Unlike most deer species in which the male alone grows antlers, that’s not true for most reindeer – and just recently, University College London scientists discovered that reindeer are the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light. This means that reindeer see things in the glowing white of the Arctic that they would otherwise miss, things like white fur and urine that show up in high contrast. Their hooves are different, too. In the summer when the ground is wet, a Reindeer’s foot pads are softened, and that gives them with extra traction. In the winter, their pads tighten and reveal the rim of their hooves, and that gives them traction in the slippery snow and ice (think studded snow tires). Did we mention that reindeer are stubborn?
All in all, what we have, then, is a huge grumpy, cantankerous beast that can fly over ice, see things no one else can see, and is willing and able to stick of rack of antlers in your face. Some herding dogs would say, “You want me to do what?” But the Finnish Lapphund is courageous enough, eager enough, and fully capable of herding and controlling reindeer. Someone has to do it. How else would Santa get what he needs to get that sleigh pulled?
The Sami people, semi-nomadic Laplanders far north of Scandinavia, once used Lapphunds to hunt reindeer. With their luxurious coat, agile movement, and an ability to go from a trot to a full gallop in the blink of an eye, the dogs were well suited for the job. Once the Sami settled into fixed communities, their dogs transitioned from hunting reindeer to herding them, and this is no easy thing.
Finnish Lapphund by asbolos – Elina K. Find and support this artist here: http://