The Swedish Vallhund is known as “the little cattle dog of the vikings”. The dog breed closely resembles the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, but it is currently unknown whether there is any relation between the two breeds. The Vallhund is a canine that can take the role of a watchdog, a cattle herder or even a farmhand. They are a fearless and powerful, yet small and healthy dog breed that tends to bark and nip.

Breed Group

Herding

Size

Male dogs: 12.5 to 13.5 inches

Female dogs: 11.5 to 12.5 inches

Weight

Male: 20-35 lbs

Female: 20-30 lbs

Color(s)

Any color between gray and red is acceptable for a Swedish Vallhund. Lighter shades and markings are strongly desired to highlight facial features, chest and legs.

Coat

The dog has a medium length coat that is slightly harsh. The outer coat is close and tight while the inner coat is soft.

Life Expectancy

About 12-14 years.

Personality

This is the kind of dog breed that makes a great companion. They love the affection from humans and are very dedicated to their owners. They like to be the center of attention and are very playful. Owners are rarely disappointed with this dog’s abilities or sense of humor.

Care

This dog breed doesn’t have a history of health problems and is relatively easily groomed. They are an average shedder and should only bathe when needed. They need to be walked for exercise, but don’t require a yard to run around in because they are well enough indoors.

Training

The Swedish Vallhund should be properly socialized and trained to avoid becoming too over protective as an adult. They are very suitable for a watchdog or guard dog despite their smaller size.

Activity

The Swedish Vallhund is suitable for many different activities including herding and dog agility. The Vallhund is an energetic breed that loves to run around and play.

The Shetland Sheepdog is probably a descendant from the Rough Collies brought to Shetland (a Scottish island) and mixed with the Icelandic Yakkin, a small dog that is no longer recognized.

By 1700, the breed was totally developed and was used to herd and guard sheep.
The Sheltie was first recognized in 1909 in England and brought in the United States in 1911.

Breed Group

Herding

Size

Male: 13-16 inches
Female: 13-16 inches

Weight

Male: 14-27 lbs
Female: 14-27 lbs

Color(s)

The Shetland can come in many colors like black, blue, merle and different shades of sable marked with white and/or tan.

Coat

The Shetland Sheepdog’s outer coat has long, straight and harsh hair.
The undercoat is short and so dense that it gives a furry appearance to the entire coat.
Mane should be impressive (particularly in males). Short and smooth hairs on the face, the ears and the feet should be seen.
The front legs are well feathered and the back legs heavily feathered.
The tail’s hair is profuse and dense.

Life Expectancy

About 12 to 15 years.

Personality

The Shetland Sheepdog is an excellent companion with a wonderful temperament.
They are perfect for family as they are gentle, very loving and affectionate, delicate and they get along very well with children if they are raised with them.
Intensely loyal and devoted, it makes a great guard dog and watchdog.
In fact, they can be suspicious of strangers, especially children.

The Sheltie is graceful and elegant, that’s why it is so popular now. This breed is extremely intelligent and willing to please and obey which makes it easy to train.
This is a very lively dog that likes to be kept busy with a job. It is a sensitive breed that might not allow strangers to touch them and bark loudly and persistently.
The breed kept a high herding instinct that loves to chase things like cars which can sometimes be dangerous.

Care

The Shetland Sheepdog tends to have a hereditary malformation and disease of the eyes.
Puppies should always be checked for this kind of malformation or disease. Some are prone to hypothyroidism (a deficiency of the thyroid gland and slows down the metabolic rate).
It is also important to take a look for kneecap displacement.

Never over-feed a Sheltie as it will become obese and lazy and this can lead to many other health problems. A regular brushing is important.
The coat must be misted lightly with water and the mats clipped out before you start.
The Sheltie heavily sheds twice a year. As its coat sheds dirt, bathe or dry shampoo this dog only when absolutely necessary.

Training

As the Sheltie is extremely intelligent and entirely devoted to its master, so it tends to be very easy to train.
Harsh training is unnecessary as it is very sensitive and can become uncooperative.
The key to training a Shetland is positive reinforcement.

