Swedish Vallhund vs Miniature Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison

Swedish Vallhund vs Miniature Australian Shepherd - Breed ComparisonMiniature Australian Shepherd is originated from United States but Swedish Vallhund is originated from Sweden. Miniature Australian Shepherd may grow 12 cm / 5 inches higher than Swedish Vallhund. Both Miniature Australian Shepherd and Swedish Vallhund are having almost same weight. Both Miniature Australian Shepherd and Swedish Vallhund has almost same life span. Both Miniature Australian Shepherd and Swedish Vallhund has almost same litter size. Both Miniature Australian Shepherd and Swedish Vallhund requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Herding dogs
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United States
Sweden
Height Male:
33 - 46 cm
12 - 19 inches
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
Height Female:
33 - 46 cm
12 - 19 inches
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
Weight Male:
6 - 16 kg
13 - 36 pounds
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
Weight Female:
6 - 16 kg
13 - 36 pounds
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 13 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
5 - 9
4 - 10
Size:
Small
Medium
Other Names:
Miniature American Shepherd, Mini Aussie
Västgötaspets, Swedish cow dog
Colors Available:
red or black tri-color, Blue or red merle
Cream, grey, brown
Coat:
Long and thick
Medium length, thick
Shedding:
Moderate, Seasonal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

miniature australian shepherdUnlike some miniaturized pure dog breeds, the Miniature Australian Shepherd is a breed of its own. The American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club recognize that the miniature Australian Shepherd is the same as the miniature American Shepherd.

Certain breeding programs to develop the Miniature Australian Shepherd have been established and this dog is a small version of the Australian Shepherd. You can say that the Mini Australian Shepherd was developed in the 1960s and hails from the USA. American ranchers bred small Australian Shepherd dogs to create smaller replicas of the breed.

swedish vallhundKnown 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.

Description

miniature australian shepherd puppy - descriptionThe Miniature Australian Shepherd’s coat is medium-length and is straight or wavy. It comes in a range of colors such as blue or red merle and red or black tricolor. There are white or tan markings as well. He is a small dog, standing at 33 - 46 cm in height and weighing 6 – 16kg.

They have blue or brown eyes but some will even have one eye blue and the other brown. The ears are semi erect, semi floppy and the tail, while essentially left long and feathery, is sometimes docked.

Temperament:

Miniature Australian Shepherds are easygoing dogs who love being with their human families. They get on well with children in the home and are always willing to jump right in for a game.

They’re lively and agile and if its not games they’re busy with, they want to be on a walk. They’re loving and loyal and also eager to please, sensing what their owner wants.

They’re intelligent dogs too and easy to train so it is sure to go well with training and socialization, which is important for any dog. This training and socialization can actually help with problems a dog has such as being very nervous or being too active indoors. They become obedient and manageable wherever they are.

He is also willing to get on with other pets in the house. Just like the larger dog, the mini Australian Shepherd loves to be active and at work.

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

miniature australian shepherd dog - characteristicsThe wonderful friendly nature’s of these dogs make them excellent family pets, especially when they have been trained and socialized. They can live in the city or country but they will certainly require being exercised as they are an active breed, wanting to be busy with his human family.

You can’t describe these dogs as low maintenance as they have long, thick hair that sheds and which will also need to be brushed regularly.

If you’re able to provide a good home for this beautiful, lively dog, then he will make you a splendid pet.

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

miniature australian shepherd puppies - health problemsYour Miniature Australian Shepherd can enjoy good health if you make sure he has a nutritious diet, he is well exercised and he is happy and content because of the attention you give him. He can easily reach 13 years of age.

Also, say what you like, human beings constantly tampering with animals to produce certain looks has its drawbacks and can create health problems in dogs.

As a pure breed however, these dogs will be more susceptible to some common canine health problems such as hypothyroidism, patellar luxation, obesity, hip dysplasia, vision problems and cancer.

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

Grooming:

miniature australian shepherd dogs - caringThe mini Australian Shepherd has a long coat with seasonal shedding. You will need to give the coat a good brush twice a week to keep it untangled and to remove loose hair.

Other grooming for your pet will be to check his eyes and ears for infection, check for unusual lumps when you brush him and check for fleas and ticks. Keep his nails trimmed and brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week to avoid plaque build up.

If you’re wondering how to keep your dog well groomed for the enhancement of this health, people such as your vet or professional groomers will do these grooming tasks for you.

Diet:

Top quality commercially manufactured dog food packed with vitamins and minerals needs to be your choice if you're going to be using these dog foods. Avoid the cheaper brands that use lots of fillers, sugar, salt, colorants and preservatives.

Home-made food is a wonderful treat for a dog and delicious, nutritious and simple ingredients such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables chopped up into his dry kibble from time to time will do him wonders.

Sometimes it will also be good to add in a little bit of raw meat too. Make sure there is a bowl of fresh, cool water available to your pet constantly.

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

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  29. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison