Finnish Lapphund Puppies For Sale

Breed Information

Physically, Finnish Lapphunds are a well balanced breed, medium size with an athletic build and excellent temperament. Although a very old breed, the Finnish Lapphund was only officially recognised in 1945, when the first breed standard was created.  Today, the Finnish Lapphund is one of the most popular dog breeds in Finland, having made the transition from working dog to family pet very successfully.  They still retain their herding ability, and Finnish Lapphunds, or Lappies, as they are affectionately known, are still used for their original purpose in Finland, as working dogs.

Brambleway Kennels (ACT) imported the first Finnish Lapphund into Australia in 1995, and also had the first successful litter in 2001. Today, there are now 20 registered breeders of Finnish Lapphunds in Australia, with several new kennels joining the fold to promote the breed various arenas.

Since Lappies are a relatively new breed in Australia and as such are not yet common breed; to own a Lappie is very special privilege – it’s not uncommon for perfect strangers to stop owners and ask about that 'gorgeous dog'. 

SIZE
The ideal height for males is about 49cm, and for females 44cm. Lappies are a medium sized dog.

COAT
Lappies come in all colours of the canine rainbow!  All colours are acceptable in the breed standard, as long as there is a basic main colour that dominates, with colours other than the main colour occurring on the head, neck, chest, underside of the body, legs and tail.  This means that solid colours are permitted within the breed standard as well as the more common bi-colours (which currently is the most common colour seen in Australia).  Colours include cream, black, red, tan, brown, black and tan or brown and tan, with or without white, as well as sables (eg wolf/game sable and blue sable). 

Many Finnish Lapphunds have the distinctive 'four eyes' - which appear as contrasting colour patches just above the eyes.  Less common in Australia is the "spectacle" marking, which appear as circles of lighter hair around the eyes.

One of the most interesting aspects of Lappie colouring is just how much it can change over time as they develop from a puppy to an adult.  Some Lappies will darken as they get older, others will lighten.  Face markings often become far more distinct, in some, tan points will fade to cream, in others sable colour may appear.

CHARACTER & TEMPERAMENT
The ANKC breed standard describes their general temperament as calm but keen, highly intelligent and always willing to learn. 

A typical Finnish Lapphund should be a friendly, easy going dog, bold and inquisitive, but unobtrusive in its nature – it should be curious about its surroundings but should always be in harmony with its environment.  They are generally a submissive breed, loyal to their family and eager to please and receive praise for their actions. 

Lappie owners who work with their dogs will attest to the fact that they train with a minimum of effort, with many claiming that their dogs seem to have an inbuilt intuition of what is acceptable or desirable behaviour, and what is not. 

CARE
The big, luscious coat on a Finnish Lapphund is one of the most physically striking features; on males in particular the coat can resemble an impressive mane!  Many people are initially turned away by the thought of maintaining such an impressive coat, but the reality is that the Lappie’s coat is very easy to maintain.  It is important to remember that Lappies were (and still are) a working breed, and so a coat that requires extensive maintenance would not be practical – they have been bred to be low maintenance grooming wise.

Lappies have a typical spitz double coat, which consists of a weather resistant harsh outer coat and a soft insulating undercoat.  Adults will shed either once or twice a year; outside of this time you will see very little hair.  In addition, their coats are quite resistant to dirt and mud (once dry, it will usually fall out) and doesn't normally matt or tangle. In fact, all a pet Lappie needs is a good brush once a week for about 20mins once a week (while a show dog may require more regular maintenance), and their coat should never be cut or trimmed (other than their nails). Owners should not bath their Lappie too often either, as this will dry out the coat and strip it of its natural oils.

Their cleanliness, coupled with the tendency of dirt to fall out of their coats naturally, means that Lappies should not have a 'doggy' odour to them. 

TRAINING
Lappie owners who work with their dogs will attest to the fact that they train with a minimum of effort, with many claiming that their dogs seem to have an inbuilt intuition of what is acceptable or desirable behaviour, and what is not. 

It should be noted that while Lappies are readily trained, they do have an independent streak; in some more than in others.  Although most are fine to be let off lead, it may be some time before your Lappie returns, especially if there are more interesting things around to chase and play with!  As this independence is more obvious in dogs that are not trained from an early age, it is important to install a sense of working as a team with your Finnish Lapphund (although even a well trained dog may be slightly ‘deaf’ at times!).

ACTIVITY
Finnish Lapphunds are a working breed, and while they don't have the same drive as a border collie or kelpie, they do need regular exercise and mental stimulation. As such, they are excellent competitors in agility and obedience, and can take part in herding. As long as they have regular exercise, they are quite happy to be couch potatoes in their ‘down’ time.

Thank you to Taigakoira Kennels for this breed information.

Finnish Lapphund Puppies For Sale Breeders

• Chrissy Fitzgerald
• Taigakoira Kennels
• View more...