Swedish Vallhund vs New Guinea Singing Dog - Breed Comparison

Swedish Vallhund vs New Guinea Singing Dog - Breed ComparisonSwedish Vallhund is originated from Sweden but New Guinea Singing Dog is originated from Papua New Guinea. Both Swedish Vallhund and New Guinea Singing Dog are having almost same height. Both Swedish Vallhund and New Guinea Singing Dog are having almost same weight. Swedish Vallhund may live 5 years less than New Guinea Singing Dog. Swedish Vallhund may have more litter size than New Guinea Singing Dog. Both Swedish Vallhund and New Guinea Singing Dog requires Moderate maintenance.

History

swedish vallhund - historyKnown 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.

new guinea singing dog - historyIn 1957 the New Guinea Singing Dog was “discovered” in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea and he is found no where else. There is a lot of debate among scientists, taxonomists and biologist as to what is really a species and what is a subspecies. When the NGSD was found he was classified as a new canid species then in 2007 they were downgraded to a subspecies.

Today the NGSD is considered to be a wild dog and a primitive dog. They have lived in Papua New Guinea in the Highlands for thousands of years. They are closely related to other wild dogs, such as Australia’s dingo. They are today as they were a thousand years ago – wild. So wild that many counties have them in their zoos.

With the right care and enough socialization, they do very well as companion animals living with people. They are difficult to domesticate however and the person who owns one should be a part of the NGSD community in order to get support, share issues, and learn from others who have lived with these “wild dogs” for many years.

Any New Guinea Singing Dog found in North America or Europe is a direct descendent of two couples that were taken to zoos in China and Australia. The NGSD makes a howling sound that modulates and undulates through a wide series of tones. No other dog makes this musical sound. Rare even in New Guinea today, the Singer is thought to be the rarest of all dogs.

The only organization that recognizes the Singing Dog is the UKC and they are allowed in UKC competition. The NGSD now holds the classification of a domestic dog – a Canis lupus dingo - which is a subspecies of Canis lupus. In 2016 a group of 15 wild dogs were photographed for the first time ever. Prior to this the NGSD were never seen in more than pairs.

It is believed that they do not live and operate in packs, but rather solitary, pairs or family groups where both the parents do the work of raising the pups.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Miscellaneous dogs
Origin:
Sweden
Papua New Guinea
Height Male:
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
35 - 38 cm
13 - 15 inches
Height Female:
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
32 - 35 cm
12 - 14 inches
Weight Male:
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
8 - 15 kg
17 - 34 pounds
Weight Female:
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
6 - 10 kg
13 - 23 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
15 - 20 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 10
1 - 6
Size:
Medium dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Västgötaspets, Swedish cow dog
Hallstrom Dog, NGSD, New Guinea Highland Dog, New Guinea Dingo, Singer, New Guinea Wild Dog
Colors Available:
Cream, grey, brown
Black and tan with white markings, golden red.
Coat:
Medium length, thick
weather resistant coat double coat breed
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Curious, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
No
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

Description

swedish vallhund puppy - descriptionLooking 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.

Temperament:

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 is intelligent too and will respond well to training and socialization.

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.

new guinea singing dog puppy - descriptionThe New Guinea Singing Dog is a medium sized dog with short legs and a broad head. They are about average height and they are very limber and flexible. They can rotate their paws and spread their legs at much greater angles than the average canine. Thus, they can easily climb a tree. They can jump like a cat.

They have very reflective eyes that are shaped like almonds and have dark rims. The color of the eye can be dark brown to dark amber. It is also believed that they can see better than other domestic dogs in low light settings. Their pupils let in more light due to pupils that are wider than most other dogs.

The ears of the NGSD are lined with fur, pointed and erect. The are forward laying and can be rotated in order to hear even the farthest and faintest of sounds. There are dark guard hairs on the spine and back of the ears and tail. On young dogs the muzzle is black but by age 7 it is already beginning to turn gray.

Characteristics

swedish vallhund dog - characteristicsYour 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.

Children friendliness

new guinea singing dog dog - characteristicsThey could be, but it must be remembered that this is a wild dog.

Special talents

Varying the pitches when howling

Adaptability

It’s possible but not recommended. Leave them wild.