Activity

The Shetland Sheepdog is very active and needs a lot of daily exercise, preferably off the leash in a secure place.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is nationally known in France for their great work as couriers, rescue dogs, watch dogs and mascots. The dog breed isn’t too well-known outside of France, but everything about the dog makes it very appealing. In 2003, a Pyrenean Shepherd won the World Agility Championship for midsized dogs it gained more recognition as an intelligent sports performance dog.

Breed Group

Herding

Size

Male dogs: 15.5 to 22 inches

Female dogs: 15 to 20 inches

Weight

Male: 15-32 lbs

Female: 15-30 lbs

Color(s)

Usually the dog breed comes in shades of fawn, but it is also typical for some black and grey overlay. There is also less commonly merles (blue merle, fawn merle) and even more rare, black. A hint of white is allowed on the head, legs and chest.

Coat

There is a smooth-faced variety and there is a rough-faced variety. The smooth kind has short fine hairs on the muzzle with rough areas around the head and neck. The other kind has longer, much shaggier kind of hair on the muzzle and face, but doesn’t cover the eyes or create a beard. There is a long, coarse hair over the rest of this dog breed’s body.

Life Expectancy

About 9-15 years.

Personality

Designed to be a sheepdog, they have the great energy of a herding dog, but in a smaller package. The Pyrenean Shepherd wants to work on the field and is a natural herder. Giving the dog a job will be a great way for the dog to use up most of the energy it has and will give him an important role.

Care

Despite the fact that the dog breed has a relatively shaggy coat, they only require a brush every week. The coat’s texture is resistant to tangling and is very manageable compared to other longer-haired dogs.

Training

The Pyrenean Shepherd observes very carefully their master’s mood and emotions and can almost read their mind. This makes the dog easily trainable. They are dedicated to their owners and are considered a very loyal dog breed.

Activity

This is a dog breed that needs a job. They are very active and clever making them great for dog agility and to participate in dog sports like fly ball. The Pyrenean Shepherd is also well suited to compete in obedience competitions.

Several thousand years ago, the Pulik were brought to Hungary by the Magyars and they were used as sheep dogs.

During World War II, this breed almost disappeared, but a breeding program successfully brought the breed back to life. This is a dog breed that loves to please their owners and are determined to make them happy. These dogs should not be taken for granted, they are amazing.

Breed Group

Herder

Size

Male: 17 inches
Female: 16 inches

Weight

Male: 25-35 lbs
Female: 20-30 lbs

Color(s)

The Puli’s colors vary from rusty black, to black, to all shades of gray or white.
On the chest, a white spot, not bigger than 2 inches, is acceptable.
In the black coated Pulik, you can sometimes find white hairs and in the gray Pulik, a mixture of different shades of gray is also acceptable.

Coat

The Puli’s coat is thick and weather resistant.
The outer coat is wavy or curly and with harsh hairs.
A soft, thick and wooly undercoat covers the body.
As an adult, if not brushed, its coat will form cords which will be of different shapes and sizes (flat or round).
The Puli can be shown brushed or corded. The coat can become very long and even reach the ground.

Life Expectancy

About 14-16 years.

Personality

Energetic, lively, playful and loyal, the Puli makes a very good companion.
This dog is extremely intelligent and affectionate.
Suspicious of strangers, it makes a great watch dog, but never aggressive; it will give a vocal warning to intruders.

Pulis are not recommended for small children as they will try to herd them, however, if the dog is raised with the child it may get along well.
This is a very receptive, obedient and agile dog that easily adapts to new situations.

Care

The Puli is a very healthy breed. Although, every owner should test the dog for hip dysplasia or eye problems.

As the corded coat begins to form, the cords should be separated by hand very regularly.
If you want to keep a fully corded Puli, regular coat separation is necessary and, of course, bathing.
Bathing a Puli is very easy, but it takes a long time to dry; if a dryer is used, it can take a couple of hours.
Without a dryer, it can take up to two days.
The nails should always be kept clipped and the eyes and ears regularly cleaned.
This breed does not shed.

Training

Obedience training is important for the Puli. This is an extremely intelligent dog, which makes him easy to train but also gives him the chance to think by itself.
This breed might find some aspects of training boring, so it’s important to train them with creative and playful methods.
They are very good in agility and in obedience.

Activity

The Puli is an energetic dog that needs a lot of exercise.
They will love to join you in your activities or just to romp in a park.
Some of them love water and cam swim very well.

