Vikhan Sheepdog vs Swedish Vallhund - Breed Comparison

Vikhan Sheepdog is originated from Pakistan but Swedish Vallhund is originated from Sweden. Vikhan Sheepdog may grow 34 cm / 14 inches higher than Swedish Vallhund. Vikhan Sheepdog may weigh 33 kg / 73 pounds more than Swedish Vallhund. Vikhan Sheepdog may live 7 years less than Swedish Vallhund. Both Vikhan Sheepdog and Swedish Vallhund has same litter size. Vikhan Sheepdog requires High maintenance. But Swedish Vallhund requires Moderate maintenance

History

The Vikhan Dog is a rare breed that very little is known about. It is not sanctioned by any breed club or kennel club. The breed originally came from Pakistan in the North-west Frontier Province near the Indian border, in the Chitral region and the state of Himacchal Pradesh. For the most part Pakistan is credited with the development of the breed. They originally guarded livestock and hunting leopard. He is fast and fierce. The breed is bonded to the livestock when they are very young and instinctually guard them for the rest of their life. They do not herd them, they blend into the flock and watch for outsiders.

They confront strangers and predators with aggressive displays and vocal intimidation. If this does not work, it will attack and drive them off. They are even known for luring coyotes into a trap with food so that they can hunt them.

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.

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Herding dogs
Origin:
Pakistan
Sweden
Height Male:
66 - 68 cm
25 - 27 inches
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
Height Female:
64 - 66 cm
25 - 26 inches
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
Weight Male:
45 - 47 kg
99 - 104 pounds
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
Weight Female:
42 - 46 kg
92 - 102 pounds
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
Life Span:
6 - 8 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 10
4 - 10
Size:
Large dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Vikhan Dog Vikhan Shepherd Vikhan Chitral Watchdog
Västgötaspets, Swedish cow dog
Colors Available:
fawn, black , brown
Cream, grey, brown
Coat:
long and shaggy
Medium length, thick
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Aggressive, Courageous, Intelligent, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
High maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Hard
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
No
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

Description

The Vikhan Sheepdog is a large working breed that is lean, muscular and aggressive. He is immensely intelligent and fearless. He has a thick coat in solid brown, red, fawn or black. There are also multi-colored and spotted versions as well. They are related to the other regional Molossers and are sometimes called the giant Rough Collie. They are faster than they are strong. All Molossers are solid, large and share the same ancestor.

They typically have short, muscular necks and broad but short muzzles. They have heavy bones, wrinkles and pendant ears. With well-muscled legs and wide chests, the Molossers include the mastiffs and bully breeds and all other breeds that come from those groups. Molossers are either flock guardians or home guardians. The Vikhan Sheepdog is a flock guardian

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.

Characteristics

Characteristics

1Children friendliness No – a very aggressive protector.

2.Special talents agility and speed

3.Adaptability – needs space – not very adaptable to smaller spaces.

4.Learning ability intelligent, quick learner

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.

Health Problems

Because this is a rare breed having lived in isolation for centuries, little is known or documented about their health issues. However being a large Molosser, they face some of the same health challenges as all large dogs. These include

• Bloat – when the internal organs of the intestinal system are knotted or inverted. Without immediate attention it causes death under all circumstances. You need to get the dog to a vet as soon as possible.

• Hip Dysplasia – Can cause lameness in hind legs and/or arthritis. Can be treated.

• Elbow Dysplasia – Can cause lameness in the front legs and/or arthritis. Can be treated.

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.

Caring The Pet

1Feeding the puppy – due to the risk of bloat, don’t overfeed and don’t feed large meals before or after exercise. Also don’t feed too high protein since the puppies grow so fast and it can cause bone injuries. Feed 3-4 x day.

2.Feeding the adult - due to the risk of bloat, don’t overfeed and don’t feed large meals before or after exercise. feed 2 X day

3.Points for Good Health seems to have stamina/speed.

4. Games and Exercises Although large dogs they are surprisingly good at agility, they need a lot of exercise and long walks.

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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  2. Vikhan Sheepdog vs German Shorthaired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  3. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Irish Setter - Breed Comparison
  4. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison
  5. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  6. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Perdiguero de Burgos - Breed Comparison
  7. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Irish Red and White Setter - Breed Comparison
  8. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Pachon Navarro - Breed Comparison
  9. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Grand Gascon Saintongeois - Breed Comparison
  10. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  11. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Slovensky Hrubosrsty Stavac - Breed Comparison
  12. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Smooth Haired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  13. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Spanish Pointer - Breed Comparison
  14. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison
  15. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Talbot - Breed Comparison
  16. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Longhaired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  17. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Braque Francais (Gascogne Type) - Breed Comparison
  18. Weimaraner vs Vikhan Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  19. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  20. Vikhan Sheepdog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  21. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  22. Vikhan Sheepdog vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  23. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  24. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  25. Swedish Vallhund vs Pembroke Welsh Corgi - Breed Comparison
  26. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  27. Swedish Vallhund vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) - Breed Comparison
  28. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Cattle Dog - Breed Comparison
  29. Swedish Vallhund vs Bearded Collie - Breed Comparison
  30. Swedish Vallhund vs Collie - Breed Comparison
  31. Swedish Vallhund vs Austrailian Blue Heeler - Breed Comparison
  32. Swedish Vallhund vs Dutch Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  33. Swedish Vallhund vs Blue Healer - Breed Comparison
  34. Swedish Vallhund vs English Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  35. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  36. Swedish Vallhund vs Catahoula Cur - Breed Comparison
  37. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  38. Swedish Vallhund vs Catalan Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  39. Swedish Vallhund vs Pyrenean Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  40. Swedish Vallhund vs Bergamasco - Breed Comparison
  41. Swedish Vallhund vs Berger Picard - Breed Comparison
  42. Swedish Vallhund vs Appenzell Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  43. Swedish Vallhund vs Queensland Heeler - Breed Comparison
  44. Swedish Vallhund vs German Coolie - Breed Comparison
  45. Swedish Vallhund vs Bohemian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  46. Swedish Vallhund vs Croatian Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  47. Swedish Vallhund vs Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  48. Swedish Vallhund vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren) - Breed Comparison
  49. Swedish Vallhund vs Blue Lacy - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds