteenth century, the breed was kept as a farm dog in Baden-Württemberg, where its guarding and draught abilities were valued. Breeding numbers fell sharply during both World Wars and the post-war years, but the population was rebuilt. The FCI gave the breed definitive recognition in 1955, and the first Swedish litter was born in 1979.

Today the Leonberger is principally a companion and family dog. Its history helps explain the size, weather-resistant coat and some watchfulness, but it does not predict how a particular dog will perform in work, water or family life.

## Living with the Breed

A Leonberger is best suited to someone who genuinely wants to share daily life with a very large dog and can make space, coat care, transport, training and healthcare costs work in practice. A garden is convenient but never replaces walks and company. Flat living can work if the dog has room to lie down and turn comfortably, but check the lift or stairs, noise from communal areas and neighbours, access to a cool resting place, and how an ill or injured dog would be transported.

A large car or another safe transport arrangement is often necessary. Beds, gates, harnesses and other equipment must cope with the dog’s size, while food, insurance and veterinary care will usually cost more than for a small dog. Plan who could safely handle the dog if you become ill or need to travel.

Time alone should be taught gradually and adjusted to the individual dog’s response. Swedish Board of Agriculture guidance says dogs should be taken out at least every six hours during the day, with puppies and older dogs going out more often. This describes how frequently a dog should be allowed outside, not how long every Leonberger is comfortable alone. Record brief practice sessions and take a step back if the dog paces, pants, barks persistently or cannot settle.

This is a poor choice for anyone wanting minimal shedding, low running costs or the option to postpone training until a problem appears. It can be a good fit for someone who values close cooperation, has time for early everyday training and is willing to adapt activity throughout the dog’s life. Meet several adult Leonbergers and ask about difficulties as well as strengths before deciding.

Leonberger

Leonberger Club of Great Britain

The Norwegian Leonberger Club

German Leonberger Club

Societé Centrale Canine (France)

Large, strongly built “gentle giant” with lion‑coloured, water‑resistant double coat and black mask. Typically calm, devoted, and very good with children and other pets when well socialised. Needs regular exercise, kind training, thorough grooming, and careful health management.

Khaimas' er et leonbergeropdræt i Helsinge med aktivitet under navnet mindst siden 2008, uden at dette nødvendigvis er opdrættets startår. I 2009 deltog Khaimas-opdrættede leonbergere på udstillinger i Danmark, Sverige, Finland og Italien. Opdrættet har også opnået officielle udstillingsresultater i nyere tid. En Khaimas-opdrættet leonberger blev Bedst i Racen ved en officiel DKK-udstilling i 2022 og havde status som dansk champion og dansk juniorchampion. I 2023 opnåede en Khaimas-opdrættet tæve CERT, CACIB og Bedst i Modsat Køn ved en officiel DKK-udstilling. Samme år fik en opdrættergruppe fra Khaimas' førsteplads, ærespræmie og specialpræmie ved en udstilling registreret af Dansk Leonberger Klub. Khaimas-navnet er desuden knyttet til to DKK-eksteriørdommere fra Helsinge. Begge er autoriseret til at dømme leonberger, og den ene er også autoriseret til pyreneerhund.

Khaimas'

## Quick Facts

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

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

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

## Appearance & Coat

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

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

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

## Temperament & Personality

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

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

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

## Training & Exercise

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

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

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

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

## Health

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

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

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

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

## History & Origins

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

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

## Living with the Breed

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

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

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

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

Border Collie

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

Birthe Guldberg er opdrætter af racen border collie i Ølsted. Ved DKK's lydighedsprøve i Ringsted den 31. august 2024 var hun registreret som fører af to hunde i lydighedsklasse 2: en border collie med titlerne LP1 og LP2 samt en belgisk hyrdehund, malinois.

Birthe Guldberg

Kennel Naboens driver hobbyopdræt af schæferhund i Haslev. Kennelen har været aktiv inden for hundesport siden 1991 og gennemførte DKK's opdrætteruddannelse i 2014. Der har været opdræt under Naboens-navnet siden mindst 2017. Afkom fra flere årgange er gået videre som tjeneste- og patruljehunde i Danmark og Sverige. Hunde fra opdrættet blev kåret i PH Område 5 i 2019 og 2023. I 2025 blev en hund fra opdrættet nummer to ved patruljeudtagelsen i Nykøbing Falster.