This dog is called the Polish Lowland Sheepdog because it worked for a long time on the lowland plains.
This breed comes from corded herding dogs of Hungary and from other small, long-coated mountain herders.

Because of the World War II, this breed was brought near extinction.
The breed was rescued by some Polish breeders.
It is now very popular in Poland and is often used as a companion or a herder.

Breed Group

Herding

Size

Male: 18-20 inches
Female: 17-19 inches

Weight

Male: 30-35 lbs
Female: 30-35 lbs

Color(s)

The Polish Lowland Sheepdog can come in all colors.
The most common colors are white with black, gray or sandy patches, or gray and white, or chocolate.
As it grows up, the dog gets lighter.

Coat

The coat is long, dense, generally straight and bushy.
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog has a soft and thick undercoat.
The coat can be slightly wavy.

Life Expectancy

About 12 – 15 years.

Personality

The Polish Lowland Sheepdog is a lively, happy and alert dog with an excellent memory.
This is a very intelligent and obedient dog.
Eager to please, the Polish Lowland Sheepdog is very easy to train, but can sometimes be strong-willed.

It is very affectionate and loving with its family, but can be somewhat reserved and watchful with strangers.
Serious and responsible, the Polish Lowland Sheepdog could bite if provoked; however, they are very good with children.
This dog is very adaptable, which makes it a great traveling companion.

Care

This breed has no major health concerns.
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog must be brushed at least once a week to prevent matting.
This breed is an average shedder.

Training

The Polish Lowland Sheepdog learns very quickly, but is also strong-willed.
It needs firm and consistent training with a dominant master as it tends to think by its self and do what it wants to.

Activity

This is not a dog for the city. It needs a lot of mental and physical stimulation.
This breed enjoys agility, catching a Frisbee and they always need a job to do.

For about 70 years, the Pembroke and the Cardigan Welsh Corgis are known as separate breeds.

There are many theories concerning the Welsh Corgi.
One states that both of the varieties descended from Swedish Vallhunds, brought in the 800’s to Wales by the Vikings.

Another theory says that the Cardigan variety is older and was brought to Wales in 1200 B.C. by Celtics people, as the word Corgi comes from a Celtic word that means dog.

And the last theory is that the Pembroke variety was brought in the 1100’s to Wales by Flemish weavers.
The only thing that is sure about this breed is that it has been developed in Pembrokeshire in Wales and it was used to drive cattle.
After 1930, the two varieties started to be bred separately.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is now popular for being the favorite breed of Queen Elizabeth II.

Breed Group

Herding

Size

Male: 10-12 inches
Female: 10-12 inches

Weight

Male: 25-30 lbs
Female: 24-28 lbs

Color(s)

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s coat can be red, sable, fawn, black, tan and with or without white markings.
White color can appear on the muzzle, the neck, the chest, the legs, under the body and as a thin line on the head.

Coat

The undercoat of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is medium in length, short, dense and weather-resistant.
The outer coat is ruder and longer than the undercoat.
The ruff around the neck, the chest and the shoulders has thicker and longer hairs.
The hairs are a little longer on the back of the legs.
The coat is usually straight but can be a little wavy.

Life Expectancy

About 12 – 15 years.

Personality

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is more outgoing, excitable and restless than the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
This breed is extremely courageous, devoted and protective.
As they are too small to protect their house and family, a lot of these dogs lost their life trying to defend their home.

They are suspicious of strangers and tend to bark a lot which makes a great alarm dog.
These dogs are excellent in shows and obedience as they are highly intelligent.
This is a good breed for smooth children.
This active little dog might try to herd people by nipping their heels.

Care

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is prone to glaucoma (an eye disorder that, if not treated, can lead to blindness), PRA, and back disorders. It is important to never overfeed this breed as it may become obese. The coat of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi sheds twice a year and needs to be brushed and bathed only when necessary.

Training

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is very easy to train. They need a smooth and gentle handling with no harsh manners. This dog should be properly socialized to prevent over-protective behavior.

Activity

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is naturally an active dog; daily exercise is extremely important to avoid obesity.

There are a few theories concerning the origin of the Old English Sheepdog.

One of them is that the breed comes from the Barbone and the Deerhound. Another one states that it comes from the Briard and the Bergamasco, and the third one says that the Old English Sheepdog is a descendant from a Russian dog called Owtchar, which was brought from the Baltic to the United Kingdom on ships.