Learning ability

Highly intelligent but trainability is questionable unless well socialize and attached to their people.

Health Problems

swedish vallhund puppies - health problemsCapable 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.

Health Problems

new guinea singing dog puppies - health problemsThough the breed is not extinct – it is so wild and secretive that there is no history or record of any health problems. However, the small number of domestic companion animals have shown health issues in recent years.

Pancreatitis – can be chronic or acute. If chronic it needs to be treated and diet changed. If acute it is usually deadly.

Hip Dysplasia – can cause lameness or arthritis.

Caring The Pet

swedish vallhund dogs - caringTry 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.

General Care:

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.

Open his mouth and check for rotting teeth which can be painful for him.

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.

Feeding the puppy

new guinea singing dog dogs - caringIn the wild both pups and adults are thought to eat small mammals and birds as well as fruits. In homes feed a high protein diet. Because of the tendency toward pancreatitis do not feed raw or under cooked meat. If feeding meet do so in small amounts well cooked, very lean. Stay away from the fat. Feed puppies very small amounts. ¾-1 cup high quality dry puppy food twice a day.

Feeding the adult

Same as the puppy when it comes to meat although you could give the adult a little more. 1 ½ cups od high quality medium breed dog food twice a day.

Points for Good Health

In the wild there is no indication of health issue. A very healthy breed.

Games and Exercises

The NGSD needs a lot of stimulation both mental and physical. They must have a daily walk and somewhere to run. They are escape artist in homes. Remember they can jump like cats and climb trees. If their head can pass through a hole, so can the rest of their body.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Other - Breed Comparison
  2. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Olde English Bulldogge - Breed Comparison
  3. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Aussie Doodles - Breed Comparison
  4. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Indian Pariah Dog - Breed Comparison
  5. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Dingo - Breed Comparison
  6. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  7. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Sapsali - Breed Comparison
  8. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Peruvian Hairless - Breed Comparison
  9. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Lottatore Brindisino - Breed Comparison
  10. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Carolina Dog - Breed Comparison
  11. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Mountain Feist - Breed Comparison
  12. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Jonangi - Breed Comparison
  13. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Kuri - Breed Comparison
  14. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Perro de Presa Mallorquin - Breed Comparison
  15. Spitz vs New Guinea Singing Dog - Breed Comparison
  16. Schnauzer vs New Guinea Singing Dog - Breed Comparison
  17. Schnoodle vs New Guinea Singing Dog - Breed Comparison
  18. New Guinea Singing Dog vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  19. New Guinea Singing Dog vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  20. New Guinea Singing Dog vs American Pit Bull Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Chow Chow - Breed Comparison
  22. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  23. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Pembroke Welsh Corgi - Breed Comparison
  24. New Guinea Singing Dog vs Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  25. New Guinea Singing Dog vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  26. Swedish Vallhund vs Pembroke Welsh Corgi - Breed Comparison
  27. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Swedish Vallhund vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) - Breed Comparison
  29. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Cattle Dog - Breed Comparison
  30. Swedish Vallhund vs Bearded Collie - Breed Comparison
  31. Swedish Vallhund vs Collie - Breed Comparison
  32. Swedish Vallhund vs Austrailian Blue Heeler - Breed Comparison
  33. Swedish Vallhund vs Dutch Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  34. Swedish Vallhund vs Blue Healer - Breed Comparison
  35. Swedish Vallhund vs English Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  36. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  37. Swedish Vallhund vs Catahoula Cur - Breed Comparison
  38. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  39. Swedish Vallhund vs Catalan Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  40. Swedish Vallhund vs Pyrenean Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  41. Swedish Vallhund vs Bergamasco - Breed Comparison
  42. Swedish Vallhund vs Berger Picard - Breed Comparison
  43. Swedish Vallhund vs Appenzell Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  44. Swedish Vallhund vs Queensland Heeler - Breed Comparison
  45. Swedish Vallhund vs German Coolie - Breed Comparison
  46. Swedish Vallhund vs Bohemian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  47. Swedish Vallhund vs Croatian Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  48. Swedish Vallhund vs Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  49. Swedish Vallhund vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren) - Breed Comparison
  50. Swedish Vallhund vs Blue Lacy - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds