Danish-Swedish Farmdog - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
As the name suggest, this breed was developed on farms of Denmark and Sweden, to be more specific, southern Sweden. The certain date of origin or breeds ancestros are unknown, because there is only a very little written documentation about the breeds history, but it is evident from old photographies, that these dogs existed in Denmark and Sweden for centuries. One theory suggest that they were developed from white english terriers and some smaller pincher breeds.

2) Versatility
Back in the days, this was extremely popular dog, mostly thanks to their versatility. They were used as all around farm dogs, that were used hunters and ratters, herders, watchdogs and guards and of course as good companions. These dogs remained very popular until the industralization and even in the 60s, they were very common in Denmark and Sweden.

3) Rarity
But because of the industralization, more and more people abandon their farms and moved to bigger cities. Population of Farmdogs decreased a lot during those times, because there was less and less work for them. Luckily, some people and breeders still bred them and thanks to them this dog breed survived and was officially recognized in 1987. Today, the breed is pretty rare, even though, they are not on the verge of extinction and today, they can be found even outside Denmark and Sweden, for example in Germany, Great Britain or France.

4) Companion
Today, majority of Danish Swedish Farmdogs are companion dogs and they are great companions. They are described as very friendly, attentive, outgoing and lively. These dogs have great reputation with kids, but of course, you should always supervise young child with any dog breed. Because of their higher prey drive and history as ratters, it is not recommended to leave them alone with small household pets such as hamsters, guinea pigs or rabbits. But they can live with other dogs and if socialized early, they can live with cats as well.

5) Exercise
This is a working dog breed and just like majority of working dog breeds they need regular physical and mental stimulation to stay healthy and happy. They are always ready for a good run, long walk or some vigorous and interactive playtime. If they are provided with enough exercise, than they are pretty calm indoors. Because these dogs love to work, they are great adepts for various dog sports, such as agility, flyball, nose work or lure coursing.

6) Not a terrier
Often times, the Danish Swedish farmdog is confused with Jack Russell Terriers or with Fox Terriers. But this is not a terrier, this is a versatile working breed, even though, they might be related to some terriers.

7) Size
This is a compact, well muscled and athletic dog breed with average height between 30-39 cm which is 12-15 inch and weight is typically around 17 pounds, which is 8 kg. There are no big size differences between males and females.

8) Coat

The Danish Swedish Farmdog comes in combination of white, brown and black and they come in a variety of tri-color and bi-color coats. The coat is relatively short, it lies close to the body and it is harsh to touch.

9) Maintenance
Great fact is, that this is very easy to groom dog breed. Because they have short and smooth coat, they does not require almost any grooming, but they do shed and if you will want to minimize the shedding, regular brushing is needed to remove the dead hair. No other grooming is needed. Just like with all dogs, you should regulalrly check their ears, eyes, teeth and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.

10) Health
The Danish Swedish Farmdog is usually a very healthy dog breed with average lifespan between 12-14 years. They can ocassionally suffer from some health issues and those include hip and elbow dysplasia or patellar luxation, but even those ilnesses are quite rare with this breed.