The last theory is that the breed is a mix of breeds like the Bearded Collie and some other dogs brought from Russia, France, or the Baltics. The Old English Sheepdog was first developed in West England by farmers that needed herders for their sheep.

Breed Group

Working

Size

Male: 24-26 inches
Female: 22-24 inches

Weight

Male: 60-75 lbs
Female: 50-65 lbs

Color(s)

The Old English Sheepdog can come in any shade of gray, blue or grizzle with or without white markings.

Coat

The Old English Sheepdog’s coat is profuse, with a hard texture, not straight, but shaggy. The undercoat is thick and waterproof. The ears are moderately coated while the rest of the body is well coated.

Life Expectancy

About 12 – 13 years.

Personality

The Old English Sheepdog is extremely gentle and affectionate. Friendly, kind, loving and lovable, it’s an excellent family dog that loves children. Loyal, this dog is entirely devoted to its family and will always be ready to protect it.

It’s a calm and patient breed that will tend to adopt smaller family pets or little children. Because of its high herding instinct, it may try to herd family members or other pets.

The Old English Sheepdog is intelligent and will easily adapt to new situations. It will enjoy having other pet’s company.

Care

This breed is generally very healthy, however, it is sometimes prone to hip dysplasia, cataracts and IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia). Due to its extremely thick coat, it is not a dog made for hot climates.

The coat of the Old English Sheepdog needs constant care. At least three times a week, it needs to be brushed and combed through the thick undercoat. If not, the undercoat may become matted and the dog can have skin problems or parasites. The Tangles have to be clipped carefully to not hurt the dog. It’s preferable to see a professional trimmer every two months. With blunt-nosed scissors, trim around the eyes and rear-end. This breed sheds heavily.

Training

The Old English Sheepdog is very intelligent and might want to think on his own more than to listen its owner that’s why the dog can be quite stubborn and will need to be trained early to learn good manners. This breed needs firm training because it tends to anticipate orders and do them the way they want. The best way to train them is by motivating them.

Activity

The Old English Sheepdog needs a lot of regular exercise and a safe place to run off the leash.

The Norwegian Buhund is one of the Spitz dog breeds. The skeleton remains of 6 Buhunds were found in an ancient Viking grave excavation in Norway. Vikings often buried their treasured and cherished belongings with them because they would be important in the afterlife. The dogs that traveled alongside the Vikings would also be buried and believed to continue to carry out their duties in the afterlife. The Norwegian Buhunds of today were nurtured in western coasts of Norway where they held the role of herding sheep and guarding farms. Buhunds are trained to aid the hearing impaired, perform various police duties and work with livestock. They are agile, have the desire to please their master and learn quickly. The Buhund enjoys the company of people, but can be left alone at times.

Breed Group

Herding

Size

Male dogs: 17 to 18.5 inches

Female dogs: 16 to 17.5 inches

Weight

Male: 31-40 lbs

Female: 26-35 lbs

Color(s)

Black or Wheaten (anything from a pale cream color to an orange color).

Coat

The Norwegian Buhund sports a very short yet thick and hard outer coat. It remains smooth with a more soft and dense under coat.

Life Expectancy

About 13-15 years.

Personality

They are cheerful and active. They need to know that their master is in control; otherwise, they will try to take control into their own paws. They enjoy being showed new things and learn very easily. This intelligent breed loves to be with their family and is fond of children, but is independent enough to stay out of trouble while you’re gone.

Care

The Buhund’s coat is easy to care for because it is short and doesn’t tangle. The breed has a history of eye and hip problems.

Training

Norwegian Buhunds need obedience training to establish good manners. If the dog tends to bark it is because they believe that they are the one who should be ordering you around, and the last thing that you need is a dog to be your master. Always remind your dog that you are the boss.

Activity

It is a very active breed that needs daily exercise. This dog breed among others must walk behind their owner or heel because in a dog’s mind the leader of the pack is always the one in who is in the front. The breed also loves to play and have fun with their masters.

The German Shephard also known as the Alsatian, was developed in the late 1800s and early 1900s by Captain Max von Stephanitz to be an all purpose working dog.

