Do they bark a lot?
Some are more vocal
than others, Mylo barks because he can, Kiva is almost
mute - unless she sees a squirrel. Both dogs however
bark when they hear people approaching our property and
therefore make excellent watchdogs.
We have used a Spray
Commander bark control collar on Mylo and within 2 weeks
use there was a noticeable improvement.
Do they need a lot of grooming?
A question that we
get asked regularly - my answer "about 1/2 an hour ....
(pause for effect) .... a month".
Despite their thick
coats they really are low maintenance - Mylo has had 3
baths in 5 1/2 years, Kiva has had 2 in 4 1/2 years.
After a walk in wet
and muddy conditions the dogs spend 30-45 minutes in the
kitchen before being allowed into the rest of the house;
the floor where they lay will have a pile of dirt - the
dogs will be clean and dry.
They require no
special presentation for the show ring.
Bitches tend to moult
twice a year and the males, once.
Do they get on with other dogs?
In our experience
this can be answered with an unreserved yes.
Since Mylo joined us
back in 2006 we have had over 40 different Lapphunds
come and stay with at various times - without exception
they have all got on. When out on walks Lapphunds would
rather make friends than fall out with dogs they meet.
We regularly meet up
with other Lapphund owners for walks - sometimes with as
many as 30 Lapphunds, an amazing sight, especially to
those not familiar with the breed.
So yes; Lapphunds do
get on with other dogs.
Do they get on with cats?
Before being allowed
to get a dog Louise insisted that whatever breed we
would get would have to get on with our 2 cats. The
Lapphund breeders that we met, before getting Mylo, all
also had cats in their households so we felt confident
that a Lapphund in our household would work.
In the end it was
more a case of our cats getting on with Lapphunds, why
not check out the picture on the contacts page?
We have many friends
with Lapphunds and cats and I can safely say that yes,
Lapphunds do get on with cats.
Do they suffer from any health problems?
The Finnish Lapphund
is, in the main, a healthy and robust breed.
Sadly there is P.R.A
(Progressive Retinal Atrophy) within the breed, an
inherited eye defect where the retina degenerates over
time. Reputable breeders test their animals regularly to
reduce the chances of passing on the condition. It
usually only becomes apparent in mature dogs of over 5.
An American
research company called Optigen have
identified the gene responsible as the prcd1-PRA
(progressive rod cone degeneration) is already known in
several other breeds. If you are interested in getting
your dog tested for this condition, there are clinics
available. Ask us for details on how you can
participate.
For those who are
considering or waiting for an FL puppy, you should talk
to your breeder who will know the status of the parents
and can make you aware of the risk in advance.
There have been cases
of hereditary cataracts in the breed. Breeders and pet
owners alike are urged to have their Lapphund’s eyes
tested annually and dogs for breeding are always hip
scored (breed average 14).
Do they dig?
Some do, ours don't.
To be honest Mylo as a puppy did start to dig however
all of his holes, bar one, were filled with stones to
prevent further digging and he was allowed one hole to
bury his bones in - 4 years on we have just that one
hole. Kiva on the other hand doesn't dig at all. We
are hoping that Sassi grows out of her fondness of
trying to dig to Australia - however it is just the one
hole .... to date
Are they trainable?
In our experience
Lapphunds do what you ask them to because they want to -
making the training exciting and interesting seems to be
the key to successful training.
Kiva and Sassi are
very biddable, Mylo more independent; Kiva loves
strutting her stuff in the show ring whilst Mylo loves
agility - it is probably too soon to tell what Sassi
will excel at though we do intend to show her.
Please don't hesitate
to get in touch with us at Lumikoira if you have any
further questions.
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