Naboens

## 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

Société Centrale Canine (France)

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.

Hauxwell House opdrætter whippets i Allerød. Der er registreret whippets født under kennelnavnet i både 2021 og 2023, hvilket afspejler aktivitet over flere år. En whippet fra Hauxwell House opnåede et juniorcertifikat ved DKK's internationale udstilling i Roskilde i september 2024. I maj 2026 havde en whippet med kennelnavnet titlerne dansk juniorchampion (DKJUCH) og VIJV25.

Hauxwell House

Little Denmark's opdrætter dansk-svensk gårdhund i Ringsted. Kennelnavnet blev etableret i 2003, og det første kuld kom året efter. I 2024 var den lige tævelinje nået til syvende generation med udgangspunkt i kennelens første gårdhund. En af avlslinjerne har desuden efterkommere gennem flere generationer i Danmark, Sverige, Finland og USA. Little Denmark's modtog Dansk Kennel Klubs opdrætterpris i 2021 for opdræt af racen. I Vejen i 2025 havde en hund opdrættet af kennelen titlen Juniorverdensvinder 2024, mens kennelens opdrætsklasse opnåede en førsteplads med hæderspræmie. Hverdagen med hundene omfatter lange ture og regelmæssig deltagelse i forskellige former for træning.

Little Denmark's

Kennelen Sonneholt's i Faxe Ladeplads opdrætter bichon havanais og har opdrættet racen siden 2009. I september 2023 blev en zobelfarvet og hvid hund fra opdrættet bedømt til Very Good ved DKK's internationale udstilling i Roskilde. Sonneholt's opdrætter desuden norsk skovkat.

Sonneholt's

## Quick Facts

- The Newfoundland is a Canadian giant breed developed for heavy draught work and work in water. Today, it is mainly kept as a companion and water dog.
- The breed ideal is gentle, friendly and peaceful. This describes the aim of responsible breeding, not the automatic behaviour of every dog.
- An adult male averages about 71 centimetres in height and 68 kilograms in weight. The corresponding averages for females are about 66 centimetres and 54 kilograms.
- The medium-length double coat is dense and water-resistant. The recognised colours are black, brown, and white and black.
- Its size makes early lead training, calm greetings and confident handling essential.
- Sweden has an official water trial for the breed, but interest in water and the ability to swim safely vary between individuals and require training.
- The breed is best suited to someone with enough space, time for coat care and a daily routine that works with a very large dog.

## Appearance & Coat

The Newfoundland should be massive, powerful and well muscled without appearing heavy or clumsy. The body is slightly longer than it is tall, and movement should convey effortless power. The breed standard stresses that maximum size must never take priority over symmetry, sound construction and correct movement.

Males average about 71 centimetres at the withers and 68 kilograms; females average about 66 centimetres and 54 kilograms. A suitable weight must still be judged from the individual dog's build, body condition and muscle mass.

The head is broad and the expression should convey gentleness. The large feet have webbing between the toes, and the powerful tail acts as a rudder when the dog swims.

The coat consists of medium-length, straight or slightly wavy outer hair and a soft, dense undercoat. The undercoat is usually thicker in winter but remains on parts of the body throughout the year. The colours are black, brown, and white and black. White and black is a colour within the Newfoundland breed; Landseer is also the name of a separate FCI-recognised breed and should not be confused with the colour description.

Base grooming frequency on the condition of the coat rather than a fixed weekly timetable. Work right down to the skin and pay particular attention behind the ears, in the armpits, on the legs, under the neck and around the hindquarters. If a comb catches, a tangle remains even when the surface looks smooth. More frequent grooming is needed during heavy shedding.

After bathing or swimming, rinse the coat when necessary and dry it thoroughly down to the skin. Check the ears, feet, skin and areas prone to matting at the same time. Bathe the dog when it genuinely needs it; there is no single correct interval. The breed standard does not encourage clipping that alters the natural coat.

Expect hair, water and often drool in the home. The Newfoundland is not allergy-free. The main dog allergens are found particularly in skin and saliva, and their levels vary between individual dogs regardless of breed or coat type.

## Temperament & Personality

A typical Newfoundland is gentle, friendly and peaceful, but the phrase “gentle giant” describes an ideal rather than guaranteeing safety. Ask to meet the puppy's mother and, if possible, other adult relatives. Look for dogs that greet people calmly, recover when something unexpected happens and can be handled without marked stress.

The breed usually likes to remain close to its family and is often willing to cooperate when the task is clear and training is kind. An adolescent can nevertheless be strong, clumsy and slow to mature, so household manners need to begin early.

Children and Newfoundlands can live very well together, but the breed's reputation as a “nanny dog” must not be taken literally. A responsible adult should always supervise dogs and young children. Children need to leave the dog alone while it eats or rests, and the dog needs a private place where nobody follows it. An adult must also be able to control the dog on walks and stop over-excited play; a friendly dog weighing more than 50 kilograms can knock a child over without intending harm.

The same care applies to other dogs and cats. Keep initial meetings calm, give each animal its own resources and ensure that a smaller animal can move away. An individual dog's experience and behaviour matter more than claims that the breed automatically likes every animal.

A Newfoundland is not automatically a guard dog either. Its size may deter people, but sharpness and suspicion are not part of the breed ideal.

## Training & Exercise

Training should make the Newfoundland easy to guide before it becomes heavy enough to win a physical contest. Prioritise walking on a loose lead, waiting at doors, recall, calm greetings and allowing the feet, ears, mouth and coat to be examined. Practise car travel and veterinary visits too. Reward the behaviour you want and introduce distractions gradually.

There is no reliable number of minutes that suits every dog. An adult Newfoundland needs daily movement and mental activity adapted to its age, body condition, fitness, health and the temperature. Unhurried walks, scent work, everyday obedience, draught work and water work may all suit the breed. Lameness, clear stiffness or a deterioration after activity are reasons to reduce the load and seek veterinary advice when needed.

For a puppy, the aim is varied, self-directed movement and good body awareness rather than fitness training. Let the puppy explore safe surfaces, practise simple balance exercises close to the ground and take short walks at its own pace. Avoid repeated high jumps, long enforced distances and running beside a bicycle. Formulae that allow a fixed number of minutes per month of age do not account for the individual, terrain or intensity.

Water work is a documented part of the breed's function. Sweden's official water trial includes obedience on land, retrieving from water and towing a person or boat. These skills are trained; a dog is not a trained rescue dog simply because of its breed. Begin in calm, shallow water, never force a worried dog in, and check the temperature, current, bottom and exit points. The handler also needs to be able to swim in exercises where dog and handler work together in the water.

The heavy body and dense coat limit activity in hot weather. Choose cooler times and stop if the dog is recovering poorly. Swimming can provide low-impact exercise for a healthy dog, but cold water, exhaustion and a difficult exit are genuine hazards.

## Health

Hips, elbows, heart and urinary tract are important areas to check when choosing a Newfoundland. Health data reduce uncertainty but can never guarantee that a puppy will remain healthy. Ask for both parents' registered names and check the results yourself rather than accepting that “tests have been done”.

Hip dysplasia, HD, and elbow dysplasia, ED, occur in the breed. Under the Swedish Kennel Club registration rules effective from 1 January 2026, both parents must have an official HD result and an official ED result before mating for the puppies to be registered with the Swedish Kennel Club. A known result means that it has been recorded; it does not mean that every result is normal. Dogs with ED grade 2 or 3 must not be bred from, nor may dogs with symptoms, a clinical ED diagnosis or surgery for ED, regardless of their recorded grade.

The breed's RAS breeding strategy from 2016 recommends stricter selection than the basic requirement for a recorded result: primarily HD A or B and ED 0, with specified exceptions. This dated breeding recommendation is distinct from today's binding registration requirements. Check the actual results and ask how the breeder justifies the pairing. The Swedish Kennel Club's Avelsdata service also shows results for close relatives.

The Swedish Newfoundland Club also highlights subaortic stenosis, SAS, a narrowing in the heart's outflow tract towards the aorta. A murmur can prompt investigation, but mild cases can be difficult to detect with a stethoscope alone; ultrasound gives a more reliable assessment. Ask how, when and by whom the heart was examined. An SAS examination is not a binding Swedish Kennel Club requirement in the same way as the breed's HD and ED results.

The Newfoundland also has a breed-specific, autosomal recessive form of cystinuria. It can cause raised levels of cystine in the urine and sometimes cystine stones, although not every genetically affected dog develops stones. A DNA test can distinguish clear, carrier and affected dogs. Ask to see the result and understand how the pairing avoids affected puppies. A dog that repeatedly tries to urinate but passes little or no urine needs emergency veterinary care; males have a higher risk of urethral obstruction.

Gastric dilatation-volvulus, GDV, is an emergency that mainly affects large and giant dogs. Its cause is probably multifactorial, so simple feeding or exercise rules cannot promise protection. Unproductive retching, heavy salivation, restlessness and a swelling abdomen are warning signs. Weakness, collapse or breathing difficulty make the situation still more urgent. Seek veterinary care immediately if you suspect GDV, and discuss the individual risk and preventive gastropexy before an emergency occurs.

Keep the dog at a healthy body condition and seek advice for lameness, recurring stiffness, reduced stamina, fainting or pain. Check the skin and coat after they get wet. Do not avoid a veterinary visit because a problem is said to be “common in the breed”.

## History & Origins

The Newfoundland originated in Canada and is associated with work around the coast of Newfoundland. The official breed standard describes a dog used for heavy draught work and work in water. It states that the breed's type and working qualities were established by about 1610. The account of native dogs being crossed with large black dogs brought by Vikings is presented as a tradition, not proven ancestry.

The dogs worked alongside people where strength, swimming ability and stamina had practical value. The massive body, water-resistant coat, webbed feet and rudder-like tail suit that function. The breed's history does not, however, mean that every modern Newfoundland can rescue people without training.

Today, the Newfoundland is chiefly a companion. Water work continues through organised training and official trials, while some partnerships also take part in draught work.

## Living with the Breed

A Newfoundland requires more logistical planning than a medium-sized dog. Can it lie down without blocking walkways, get into the car, rest somewhere cool and be managed by an adult if it becomes ill or frightened? Slippery floors often need rugs, while numerous stairs can be difficult for a puppy, an injured dog or an older dog.

Living in a flat is not automatically unsuitable. Dogs exercise and train outdoors, but a giant dog can make a small home impractical. A lift, wide routes through the building, nearby toileting areas, how much sound carries to neighbours and the ability to keep the home cool matter more than the address. A house and garden do not replace walks, training or company.

The breed often wants to stay close to people, but time alone must be judged individually. An adult that has been trained gradually can usually remain alone for a few hours; a young puppy cannot. Increase the duration only when the dog can settle, and arrange a dog sitter or another solution if the working day is longer than the individual can manage. Persistent barking, pacing, damage or severe distress show that the arrangement needs to change.

Plan for regular grooming, cleaning, a large space in the car and higher food, insurance and veterinary costs. A harness or collar, travel restraint and bed must all work for the individual dog's size.

A Newfoundland may suit a first-time owner who seeks help early and can genuinely manage the size, but it is not an easy choice simply because its temperament is described as gentle. A suitable owner enjoys close cooperation, accepts hair and drool, trains consistently without harshness and can adjust activity for heat and health. If those conditions sound realistic, the breed can be a calm and engaged member of the family. If space, physical control or grooming already seem doubtful, a smaller dog is the wiser choice.

Newfoundland

Dansk Kennel Klub (Denmark)

The Newfoundland is a giant, water‑loving working dog with a dense, heavy‑shedding coat and notable drooling. Calm, loyal, and gentle with children, it needs close family contact, kind training, moderate exercise, careful grooming, space, and proactive health care for joints, heart, and bloat.

Newetta's

## Quick Facts

The Welsh Corgi Cardigan is a British cattle-herding and companion breed. It is low to the ground but much more solidly built, powerful and work-focused than its short legs might suggest. It is best suited to someone who wants to train, walk and solve problems with their dog every day.

- **Size:** The breed standard gives 30 cm at the withers as the ideal height. It does not specify a fixed weight range; weight should be in proportion to the dog’s size and overall balance.
- **Build:** Long and strong, with short legs, good ground clearance and a long, fox-like tail.
- **Temperament:** The breed ideal is alert, active, intelligent and steady, neither shy nor aggressive.
- **Activity:** Daily physical exercise and mental stimulation are essential. A fixed number of exercise minutes will not suit every individual.
- **Coat:** A short to medium-length, weather-resistant double coat with an undercoat. Expect shedding and regular brushing.
- **Important when buying a puppy:** Ask to see the parents’ actual hip dysplasia results, and ask about eye examinations, rcd3-PRA and any merle colouring.

The Cardigan and the Welsh Corgi Pembroke are two separate breeds. Do not choose a dog solely because it is called a ‘corgi’ or resembles a short-legged dog in a photograph. Compare the breeds’ everyday needs, meet adult dogs and form your own impression of the breeder’s dogs.

