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Breed profile

Swedish Vallhund

A short-legged Swedish cattle dog with a wolf-grey coat. Sturdy, cheerful and smart, with plenty of herding drive.

A grey sable Swedish Vallhund stands on a mossy rock in a sunlit pine forest
Short legs, big personality: the Vallhund is a working cattle dog in a compact package.Photo: WestportWiki / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Weight
11–16 kg24–35 lb
Height
28–35 cm11–14 in
Lifespan
12–15 yrs
Group
Pastoral / Herding
Origin
Sweden
Popularity
#152 US#166 UK · 2025

Known for: Family dogsEasy to trainWorking dogs

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Cheerful, Alert, Energetic, Intelligent.

Health problems to know about

  • Swedish Vallhund retinopathy (inherited retinal disease)
  • Cataracts
  • Distichiasis

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

About an hour of exercise a day plus training or dog sports. Weekly brushing, more during moults. Ask breeders about eye screening and retinopathy testing.

A good fit for

Active families, dog-sport beginners, people who want a big dog in a small body.

Probably not ideal for

Close neighbours, sedentary homes, people who dislike being herded at the ankles.

Sources

  1. Royal Kennel Club: Swedish Vallhund breed information
  2. VCA Animal Hospitals: Swedish Vallhund
  3. PLOS ONE: Swedish Vallhund retinopathy study (PMC4157785)
  4. Wikipedia: Swedish Vallhund

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

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All the Poodle brains in a small, sturdy package. Lively, quick to learn and low-shedding, but the coat needs regular clipping.

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