Swedish Vallhund is originated from Sweden but Bandog is originated from United Kingdom. Swedish Vallhund may grow 42 cm / 16 inches shorter than Bandog. Swedish Vallhund may weigh 43 kg / 94 pounds lesser than Bandog. Swedish Vallhund may live 3 years more than Bandog. Swedish Vallhund may have more litter size than Bandog. Both Swedish Vallhund and Bandog requires Moderate maintenance.
Known also as the Västgötaspets or Swedish cow dog, the Valhund hails from Sweden. It’s a herding dog, and was always a farm dog in that country.
It was in 1943 that the dog was first recognized as a breed by the Swedish Kennel Club. Only later, in 1996, did the American Kennel Club start registering the breed.
The original Bandogs were bred for guarding and protecting. It is believed that the dogs were developed from eastern shepherds, the American Pit Bull Terrier and Mastiffs and crossed with western Bullenbeissers and hounds, and it is thought that the hybrid breed came into existence way back, around 1250-1300 in Middle England.
Although it isn’t possible to say exactly how the Bandog originated, it is certain that the dogs were bred with a functional purpose – to guard and protect. In fact in the late 1960s a veterinarian by the name of Swinford started a breeding program, even though breeders of Bandogges disagree on the breeds that went into Swinford's original breeding scheme. It is believed to have been 50% American Pit Bull Terrier and 50% molosser.
Looking much like a cross between a Corgi and the German Shepherd, the Swedish Valhund is a medium sized dog that stands between 30 and 34cm in height and weighs between 9 and 14kg.
His medium length weather-resistant coat is available in wolf like shades – cream, grey, brown etc. The tail can be long or bobbed and the medium sized ears are held erect.
Intelligent, confident, independent, alert, playful and active, your Swedish Valhund promises to make a good family pet.
You'll need to be an active, outdoor type of family though, as he isn’t a couch potato type of dog, snoozing in front of the TV.
He wants to be up and about going on long walks or playing ball games that give him a good run. If he gets his fair share of exercise he can adapt to life in the city or the countryside.
He just loves his human family and wants to be constantly with them. He won’t do well if you just keep him locked outside away from everyone. He is social, alert innovative and entertaining as well as being a good guard dog.
The Bandog is a powerful, stocky, muscular dog with small, upright ears. His tail is long and tapered, but most people prefer to have the tail docked. With his broad skull, wide shoulders and powerful chest, he is also confident and intelligent. He is a rugged dog, heavily boned and muscled, and quite aggressive when provoked. This characteristic comes from the intentional breeding to combine the courage and tenacity of an American Pit Bull Terrier with the size of the Bull Mastiff and its guarding instincts.
Even though the breed has a history of competitive fighting, today when he is trained and socialized he can be a devoted, controlled and amicable family pet, even getting on well with children and being social and affectionate with his human family members. They can be aggressive with strangers, more so if provoked or threatened by them.
Bandogges are able to get along with other animals in the home if they are raised with them, but can be aggressive with pets they aren’t familiar with. You won’t find a better guard dog and with his low barking tendencies, he quietly watches, waiting to go for any intruders.
Your Swedish Valhund is such a confident, independent dog and he promises to be a loving, faithful pet. He's also alert and will let you know if strangers are approaching his property.
He is a calm, easy going pet and is capable of adapting to quiet or noisy homes. He may be quite a strange looking dog, but he's got a whole lot of loving to give.
This is certainly an intimidating looking breed, having been developed from a variety of stock breeds, Because of this, there isn’t a standard set for the dog and his appearance can vary. He isn’t recommended for first-time dog owners, because he is quite complex – being both docile and aggressive – not your regular dog. He will certainly require an owner who shows them who is boss.
The Bandog may well have a reputation of being a fighter, but once he has had training and socialization, he turns out to be just a gentle giant. With a strong, firm owner, he is good with children too and becomes a devoted guardian to the entire family.
Capable of living a long, healthy life, the Swedish Valhund isn’t likely to fall victim to some of the many dog illnesses there are, and yet it is wise to be alert to some of them that he could get.
One of these is an hereditary eye disease known as retinopathy. Its where there is degeneration of the retinal photoreceptor cells. This eye disease can lead to blindness.
You need to be careful with this pet of yours, because with his long back and short legs he can so easily hurt his back if he leaps off a bed or high chair.
Whenever you pick this dog up, always support his legs and back. Don’t pick them up without supporting both the front legs and the rear end.
Your Bandog is generally a robust, healthy breed, but he may well be prone to health concerns. Some of these are hip and elbow dysplasia and Bloat
This is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that can, if left unattended, lead to lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. eye problems.
His size and his deep chest also mean he is prone to bloat. Known as gastric dilatation and volvulus, this isn’t good for your dog as the stomach becomes distended with gas, putting pressure on the diaphragm, which can cause breathing problems.
Just because your Bandog is a healthy breed, it doesn’t mean your puppy is immune from his puppy shots. Your puppy will need his first vaccinations from 6 to 8 weeks of age for parvovirus, distemper, rabies and hepatitis.
Check your country’s vaccination regulations, because in the United States, most states require that all dogs be vaccinated against rabies.
Try and feed your Swedish Valhund two meals a day instead of just one, so that he doesn’t gobble down his food too quickly.
Your dog can be prone to obesity, so you have to be careful with the way you feed him. Overfeeding a dog packs on extra weight and this puts strain on the joints.
Apart from the dry kibble that you feed him, try to include some tasty, nutritious homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach.
This can all be chopped up and added to his dry kibble. Some raw meat added to the diet can only be to his benefit. Remember to always ensure a bowl of fresh, cool water is available.
Give his thick coat a brush twice a week to remove dead hair. Brushing also stimulates the sebaceous glands that produces oil which gives the coat is sheen.
Trim his nails because left long, they can hook onto things and rip the skin open.
Check inside the ears too for redness which could mean an ear infection.You get dog wipes that you can wipe the ear out with. There are always professional dog groomers who can do these chores for you if you don't want to.
See that his vaccines are up to date and that if he shows signs of illness, you get him to the vet.
These large, short-haired dogs have a short coat and they are easy to groom. Remove loose hair with a rubber brush twice a week. The breed is an average shedder and if you start regular brushing from when he is a young dog, he will be happy to let you do it as an adult. Check his ears and eyes regularly and clip his toe nails.
The Bandog is an energetic breed that will require a good deal of exercise. This is one breed you can’t leave alone in your garden day after day. He will require games and walks to avoid boredom and frustration.
The Bandog puppy will grow and develop quickly, so his diet should be good quality dog food. He is big and thirsty and there must be a ready source of clean drinking water. Because he is inclined to drool, his water bowl will need to be cleaned out regularly to avoid him drinking contaminated water.