Swedish Lapphund
A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions and exaggerations, as well as being mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.
Breed Standard - Swedish Lapphund
UTILIZATION - Herding dog, nowadays mainly kept as a companion dog.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY - The Swedish Lapphund (a Nordic Spitz used in the past for reindeer herding by the nomadic Laplanders) has been known in the Nordic area for centuries.
GENERAL APPEARANCE - Typical Spitz dog of slightly less than medium size and with a proud head carriage. Its coat is weather resistant. Important proportions: Rectangular body shape.
TEMPERAMENT - Lively, alert, kind and affectionate. The Lapphund is very receptive and willing to work. Its abilities as a good guard and herding dog made it very useful in the reindeer trade. It is very versatile, suitable for obedience training, agility, herding, tracking, etc. It is easy to train, full of endurance and toughness.
HEAD - Skull: Slightly longer than broad; forhead rounded and occiput not clearly defined.
Stop: Very well marked.
Nose: Preferably dark, or very black.
Muzzle: A little more than one third of the length of the head. Foreface strong, evenly tapering towards the tip of the nose. Nose bridge straight.
Lips: Close fitting. Palate and lips strongly pigmented.
EYES - Set well apart, round, fairly big, but not protruding. Brown, preferably dark brown and full of expression. Rims strongly pigmented.
EARS - Triangular, broad at the base, small, pricked, tips slightly rounded. Set well apart and very mobile. Tipped ears are undesirable but not as an eliminating fault.
MOUTH - Scissor bite with evenly set and well developed teeth.
NECK - Medium length, clean cut and powerful.
FOREQUARTERS - The forequarters should be sufficiently angulated at the shoulders and elbows to provide good reach.
Shoulders: Shoulder blade well laid back.
Elbows: Fitting close to the chest.
Forearm: Straight, strong and parallel, both standing and moving. Pasterns: Sufficiently slanting.
BODY - Well put together, slightly longer than the height at withers.
Back: Level, strong, muscular and springy.
Loin: Short and broad.
Croup: Proportionally long and broad, slightly sloping and well muscled.
Chest: Rather deep and reaching to the elbow. Ribcage proportionally long, oval and with well developed last ribs. Forechest well developed; well defined breastbone. Underline and belly: Belly slightly tucked up.
HINDQUARTERS - Well angulated, but not exaggerated in stifle and hock joint. Upper thigh: Muscular. Hocks: Low-set to give power of propulsion. Dewclaws undesirable.
FEET - Forefeet: Strong, oval, with tightly knit toes, hardy and elastic padding and well covered with fur between the pads. Nails and pads strongly pigmented. Hindfeet: As in front feet.
TAIL - rather high set, reaching to the hock when extended. Carried over the back when the dog is moving.
MOVEMENT - Light and springy, covering ground, with drive.
COAT - Profuse double coat. Hair standing straight out from the body, undercoat dense and very finely curled. Short on head and front of the legs. Longer on the brisket, backside of the legs and on the tail. Bushy, long and dense on the tail. Forming a ruff around the neck.
COLOUR - Usually solid black: bronzing is typical. Also brown or liver. White on the chest, feet and tip of the tail is permissible but more white is undesirable.
HEIGHT - Height at withers:
Ideal size for males: 48 cm Ideal size for females: 43 cm Allowance for plus or minus 3 cm.
FAULTS - Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in the exact proportion to its degree.
Severe fault:
- No trace of undercoat.
- Very Serious faults:
- Aggressive or overly shy.
- Untypical
- Abnormalities.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.
