# Lapponian Herder

Also known as: Lapinporokoira, Lapp Reindeer Dog, Lapsk Vallhund
- **Group:** Spitz & Primitive (FCI group 5)
- **Size:** Medium
- **Origin:** Finland
- **Height:** 46–51 cm
- **Weight:** 25–29 kg
- **Life expectancy:** 12–14 years
- **Temperament:** Calm, Friendly, Docile, Energetic, Intelligent
- **FCI standard:** No. 284

The Lapponian Herder is a calm, friendly Finnish spitz bred to herd reindeer for the Sami. It is a rare, medium-sized dog with a thick double coat and a willing, even temper.

## Overview

The Lapponian Herder, or Lapinporokoira, is one of the Lapphund family of reindeer herding dogs. It is a medium-sized spitz with pricked ears and a dense coat.

It is docile and friendly but energetic, and enjoys work. It suits active owners looking for a rare and versatile companion.

## History

The Sami people used spitz-type herding dogs for reindeer for many centuries, with no fixed appearance, as a landrace. Much of this stock was lost in World War II, after which Finnish and Swedish breeders worked to recreate the type.

In Finland, two varieties were separated by coat length in 1966. The heavier-coated one became the Lapponian Herder, while the other became the Finnish Lapphund. The stud book remains open.

## Appearance

A medium-sized, well-built dog with a medium-length double coat and pricked ears. Males stand about 51 cm and females 46 cm, and they weigh around 25 to 29 kg.

The colour is usually black, dark grey or brown, sometimes red-brown, with lighter shades on the head and underparts and often white markings. Males and females look distinctly different.

## Temperament

The standard asks for a calm, friendly and docile dog that is also energetic. They are willing workers who bond closely with their people.

They are generally easy to train and can be vocal, as is typical for herding spitz breeds.

## Care and exercise

They need regular daily exercise and mental tasks. They can take part in agility, obedience, mushing, carting, tracking, flyball and herding tests.

Brush the double coat weekly and more often during seasonal moults.

## Ratings (1 to 5)

- Energy: 4
- Exercise needs: 4
- Grooming: 3
- Shedding: 4
- Trainability: 4
- Barking: 4
- Good with children: 4
- Good with other dogs: 4

Page: https://techtools.cz/tools/dog-atlas/lapponian-herder
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapponian_Herder · https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q38362
Photo: Patrik Fors (CC BY-SA 3.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lapskvallhund.jpg
Profile written by an AI model from the sources above.