Swedish Vallhund vs Porcelaine - Breed Comparison

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 Porcelaine is an attractive dog hailing from France. It is thought to be the oldest of the French scent hounds.

The dog also goes by the name of Chien de Franche-Comté. The dogs were developed for hunting purposes. It is believed to be an ancient dog breed, dating way back to the 1700s.

It is thought that dogs used to bring about the Porcelain are the Talbot Hound, the English Harrier, the Montaimboeuf, as well as some smaller Laufhunds of Switzerland.

The Club du Porcelaine was established in France in 1971 and the breed was recognized by the FCI in 1975. It is a rare breed virtually unknown outside of France.

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.

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.

The Porcelaine has got such a gentle, amicable face that he looks like he wouldn’t hurt a fly.

His interesting name comes from the fact that he has a shiny, gleaming single coat that looks like white porcelain.

He has a distinguished look to him with his slender neck, slender head with longish muzzle. The body is well proportioned, lean and muscular. Another noticeable feature of this dog is the long, floppy ears which can have a hint of orange. His nose is black and he has dark eyes and a long tail. He is a medium sized dog standing at between 53 to 58cm in height and weighs about 25 to 28kg.

Temperament:

Elegant and beautiful, the Porcelaine isn’t your usual looking dog. He is amicable and easy-going and always ready for a pat on the silky head.

His temperament, kindly and easy going, makes him the perfect pet for therapy purposes and for search and rescue work. He is a quiet, well behaved dog, indoors and out.  He is an energetic dog and loves nothing more than a hunt and he has a keen sense of smell.

He loves being outdoors but is such a good friend of yours he can happily turn into a couch potato to be by your side.

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.

The Porcelaine is a working, hunting dog but he is more than willing to become a companion animal, being loving and loyal to his human family.

He is a balanced, kind natured dog and can get on well with children and with pets in the home.

He enjoys his human family, and typical of hounds he is friendly, energetic and amusing. Bring this beautiful white dog into your home and start a wonderful, long, loving friendship with him.

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.

The Porcelaine has so many good features, and good health is one. He is described as a truly healthy breed that can easily reach up to 14 years of age with good care.

As a Porcelaine owner, look out for some of the more common heath conditions such as cancer, bloat and skin infections.

Hip Dysplasia:

A working, hunting type dog such as the Porcelaine can be devastated with hip dysplasia. It’s a disease that can be genetically passed on and if your dog has it,it should be spayed or neutered. The condition, where your pet becomes more and more reluctant to participate in exercise can be painful and debilitating.

There are different treatments available for pain relief and mobility.

Ear Infections:

The long, floppy ears of the Porcelaine can result in a tendency towards ear infections. Ear infections can be painful and frustrating and you’ll see your dog scratching his ears and shaking his head. The ears may be red inside and there may even be a discharge. Don’t allow your pet to suffer and get him to the vet.

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.

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.

Exercise:

Porcelaines have a very high activity level and require lots of exercise - ball games and walks. Because of this, they aren't recommended for people living in small homes in the city. He will ideally suit life on a big property.

Grooming:

The Porcelaine Dog is a single coated dog with very short hair and is looked upon as being pretty low maintenance.

Apart from brushing him twice a week, to keep the coat shiny and healthy, wipe him down with a hound mitt to get rid of loose hairs and to remove dust.

Because of the long, floppy ears, clean the insides very gently to avoid dirt, moisture and wax buildup. There are veterinarian-recommended ear cleansers, but if you don’t like the idea of doing it yourself, the vet or groomer will do it for you when you take him to have his nails clipped.

Diet:

Your beautiful Porcelaine dog needs the very best food there is so as to ensure he remains the healthy, shiny, lean specimen he is.

He can live a long, healthy life if you choose quality dog food packed with the right mix of vitamins and minerals. If you buy commercially manufactured dog food for him, it needs to be the high quality ones to ensure its properly formulated.

Your Porcelaine, like any other dog, wants consistency and simplicity. Home-made food is always an excellent choice for your pet’s diet. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots can be very healthy for him.

Chop it up and add it into the dry kibble a couple of times a week. Its providing him with some variety from the dry kibble and gives him a tasty treat.

Some raw meat added in occasionally will also ensure his coat and eyes remain bright and vibrant. Always make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.