Herding · Small-Medium (20-35 lbs) · 12-15 years
Swedish Vallhund
Alert, energetic, sociable; the 'Viking dog' - a long, low cattle herder full of cheer.
At a glance
What they’re great at
Honest challenges
Moderate-high drive doesn't take days off.
What helps: Build the outlet into the routine: Herding. Brain work counts double on bad-weather days - see Training School. A flirt pole in the yard delivers a workout in ten minutes.
Heavy-shedding coat with seasonal blowouts.
What helps: The weekly rake routine in the Grooming Kit halves it. Robot vacuum on daily patrol (see Home Setup). A professional deshed blowout during coat-blow weeks saves the house.
Alert heritage - announcing things IS the historic job.
What helps: Thank-and-redirect: acknowledge the alert, cue quiet, pay the quiet. Manage triggers: window film and white noise beat willpower. Exercise first - a tired alarm system fires less. Never bark collars.
Small fast animals flip an ancient switch - this is wiring, not disobedience.
What helps: Management IS the training: never unsupervised with small pets, period. Secure fencing plus leash or long line outdoors for life. Feed the drive legally: flirt pole and lure-chase games.
Exercise & training
Grooming & coat
Health to know about
This page can only give breed ranges. The app calculates calories and portions from your dog’s actual weight and life stage, splits them across the right number of meals, and adjusts as they grow.
Emergency red flags
Vomiting, drooling, tremors, collapse, or known ingestion
→ Call ASPCA Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 immediately; do NOT induce vomiting unless instructed
→ Save your nearest 24-hour emergency vet's address and phone in your phone TODAY, not during a crisis
Loud/frantic breathing, brick-red or blue gums, wobbliness, collapse, vomiting in heat
→ Move to AC, wet with cool (not ice) water especially belly/paws, fan, and drive to ER with windows down/AC on - even if the dog seems to recover
The app keeps every Swedish Vallhund red flag on your phone and opens them with no connection at all — which is the whole point at 2am in a car park. Add it to your home screen and it works like any other app.
📊 The numbers›
Typical ranges for planning, not promises — costs vary by region, breeder and individual dog.
| Group | Herding |
| Size | Small-Medium (20-35 lbs) |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years |
| Healthy adult weight | 20–35 lb |
| Original purpose | Heeling cattle, ratting, farm watchdog. |
| Monthly care | $60-$110 |
| Typical puppy price | $1,500-$2,800 |
🐕 Similar breeds›
Add them in the app for feeding by weight, training for their stage, and Swedish Vallhund emergency red flags saved to your phone. Free, no account needed.
Add them once and everything here becomes about your dog: feeding by their weight, training picked for their stage, a day built around your hours, and a vitals log that shows the trend. Free, works offline, no account needed.