Pastoral group · Finland
Finnish Lapphund
Also called Lapinkoira, Suomenlapinkoira, Lappie.
Medium dog, moderate energy, quick to learn.
- Friendly
- Alert
- Agile
- Calm
- Courageous
- Size
- Medium
- Weight
- 15 to 24 kg33 to 53 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 14 years
- Energy
- Moderate
- Trains
- High
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training a Finnish Lapphund
Pastoral breeds. Give the brain a job or it will find one. Chasing, nipping and fixating are the breed doing its work.
Willing Workers
Start here
Bred to work with people and respond well to training. Positive methods work excellently.
Startle Reflex
Herding heritage means they react to sudden movements. Desensitise gradually.
Cold Weather Love
Arctic breed thrives in cold. Provide cooling options in warm climates.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Finnish Lapphund and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, on video with Atlas and Shango.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to herd and guard livestock. Watchful, responsive, and wired to control movement.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsHigh
- StrangersModerate
- CatsModerate
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1 hour daily. Moderate activity with mental stimulation. Enjoy agility and herding sports.
- Grooming
- Moderate to high. Regular brushing. Heavy shedding twice yearly.
- Drool
- Very Low
- Coat
- Double coat, Long outer coat, Dense undercoatBlack, Brown, Tan, Cream, Wolf Sable
- In a flat
- Needs more space than a flat gives.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Joint malformation; responsible breeders screen
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Moderate
Inherited eye disease; DNA test available
Glycogen Storage Disease
Severe
Rare inherited condition; DNA test available to avoid
Where they come from
History
Developed by the Sami people of Lapland for herding reindeer. One of three Lapphund varieties. Transitioned from hunting to herding companion over centuries.
- Sami Reindeer Dogs · Still used by Sami herders in Lapland to manage large reindeer herds
