MyDogBreeds
Swedish Vallhund is originated from Sweden but Rottweiler is originated from Germany. Swedish Vallhund may grow 35 cm / 13 inches shorter than Rottweiler. Swedish Vallhund may weigh 46 kg / 101 pounds lesser than Rottweiler. Swedish Vallhund may live 4 years more than Rottweiler. Both Swedish Vallhund and Rottweiler has almost same litter size. Swedish Vallhund requires Moderate maintenance. But Rottweiler requires Low 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.
It is beleived to be the Rottweiler has been developed from the Roman cattle dogs. The Roman empire made a camp in a place at Germany in 74 AD. The area was called as 'das Rote Wil' and later as 'Rottweil'. In the middle ages Rottweiler was used in bear hunting and as a cattle dog. In 1899 the International club for Leonbergers and Rottweiler dogs was formed in Germany. In 19th century due to set in of railways the cattle was moved by railways and the need for the breed declined. When the world war was set in there came a heavy demand for police dogs. Rottweilers played a major role in first and second world war.
In 1921 many German Rottweiler clubs joined together to form ADRK, which is Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub. This is said to be the home club of Rottweiler. American kennel club recognised them in 1931. They become 9th most popular breed in America in 2013.
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.
Rottweilers are good natured, obedient and are very much eager to work. They are calm, confident and an excellent watchdog. They will not make friends immediately. Rottweilers can be said as an all purpose dog since they are suitable as companion and watch dog as well. He is good in herding and guarding as genital feature. Rottweiler must be trained from its younger stage and should not be hit while training. They have high energy level and thus they are interested in doing work if properly trained. There are more possibilities of biting the strangers because of watchdog tendency.
They are very good in herding sheeps as they have a natural gathering style. They are clever and adjusts the barking sound according to the situation. While herding they used to prove the leadership by selecting the dominant one in the flock and challenging it. If they were made to watch a same flock of cattle regularly, then they will develop a bond with them and will be affectionate with them as long as the cattle obeys its commands.
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.
They are friendly with children and enjoy the company with them. But it is not advised to leave them with children without adult supervision.
Rottweilers do not make friends immediately but take time to know about new people. He is an excellent watchdog. Males are quiet in nature but are watchful and females are more affectionate and obey some more. A good training is required for them to obey your orders.
They are not good for apartment life and thus a fenced back yard will be better for them to play and spend the energy. They require companion and will be happy to walk around with you. Hot weather will be some what better for them when compared with cold.
Rottweilers are easy to train because of their high intelligence. The training should be started in their young stage to have best results. They should not be dominated but treated kindly with understanding. They should be comfortable with the surroundings and people. Giving him a reward for training will make him interested in doing it. If he does a mistake then he should not be hit, so that he may get fear and loss his interest in doing it. Punishments will never work for them but rewarding will make him encouraged. Simple commands such as sit and stand shall be taught to them.
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 health issues affecting the eyes of them are Cataract and Progressive Retinal Atropy. Health problems common in their joints are Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia and Panosteitis. They also have chances to get circulatory system problems like Aortic Stenosis and Von Willebrand's Disease. Other common health problems in Rottweiler are Bloat and Cancer.
Mostly people think that Rottweilers don't shed but they are short haired dog and sheds more. They are having double coat that is undercoat and topcoat. The undercoat is softer and protects them in winter and topcoat is rougher and visible. It is said that they will shed in spring and winter seasons. Shedding can be reduced by brushing them.
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.
Rottweiler puppies should be given a diet which has protein, carbohydrates and fats. They need different diets in their growing stages. They can be given chicken with bones and vegetables for 4 days in a week. Beef with vegetables can also be given. When feeding them red meat a raw meaty bone can also be included. Fish oil can be given such that starting with 1000 mg and making it to 3000 mg in a time of two weeks.
High calories of protein should be provided to them to meet their energy requirements. While buying commercial food it should be checked for the main ingredient to be meat. Protein levels should be more from animals than vegetables. High quality dairy products should be included. Food should not have low quality flavours and preservatives. Healthy fat is necessary for their skin and coat. If these fats are not provided it will cause dandruff and itchy skin.
Brushing them weekly once is recommended for their coat and skin. Buying the puppy from reputable breeder will be better. Vaccinations and preventive medicines should be given on right time. Spaying and Neutering should be done to avoid unwanted pregnancy. High quality diet should be maintained. Making them to bath once in a week is advisable. Nails should be trimmed once in every two weeks.
Rottweilers like to chase something and Laser pointer will be a good game for them. It will make them busy and also entertain us. But it should be on a limit and they should not get bored. A treat or toy can be hided and they can be made to find it. A bottle should be filled with water and frozen. The frozen bottle can be given to them for playing. In summer time it will make them very happy to play with it. A ball or toy can be thrown and they can be made to fetch it. Walking them is also a good exercise.