Also known as the suomenlapinkoira, Saamibeana, Finnish Lapponian Dog, and Finsk Lapphund
An old breed
History
The ancestors of the Finnish Lapphund resided in Fennoscandinavia 3,000 years ago. They are medium size spitz dogs raised by the Sami people of Sapmi (Lapland), and still serve working roles. They have also moved to the south of the Nordic countries, where they live as companions and hobby dogs.
A working breed
reindeer dogs
The Finnish Lapphund herds reindeer by jumping up and down and barking. They can herd reindeer over fells, in the woods, and by droving. They have the independence to interpret a command and adapt it to changing circumstances. They are attached to their people and their herd.
A human centered breed
family dogs
The Finnish Lapphund is an excellent family dog for active families. They do very well in families with children. They are very endeering, have almost no boundaries with their people. All Finnish Lapphunds are capable of being vocal. Some Finnish Lapphunds are too high energy or too vocal for apartment living. They would like to be the center of the family if they can, and be involved with everything.
Cheeky Clowns
highly intelligent
The Finnish Lapphund is a highly intellifent breed. They require both activities and mental stimulation. If you do not train them to have an activity or a job, they will likely create their own. They have a sense of humor, and like to play with each other and their people. They listen intently to human conversations. Many can learn to open door knobs amd sliding glass doors through observation, and their own problem solving abilities.
One colour must predominate. No colour is more correct or preferred. Below are Finnish Lapphunds we have seen at shows in Finland, showing the breed's diversity. The third photo on the right is Leeza handling a cream sable dog at a World Dog Show exhibition in 2014.