This versatile large breed (males and females weighing in between 75 and 95 lbs.) are often used as working dogs excel as sheep herding, guard dog, police and army dog, tracker, search and rescue dog, show or obedience dog, as well as wonderful companion.

The German Shepherd is extremely intelligent and has a very high learning ability, is known as being loyal, fearless, curious, highly adaptable, strong and active dog.

Breed Group

Herding

Size

22 – 26 inches tall (at shoulder)

Weight

77 – 95 lbs

Color(s)

The coat vary in color and most often comes in black and tan (mostly cream), sable or all black.

Coat

The German Shepherd is a medium to long double coat breed. The outer coat is rough, flat, and dense while the under coat is thick and smooth. The Breed comes in three varieties of coat rough coat, long hair, and long rough coat.

Life Expectancy

About 12 – 14 years.

Personality

The German Shephard is esteemed for their deep devotion to his owner and family, this dog thrives on human interaction and may suffer from separation anxiety when left isolated for extended periods of time. Exceptionally wary of strangers and not overly outgoing the German Shepherds should be supervised with visitors and visiting children. However, the German Shepherd is an outstanding companion dog and will do ok with other household pets they have been raised with.

Care

Certain German Shepherds may suffer from hereditary diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia, von Willebrand’s disease (a blood disorders), Bloat (digestive problems), epilepsy, seasonal or year round skin allergies, eye problem (inflammation of the cornea). This breed requires a quick daily brushing because they are continuous shedder with seasonal heavy shedding bathed them with a mild shampoo rarely (once or twice a year) to avoid skin oil depletion.

Training

The German Shepherd is not recommended for inexperienced owner. With is very strong protective instinct this dog requires early intensive socialization and obedience training to prevent over-guarding when they are an adult. Training must be done with consistency, firmness, fairness, and reward, avoids harsh or heavy-handed methods.

The German Shepherd exceptional intelligence needs to be utilized in some positive way, it is essential that he feels that he has a real job to do, also keeping him busily involved in family activities or agility sport like schutzhund, fly-ball and ring.

Activity

The German Shepherd will do okay in an apartment life if provided with enough exercise, stimulation and challenge. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least a large safely fenced area to play and run freely in.

There are three different varieties of Collie based primarily on coat appearance: Collie (Smooth and Rough), Border Collie and Bearded Collie.

The Smooth and Rough Collie are considered by the AKC as varieties of the same breed and therefore are judged by the same standard with the exception of the coat.

Considered to be one of the most beautiful of dogs because of his elegant appearance, the Collies great beauty has made them one of the favorite show dogs.

Breed Group

Herding

Size

22 – 26 inches tall (at shoulder)

Weight

50 – 75 lbs

Color(s)

Collies come in four basic coat colors; “Sable and White” where the “Sable” ranges from pale tan to a golden mahogany; “Tri-color”, black with white and tan markings; “Blue Merle” and “White”, which is predominantly white with mottled gray colored patches.

Coat

This breed comes in two coat varieties; Smooth Coated, looks like he has a crew cut and the Rough Coated, with the only difference being the length of his coat. The Rough Coated has a straight, harsh outer coat over a soft, furry undercoat. Both varieties have same coloration.

Life Expectancy

About 12 – 16 years.

Personality

The Collie has a very stable and well-mannered temperament and is generally considered not aggressive. This breed is very intelligent and trustworthy but they do tend to be wary of strangers. Very devoted and protective of his family, it is an excellent children’s companion and a great watchdog.

Care

Generally healthy dogs the Collies breeds may are prone to PRA (progressive retina atrophy) and hip dysplasia leading to acute lameness and arthritis, they are also sensitive to various drugs. Obviously the smooth variety does not require as much grooming as rough. The short and stiff coat of the Smooth Collie requires brushing weekly while the Rough variety requires daily brushing. In the spring and summer this breed sheds heavily. Monthly baths are recommended as their long coat traps dirt easily.

Training

This very intelligent breed has an obedient nature and is one of the easiest to train. This willful dog must be trained gently to avoid shyness and refusal to cooperate with his owner. The Collie has been trained as a search and rescue dog, guide for the blind, movie star, and as a guard dog.

Activity

The Collie will do ok in apartment life as long as they are sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors while energetic outdoors, this large breed does best with at least a medium sized yard.