## Appearance & Coat

A Welsh Corgi Cardigan should be sturdy, mobile and capable of endurance: low-set, but not so low that the body lacks ground clearance. The body is fairly long and strong, with substantial bone and large, erect ears that are slightly rounded at the tips. The moderately long tail reaches to, or nearly to, the ground. It may lift when the dog is moving but should not curl over the back. This long, fox-like tail is a clear feature of the Cardigan standard.

Accepted colours are blue merle, brindle, red, sable, tricolour with brindle points and tricolour with red points. Typical white markings are permitted, but white should not predominate on the body or head and should not surround the eyes. Under the standard, blue or blue-flecked eyes are permitted only in blue merles.

The coat consists of a coarse, preferably straight outer coat and a protective undercoat. Brush through the entire coat regularly and more often when a large amount of undercoat is coming loose. Check that loose undercoat is not becoming packed behind the ears, on the backs of the thighs or around the tail. The timing and amount of shedding vary between dogs; plan for more loose hair at certain times rather than relying on a fixed calendar. Gently accustom the puppy to brushing, nail trimming and other handling from the outset.

## Temperament & Personality

The breed ideal for the Welsh Corgi Cardigan is alert, active, intelligent and steady. That is a useful starting point, but it does not guarantee how every dog will develop. Swedish BPH behavioural assessment results show variation within the breed, while upbringing, experience and individuality affect qualities such as sociability, fearfulness, interest in play and the ability to settle.

Its background as a farm and cattle dog may show in close attention to movement, a desire to monitor its surroundings and a tendency to bark. Some young dogs may also try to control running people or animals and nip towards their legs. These are possible behaviours to anticipate and address through training, not something every Cardigan will do. Interrupt calmly, reward an alternative behaviour and offer structured activities in which the dog can use its nose, body and mind.

Ask the breeder how the parents behave with visitors, in unfamiliar environments and after activity. Meet them where possible. A dog that becomes excited quickly but struggles to settle can be demanding even if it learns readily. In many homes, the ability to switch between activity and rest is at least as important as enthusiasm for training.

## Training & Exercise

A Cardigan needs physical activity and opportunities to think every day, but there is no credible rule in minutes that suits them all. Age, health, fitness and personality determine the right amount. A sound routine combines walks in varied environments with scent work, short training sessions, play and time to recover.

The breed often enjoys tasks that involve working with its owner and making small choices. Tracking, search games, everyday obedience, rally obedience and controlled body-awareness exercises are examples; a dog does not have to herd to lead a fulfilling life. Increase difficulty and physical demands gradually, particularly in a growing dog, and seek advice from a vet or veterinary physiotherapist if the dog is in pain, lame or moving abnormally. Its conformation is not, in itself, a reason to ban all stairs or jumping, but the environment and activity must suit the individual dog.

Use positive, reward-based training in clear stages. Prioritise engagement, recall, walking with you and calm behaviour around bicycles, running children and other movement that may attract the dog’s attention. If the dog barks at the door or window, help it away from the situation before barking becomes a habit, then reward the behaviour you want. Harsh corrections or attempts to ‘dominate’ the dog are unnecessary and may undermine its sense of security.

## Health

The current Swedish breed-specific breeding strategy describes the Welsh Corgi Cardigan as generally healthy. In the eye examination results reviewed for the strategy, no single eye disease stood out. This does not mean that every dog is healthy or that health screening is unimportant. For a puppy buyer, documented results are more valuable than general assurances that a line is ‘problem-free’.

### Hips and musculoskeletal health

Since 2025, both parents must have an official hip dysplasia status before mating for their offspring to be eligible for registration with the Swedish Kennel Club. **A known status means that the result is officially recorded; it does not automatically mean that the hips are free from dysplasia.** Ask for the actual grades and invite the breeder to explain the choice of pairing.

The breed club is also monitoring short ulna, in which the ulna stops growing too early and the foreleg may become increasingly bowed. If a growing dog develops a clear change in leg alignment, an outward-turning paw or lameness, it should be assessed promptly by a vet with orthopaedic experience. Treatment may need to start while the dog is still growing, so do not simply wait to see what happens.

### Eyes, rcd3-PRA and merle

Rcd3-PRA is an early-onset, autosomal recessive form of PRA found in the breed. A DNA test can show whether a dog is clear, a carrier or genetically affected. A carrier will not itself develop this particular form of PRA, but can pass the variant on. The test answers only the question of this genetic variant. An eye examination can instead detect clinical eye changes but cannot identify unaffected carriers, so the two forms of screening do not replace each other.

Blue merle is an accepted colour, but the merle variant must not be inherited from both parents because the offspring would then be at risk of serious hearing and eye defects. When buying a merle puppy, the breeder should be able to explain the parents’ colours and how the mating complies with Swedish Kennel Club rules.

Keep the dog in an appropriate body condition as well. A defined waist should be visible behind the ribs, and the ribs should be easy to feel with light pressure. Monitor changes over time instead of pursuing a single standard weight.

## History & Origins

The Welsh Corgi Cardigan developed in Wales as a farm and cattle dog. It worked closely with the people on the farm and helped to move and manage cattle. This historical function explains the combination of low height, mobility, endurance and close attention to its surroundings.

The breed’s exact age and the dogs from which it descends have not been conclusively established. Older accounts link it to very early Welsh dogs, Celts or Vikings, but these theories should not be treated as a certain lineage. The Swedish Kennel Club states that Cardigans and Pembrokes were interbred until 1934, when they were separated and recognised as two distinct breeds. The first Welsh Corgi Cardigan registered in Sweden arrived in 1963.

The FCI now classifies the breed as a cattle-herding and companion dog. Many live solely as family companions, but their active, work-focused heritage remains relevant when deciding whether everyday life with the breed will be a good fit.

## Living with the Breed

A Welsh Corgi Cardigan can live in a flat, but its low height does not automatically make it easy to keep in a small home. It needs daily activity, opportunities to settle and training around sounds in communal hallways and outside windows. A house and garden are no substitute for walks, shared activities and new environments.

Being left alone is not a fixed breed trait. Start with very short periods once the dog feels secure and increase the time gradually; take a step back if it shows signs of distress. Plan around the individual and do not expect a young puppy to cope with being left alone.

The breed can live happily in a family with children, but no breed is automatically safe with children. An adult should always be present when a dog and young children interact, and the dog needs a resting place where it will be left undisturbed. Teach both children and dog calm boundaries, particularly when play and running may prompt the dog to follow or control movement.

The same individual approach applies to other dogs and cats. Previous experience and a controlled introduction matter more than the breed name. When introducing a cat, provide it with a dog-free retreat, keep meetings calm and prevent chasing from the very beginning.

Before buying, it is sensible to check:

- the parents’ official hip grades, not merely that they have been X-rayed;
- the date and result of eye examinations, as well as rcd3-PRA status;
- how any merle pairing was planned;
- how close relatives respond to sounds, people and dogs, and how well they settle after activity;
- whether you want a daily life that includes shedding, training and daily activity throughout the dog’s lifetime.

This is not the right breed for someone choosing solely for its compact size. A Cardigan is an active, intelligent cattle dog on short legs and needs an owner with both the time and interest to provide a well-planned daily routine.

Welsh Corgi Cardigan

Welsh Corgi League (UK)

The Welsh Corgi Cardigan is a sturdy, long-backed herding dog with a foxlike head and long tail. Energetic and agile despite short legs, it is loyal, watchful and often reserved with strangers. It has a weather-resistant double coat in many colours and needs regular exercise and grooming.

Mentiie

## Quick Facts

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a British, compact terrier with great strength for its size. It is a distinct recognised breed, not the same breed as the American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier or American Bully. With the right owner, it can be a close and active companion, but the decision should be based on the individual dog’s temperament, behaviour around dogs and the family’s ability to manage a strong, quick dog—not on nicknames or stereotypes.

- **Origin:** Great Britain, with roots in the Midlands and Staffordshire
- **Breed group:** FCI Group 3, Terriers
- **Height at the withers:** 35.5–40.5 cm for both males and females
- **Weight:** 12.7–17 kg for males and 11–15.4 kg for females
- **Coat:** short, smooth and close
- **Best suited to:** an owner who wants to use reward-based training, can read canine body language and has a considered plan for encounters with dogs, exercise and recovery

The breed standard describes an intelligent, affectionate, courageous and reliable dog. This is a breeding ideal, not a guarantee for every individual. Early environment, health, experience and inherited traits all affect daily life. A first-time owner can do well if prepared to train everyday control and prevent difficult situations.

