Ratings

Breed Introduction

    The Finnish Lapphund originated in the 17th century. It was initially bred by the Sámi people living in the northernmost part of Europe, with its home area extending across northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Similar types also occurred in adjacent regions of Russia.

　To distinguish it from the Lapponian Herder, calling it Finnish Lapphund is more accurate. Finnish means ‘of Finland’, Lapp refers to the area north of the Arctic Circle in Finland, and hund is the German word for ‘dog’.

　For over a hundred years, people in Fennoscandia and northern Russia used the Finnish Lapphund as a reindeer herder and watchdog. Its breed standard was established by the Finnish Kennel Club in 1945 for herding dogs, at which time Finnish Lapphund and Lapponian Herder were considered one and the same.

　It was not until 1966 that the Lapponian Herder was officially named, thus distinguishing it from the Finnish Lapphund. Both breeds are used for herding, so it is inaccurate to translate Finnish Lapphund as Finnish Lapland Hunting Dog and Lapponian Herder as Finnish Reindeer Dog