FINNISH FIND When not busy herding reindeer, a Lapphund can steal your heart By Caty Van Housen The San Diego Union Tribune Thursday, December 25, 1997

When Santa’s reindeer get their training, they get some help before they make the gift runs. At least they do in Lapland, a northern region that combines the Arctic stretches of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The assistance comes from the Finnish Lapphund, one of the sweetest creatures on Earth, as sweet as Christmas itself. “They combine mystic intelligence with playfulness. I’ve never known an animal as loyal, funny, cuddly, or charismatic,” said Andrea Johnson. Johnson is one of the United States’ pioneer Lapphund breeders. She’s had a lot of dogs in her life. But when she met her first Finnish Lapphund, she said she fell in love. Now she loves talking about the breed and working to establish it here in the United States, where fewer than 100 Lapphunds live. In fact, numbers 93, 94, and 95 were born last summer at Johnson’s home.

‘Incredibly expressive’
Johnson said that once people meet a Lapphund, they can’t help but tell others about the dogs. “They are incredibly expressive,” she said. “Their loving eyes look deep into your soul and speak volumes.” She added that Finnish Lapphunds make wonderful family pets because of their intelligence and mild manners.
Finnish breeders have worked to establish guidelines for the medium-sized, spitz-like dog. Coat colors vary greatly simply because they aren’t as important to the standard for this breed as a calm easy-going temperament and sound herding instincts. Johnson said she is working to have more dogs flown over from Europe to help build a few family trees on this side of the Atlantic. Those who breed Finnish Lapphunds in the United States can be counted on one hand. All seem quite dedicated to keeping backyard breeders out of the picture, so it is unlikely the Lapphund’s popularity will take off in the dangerous ways we have seen with some of the more abundant purebreds.

She said she will continue to keep a tight rein on who she allows to buy the puppies of her own Lapphunds. She rigorously interviews anyone interested in buying, and she maintains breeding rights for the puppies she parts with. (She keeps the price of the puppies comparable to that of other well bred purebred dogs.)…

Still, the transition from the Arctic Circle to Southern California is a bit drastic for this hearty breed meant to withstand sub zero temperatures. But Johnson said it’s possible and worth the effort. “You definitely have to run the air conditioning on the hot summer days,” said Johnson. “But I guarantee if you brought one of these dogs home, he’d wrap you around his little pinky claw in no time.”