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MediumHerding Group

Swedish Vallhund

The Swedish Vallhund is a Nordic spitz-type cattle-drover's dog with Viking-era history, closely related to the Welsh Corgi.

Calculate Swedish Vallhund age
Lifespan14 yrrange 12–14
SizeMediumHerding Group
Weight20–35 lb9.1–15.9 kg
Senior at7 yrgeriatric at 11

Gallery (3)

About

About the Swedish Vallhund

The Swedish Vallhund is a Nordic spitz-type cattle-drover's dog with Viking-era history, closely related to the Welsh Corgi. The breed nearly disappeared by the 1940s and was restored by Count Björn von Rosen; AKC recognition dates to 2007.

Aging

How Swedish Vallhunds age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 14.0 years (n=83, small sample). Swedish Vallhund retinopathy (a breed-specific late-onset PRA variant, DNA-testable) is the defining inherited eye concern; hip dysplasia and patellar luxation are secondary.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 14 yr · range 12–14Senior careSenior at 7 · geriatric at 11Common health issues3 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
20–35 lb(9.1–15.9 kg)
Height
11.5–13.75 in(29.2–34.9 cm)
Coat type
Double
Colors
GrayYellowRedBlackBlueWhite
Temperament

Temperament

How Swedish Vallhunds tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

cheerfulalertresponsiveenergetic
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Swedish Vallhund physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.