Finnish Lapphund Dog Breeds

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Height at the withers: Males 46 – 52 cm, Females 41 – 47 cm

Average weight: Males 15 – 24 kg, Females 15 – 24 kg

The Finnish Lapphund is a medium sized spitz-type dog that boasts an impressive collar of hair around their neck which together with their soft and kind expressions sets them apart from other spitz dogs. Their heads are quite broad which is one of the breed’s defining features, but in females it is slightly more refined than their male counterparts. Their forehead is slightly rounded with a clearly defined stop.

Muzzles are short and straight tapering gently to a dog’s nose which is dark in colour but matching a dog’s coat as do the rims of their eyes which are oval in shape. Lapphunds always boast a kind, friendly and soft expression in them. Ears can be erect or semi-erect and medium in size being set well apart and broader at the base which dogs flicker continuously when alert. The Finnish Lapphund has a strong jaw with a perfect scissor bite where their upper teeth neatly overlap their lower ones.

Their necks are long and strong in appearance being well covered in a mane of dense hair. Shoulders are moderately laid back with dogs having well boned, straight and strong front legs. A Lapphund’s body is firm and muscular with a nice level and broad back, Ribs are moderately sprung with dogs having a deep, long brisket and well-defined forechest. Loins are short and well-muscled with their bellies being slightly tucked up. Their croups are moderately long and sloping but well defined.

Their hindquarters are well boned and powerful with dogs boasting muscular thighs and strong back legs. Their feet are covered in dense hair being oval in shape and well arched. Tails are moderately long and set high being profusely covered in long hair which dogs carry curved over their backs or to one side when they are on the move, but they hold it down when at rest.

When it comes to their coat, the Finnish Lapphund boasts having a profuse coat that consists of a coarser and straight outer coat that’s a lot shorter on their heads and on the fronts of their legs. Their undercoat is much softer and dense with male Lapphunds having a more pronounce mane than their female counterparts. The accepted colours for Kennel Club registration are as follows:

• Black
• Black and tan
• Black and white
• Black tan and white
• Brown
• Brown and tan
• Brown and white
• Brown grizzle
• Brown grizzle and white
• Brown tan and white
• Brown wolf sable
• Brown wolf sable and white
• Cream
• Cream and white
• Grizzle
• Grizzle and white
• Red
• Red and white
• Sable
• Sable and white
• Tricolour
• White
• Wolf sable
• Wolf sable and white

It is worth noting that the accepted breed colours for Kennel Club registration can differ from those set out in the breed standard which are as follows:

• All colours are allowed with the main colour being the more dominant in a dog’s coat

Dogs can have different coloured markings on their heads, necks, chests, legs, tails and on the underside of their bodies.

It is worth noting that the only colour that is not acceptable under the Kennel Club breed standard is as follows:

• Merle

Gait/movement

When a Finnish Lapphund moves, they take brisk, effortless and agile moderately long strides with the capacity to go easily from a trot to a gallop.

Faults

The Kennel Club frowns on any exaggerations or departures from the breed standard and would judge the faults on how much they affect a dog’s overall health and wellbeing as well as their ability to perform.

Males should have both testicles fully descended into their scrotums and it is worth noting that a dog can be a little lighter or heavier as well as slightly taller or shorter than set out in the Kennel Club breed standard which is only given as a guideline.