Future Lapphund owners are often curious what a Finnish Lapphund is like to live with. Lapphunds are extremely loyal to their family and have a strong desire to please the human members in it. They train with a minimum of effort. In fact corrections considered acceptable for many others breeds of dog are often too much for the Lapphund. Because the Finnish Lapphund wears its heart on its sleeve, it is very sensitive to correction and will show depression if corrections are too severe! In most cases a Lapphund is aware of his error before the undesired behavior is even completed. Finnish Lapphunds seem to have an intuition of what is acceptable behavior and what is not. Not to be mistaken, there is a learning curve for the young. However, once educated in the dos and don’ts of their respective household, mishaps are few and far between. Because of their intellect and willingness the Lappies that attend Obedience Training classes, more often than not, quickly are adopted by the instructor as the demonstration dog. Lapphunds, by and large, are very friendly with people, even strangers. Lappy puppies do tend to be very submissive toward people. This behavior does not usually persist, provided their owner exercises an effort to ensure proper socialization. Socialization of youngsters is crucial to ensuring the pup develops into a well rounded adult. Finnish Lapphunds will bark at strangers or what they consider strange events. However it should be noted they are not “casual” barkers, and with reasonable effort in most cases, any undesired barking can be curtailed.

Perspective Lappy owners with children should be aware that Lappies and children are made for each other. Lappies have been placed in homes with small children repeatedly over the years with excellent results! Lappies are understanding and very forgiving of the unintended pinches and pokes that little hands sometimes inflict. In addition to children, Finnish Lapphunds are very accepting of other pets in their household. I have Lappies that have family members that include rabbits, turtles, birds, cats, hamsters, dogs, even an iguana. All are accepted, whether as existing fixtures or as newcomers to the family.

True to their ancestry Finnish Lapphunds do have strong herding instincts. A few of our American Lappies have demonstrated this ability in herding tests and trials. Lapphunds are energetic dogs. But given the opportunity to exert that energy, they make wonderful house pets and companions. Because they are relatively compact (30-40 pounds), we have attempted to place them as apartment dogs. Unfortunately; we found their energy level did require a means of release that only a fenced yard can offer. We have had some success with Lappies over the age of two living in Condominiums that had small fenced yards attached. It should be noted that these owners also supplemented their Lappy’s activity with walks and frequent outings.

Lapphunds are a healthy, easy to care for breed. While the occurrence is low, Finnish Lapphund breeding stock is always examined for the presence of Hip Dysplasia. Because some of the breeding stock in Europe has been found to exhibit PRA, a form of hereditary blindness, the breeding stock is examined regularly for eye diseases. Lappies are “easy keepers,” prospering with a minimum of effort from their owners. The reported longevity of a Finnish Lapphund is 12-15 years.

Bred to live and work north of the Arctic Circle the Finnish Lapphund spend their days and nights on the snowy mountains with the herds of reindeer and their herdsmen. To ensure its success in this harsh environment the Lapphund has a thick, dense, double coat of fur. The fur shaft has an oil coating that provides water resistance, but does not leave the coat greasy. The oil barrier also helps to resist mats, this greatly aides in the maintenance and care of the Lapphund’s coat. Thorough brushing and regular baths, every four to six weeks, keeps the Lapphund coat in excellent condition. Lappies loose their coat in the summer, helping them to withstand the summer heat. This is when it is critical to use good grooming practices. If an “under-coat rake” is used, the average shedding duration of two to three weeks can be cut in half.. Foot fur should be trimmed flush with the pads to ensure proper footing and protect the digits from becoming splayed. Excess fur growth, if left uncorrected, can displace the pads and create “fallen arches” or “flat feet,” a very painful condition. Similarly the toe nails should be maintained at a proper length. A general rule is you should not hear them make contact with the ground when the dog walks. Toe nail clippers often “pinch” creating discomfort and reluctance from the Lappy. Cordless Dremels make for easy toenail maintenance and more cooperative fur-children. It should be noted that corded Dremels are TOO fast. These allow for unexpected “quicking” of the toenail and pain from the heat of high friction.

As is the case with the majority of canine breeds, once past the age of six months, Finnish Lapphunds produce tartar on their teeth. This is an unpleasantry that is easily corrected with a scaler, a wood dowel, an old human tooth brush or wash cloth, and baking soda or toothpaste with baking soda. Simply remove the tartar from each tooth, using the scaler, with a downward motion. For the hard to reach back molars use the wood dowel as a bit and hold the mouth closed around the dowel. Access should be much easier. When the tartar is removed from the mouth, brush the teeth. Use an old tooth brush or wash cloth around your finger and either straight baking soda or toothpaste with baking soda in it. With practice a full teeth cleaning need take only 15 minutes. It is recommended that full scaling be done every three months. Weekly brushing can extend the time in between scalings. As with any training, exposure to mouth maintenance at a young age allows for familiarity and less resistance from your Lappy. This is not a complex exercise and far surpassed the expense from a veterinary dental trip. In addition your dog does not have to undergo anesthesia as would be required at the vet’s office. Anesthesia is VERY hard on the organs of the body and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary! Having clean teeth will help your Lappy enjoy hard kibble longer in life; it will help ward off many heart, liver and blood disease originated from an unhealthy mouth and gums; and above all else make his breath much less offensive.

Because it is never exactly hot in Lapland (highs in summer don’t usually pass 75 degrees) Lappies are not the best hot weather dogs. Anyone in the Southern regions of the United States, even those in the hot/humid Midwest, that plans to own a Lapphund; will have to make arrangements for their dog to stay in a climate controlled environment during the hottest part of the summer. Living in Southern California has required us to become very adept at adjusting for heat. Air conditioning, shade when outside, cold water, ice cubes to eat, and “Blue Ice” for a cold head rest also helps alleviate discomfort from high temperatures. BLUE ICE BLOCKS SHOULD BE USED ONLY WHEN THEY CAN BE MONITORED! INJESTION OF THE CHEMICAL, FROM CHEWING ON THE BLOCK, MAY BE TOXIC!

While there are a handful of exceptions, the majority of Finnish Lapphunds do not enjoy swimming or complete emersion in water. This is often attempted by owners in an effort to provide heat relief. Most often, swimming is met with utter and complete reluctance. This reluctance to water should not be taken personally by Lappy owners, nor should the Lappy be forced into any body of water large or small. It should be understood that this aversions is an innate, self-preservation, trait that helps this breed survive in its harsh native climate. For a large portion of the year, if you are wet you will most like freeze and die in Lapland. It is for this simple reason most Lappies will not wade into water much past their belly. Anything deeper than that should be considered special.

Many find coat color to be the most fascinating aspect of the Finnish Lapphund. It is so diverse! Lappy puppies are usually born dark. Their coat changes color as they mature. View our puppy section to see their transformation unfold. Lappies can be any color, as temperament and structure are considered to be of far more importance.