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The Vallhund takes his name from the Swedish "att valla" meaning
"to herd", and that is exactly what he was bred to do. The
Swedish Vallhund is the type of herder known as a "heeler" - he
nips at the heels of the animals he is driving.
The Swedish Vallhund stands up to 13 inches tall at the shoulder. He has a
medium length double coat with an dense undercoat. His coat is "aguouti"
or " wolf-coloured" and comes in shades of grey, brown, or red,
with white markings on the paws or chest and/or a narrow blaze on the
face. The Vallhund may be born with no tail, a stub, or a long tail.
This is a short-legged,
long-bodied dog with sturdy bone structure. Since he's at risk from flying
hooves, his size and shape have evolved to protect him. The Vallhund is
capable of moving at lightning speed and is able to drop
flat instantly to avoid kicking cattle and he can do this while moving
forwards or backwards! As
you might expect from a dog with this kind of job to do, his attitude and
posture are alert and active.He
has a "big dog personality in a small dog body". He is
intelligent, brave, and agile, and excels in obedience and agility
training.
A very loving, people-oriented breed, the
Swedish Vallhund is good with children, other animals, and family pets. He
is a strong, healthy dog who will live a long and happy life as long as he
gets the physical and mental stimulation he needs. As with all breeds of
dog, he should have early training and socialization to ensure he develops
into a well mannered adult dog. Today's Swedish Vallhund is a
companion, a watch dog, works on patrol, in Search and Rescue, and in
tracking.
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