## Appearance & Coat

A Staffordshire Bull Terrier should combine muscular power with balance, agility and free movement. The chest is broad, the body compact and the head short and deep with a broad skull. More weight does not mean better breed type. Height and weight should be in proportion, and a dog that becomes too heavy loses the mobility expected of the breed.

The standard gives a height of 35.5–40.5 cm at the withers. Males should weigh 12.7–17 kg and females 11–15.4 kg. The upper end of the weight range is not a goal in itself; body condition, muscle, sex and build must be considered together.

The coat is short, smooth and close. Remove loose hair and bathe according to the dog’s needs rather than a fixed schedule. Itching, repeated redness or paw licking should not be dismissed as an ordinary coat issue.

Accepted colours are red, fawn, white, black or blue, with or without white, and any shade of brindle with or without white. Liver and black and tan are absolutely undesirable under the standard. Blue is an accepted colour, but colour should never take priority over health, temperament and a carefully planned mating.

The breed has a relatively short head, but breathing should be free and quiet. Repeated snuffling, obvious breathing noise during moderate activity or heavy snoring during sleep should not be explained away as normal for the breed. Function determines whether the head and airways work well.

## Temperament & Personality

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is expected to be affectionate with people, courageous and mentally stable, but Swedish behavioural assessments show wide individual variation. A dog may be open and energetic, more reserved or easily overwhelmed. Everyday examples from parents and close relatives are therefore more useful than claims about how the breed “always” behaves.

An intense, prolonged greeting does not prove secure sociability; it may also reflect high arousal or social stress. The dog needs to be able to settle again and opt out of contact. Aggression towards people and extreme shyness are not part of the breed ideal and should be taken seriously.

A dog’s attitude towards people does not show how it will behave with other dogs. The breed’s history and the variation described by the Swedish breed club make it sensible to choose playmates carefully and not assume that an adult dog will enjoy an unfamiliar group or dog park. Not every Staffordshire Bull Terrier is aggressive towards dogs; actual play style, ability to disengage, level of tension and experience should guide decisions—not rules based on sex or a breed label.

BPH, MH and the Swedish mental index can provide useful information about parents and relatives, but they do not predict a puppy’s entire personality. Ask how the dogs react to surprises, people, handling, gunshot sounds and encounters with dogs, and how quickly they recover.

The nickname “nanny dog” is not a safety assessment. Even a very people-oriented dog can become stressed, be in pain or react quickly. Interactions between children and dogs must therefore always be supervised by an attentive adult who can read the situation and intervene in time.

## Training & Exercise

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier needs regular movement, mental activity and recovery, but there is no single exercise duration that suits every dog. A good week may include walks in different environments, free movement in a safe area, scent work, short training sessions and quiet days. The amount should reflect age, fitness, health, temperature, intensity and recovery.

Reward-based training suits the breed’s energy and willingness to cooperate. Prioritise skills that make daily life safe: walking with a loose lead, recall or use of a long line, passing other dogs, leaving an activity, greeting calmly, waiting, accepting handling and settling. The aim is not blind obedience but a dog that can make good choices even when excited.

Social training does not mean that the dog must play with everyone. A few carefully chosen canine relationships, clear breaks and controlled encounters often provide better conditions than a chaotic dog park. Stop if bodies become stiff, play becomes one-sided, intensity only increases or one dog tries to get away. Practise calm presence at a distance instead of always approaching.

Puppies should be allowed to explore, play and develop body awareness without long, repetitive or forced exercise. For adult dogs, activities such as nose work, obedience, rally obedience and adapted agility can provide both mental work and cooperation. Increase physical load gradually.

In hot weather or during strenuous activity, let the dog’s breathing and recovery guide you. Seek veterinary care if breathing becomes clearly laboured or noisy, the dog becomes unsteady or cannot return to normal breathing. Such signs should not be accepted as part of the breed’s appearance.

## Health

Allergies and atopic skin disease are among the most important current health priorities for Staffordshire Bull Terriers in Sweden. Do not only ask whether a parent has a test result; ask about itching, ear trouble, paw problems and other skin issues in parents, siblings and previous offspring. Recurrent skin symptoms can affect welfare and daily life for a long time.

The Swedish breed club’s current work also highlights joints and movement—particularly hips, elbows and knees—as well as eyes, teeth, bite and breathing. Corneal injuries and misdirected eyelashes occur, and incorrectly positioned canine teeth can damage tissue in the mouth. Ask to see how the parents move and breathe during ordinary activity, not only when posed.

