Native to the northern parts of Finland, the Finnish Lapphund first made its entry to the southern part of the country in the 1930s. There are some cynologists who believe that it was essentially the same breed as the Swedish Lapphund, but in any event, it was around that same time that Swedish and Finnish dog breeders got interested in standardizing the lapphund breeds.

Why?

Because well into the 20th century, people indigenous to the area that today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, were still living as semi-nomadic reindeer herders. Known as the Sami, they bred their Finnish Lapphunds exclusively as working herding dogs; Consistency in conformation wasn’t a consideration, only the dog’s working ability.

After a number of Finnish kennel clubs had developed their own breeding programs for the Sami’s dogs,  all the different Lapphund dogs that were registered in the various kennel organizations were accepted into the same breed register. Interestingly, some preferences emerged.

Swedish breeders favored the solidly black colored Sami dogs that eventually gave rise to the Swedish Lapphund. Some Finnish breeders preferred the shorter-coated dogs, while another group of Finnish breeders preferred the longer-haired dogs. It’s believed that both were often born in the same litters. In 1967, the long coated dogs were given a separate standard and called the Lapinkoira, Finnish for Lapphund. The short coated dogs were called the Lapinporokoira (translated as Lapponian Herder).

In the 70s, the type and overall appearance of the breed became fixed and the standard was revised to reflect these changes and to better comply with the Federation Cynologique Internationale. It was revised in Finland in 1993 (one source writes that it was 1996), the same year the official name of the breed has was changed from Lapinkoira to Suomenlapinkoira (Finnish Lapphund). An English translation was accepted by the FCI in 1999.  Since then, the Finnish Lapphund has grown in popularity as people have learned of the breed’s quick intelligence, fabulous temperament, and the ability to thrive in even the coldest climates found in the region. A sense of humor that is a mile wide hasn’t hurt, either; owners report the high degree to which their dogs will go to amuse their family and make them laugh. The breed consistently ranks among the top ten most frequently registered breeds with the Finnish Kennel Club.

Be sure to read about the breed’s “four eyes!”

Image: Finnish Lapphunds by Janice MacLellan is available as a fine art print, as well as in lifestyle and home decor items here