Health requirements and recommendations are not the same. The Swedish Kennel Club’s registration rules for 2026 contain no Staffordshire Bull Terrier-specific requirement for a particular parental health-test result. The breed club’s current breeding strategy nevertheless recommends that both parents have results for hips, elbows, eyes, L2Hga and HC, as well as known mental status through BPH or MH. Buyers should request the actual results even when they are not a condition of registration.

L2Hga and HC are two separate recessively inherited diseases with DNA tests. The Swedish Kennel Club records L2Hga results centrally at health programme level 1. A carrier is not affected by the relevant recessive variant, but may only be mated to a clear dog. A dog that has inherited the disease variant from both parents should not be used for breeding. Check the dog’s identity, test date and results for the proposed mating. A DNA test says nothing about allergies, joints, breathing or general health.

In its current breeding strategy, the breed club advises against blue-to-blue and white-to-white matings. This is advice about breeding combinations, not proof that every blue or white dog is ill. Never choose a puppy primarily for an unusual colour or accept poorer documentation to obtain a particular appearance.

## History & Origins

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier developed in the English Midlands and the Staffordshire area from older bull-and-terrier-type dogs. Its background includes the era’s bloody animal baiting and dog fighting. When baiting tethered animals was prohibited in 1835, dog fighting continued illegally, while the dogs also lived closely with their owners. This history should be described openly, but it does not make every modern dog aggressive and should not be used to romanticise risky behaviour.

Work towards a consistent breed gathered pace during the 20th century. The British Kennel Club recognised the Staffordshire Bull Terrier on 25 May 1935. This laid the foundation for a written standard and more organised breeding focused on a strong, agile and stable terrier. The first known import to Sweden arrived in 1962.

Today’s breed should be judged by present-day function, health and temperament. Its history explains why power, stamina and encounters with dogs deserve particular attention, but it never replaces assessment of the individual dog.

## Living with the Breed

Staffordshire Bull Terriers can live with children, but no dog is a babysitter. An adult should manage contact, the dog must be left undisturbed when sleeping and eating, and both child and dog need to be able to leave the situation. Children should not climb on, restrain or take things from the dog.

Living with another dog, a cat or smaller animals must be assessed individually. A history of peaceful coexistence is useful information but not a future guarantee. Introduce animals gradually, use physical separation when nobody can supervise, give a cat high or separate escape routes, and interrupt chasing, fixation or escalating arousal early.

Apartment living can work if the dog’s needs for activity, toilet breaks and recovery are met and the owner can manage noise and encounters in stairwells and entrances. Build up alone time gradually and observe the dog’s behaviour, ideally with a camera. There is no single duration that suits the whole breed. In Sweden, a closed crate must not be used for routine confinement or as an ordinary solution to problems with being left alone.

Before buying, ask for more than a list of test names:

- Check the dog’s registered breed and pedigree so that it is not confused with other bull-and-terrier breeds.
- Ask to see the hip, elbow, eye, L2Hga and HC results and have the proposed mating explained.
- Ask about skin, ears, paws, teeth, bite, breathing and movement in parents, siblings and previous offspring.
- Review BPH, MH or the mental index alongside concrete examples from daily life and encounters with dogs.
- Find out why the breeder chose these two dogs and which weaknesses the mating is intended to improve.

The most important question is not whether the breed is “nice” or “tough”, but whether the dog’s traits suit your home and whether you can provide safe training, appropriate activity, rest and suitable company.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of Great Britain

American Kennel Club (AKC) - Though not EU, it is a well-established source

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a compact, muscular English terrier with a strong build and short, easy-care coat. Known for deep affection for people, especially children, it is lively, sensitive, needs daily exercise, positive training, sturdy chew toys, and close family companionship.

Staffs of Nala

## 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.

Xoxo Jakobik´s

Phalène

The Norwegian Kennel Club

Verein für Deutsche Spitze und Phalène

The Kennel Club UK

The Phalène is a small, elegant toy spaniel with drop ears, a long silky coat, and a white body marked in various colors. Lively yet sensitive and people‑oriented, it is highly trainable, enjoys dog sports, moderate daily exercise, and close companionship.

Dog and cat breeders in Roskilde

For buyers

Breeders

Cats

Dogs

Get a Pet