Finnish Lapphund
The Finnish Lapphund was the herding dog of the Sami people of Lapland, used to move and hold reindeer, and its habit of barking to control stock is still there in the modern dog…
About the Finnish Lapphund
The Finnish Lapphund was the herding dog of the Sami people of Lapland, used to move and hold reindeer, and its habit of barking to control stock is still there in the modern dog. It is one of the easier northern breeds to live with, being sociable and notably good with children.
Dogs stand 46 to 52 cm, thickset under a profuse standing double coat that sheds hard twice a year. Any colour is allowed provided one dominates, and black, brown, wolf sable and cream are all common, usually with lighter markings. The expression is soft and the ears may be pricked or partly dropped. A stud should be outgoing rather than reserved, and sound enough to trot all day.
Progressive retinal atrophy is the breed's main eye concern and the prcd-PRA DNA test is well established here, so ask for the result alongside a current eye certificate covering hereditary cataract and glaucoma. Hip scores under the BVA/KC scheme belong on the list too. Ask the stud owner which other DNA tests the breed's health group currently recommends, since the Nordic clubs keep an active list that changes.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Finnish Lapphund
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Good Practice — the Royal Kennel Club’s minimum before breeding
The tests the Royal Kennel Club says breeders should, at a minimum, complete before breeding.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA test — prcd-PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
Best Practice — further tests it recommends
Completing these as well as the Good Practice tests is what the Royal Kennel Club calls Best Practice.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA test — GSDII (Glycogen Storage Disease type II, Pompe) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
| Hip score (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Total of both hips, 0–106. Lower is better. |
| Elbow grading (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Grade 0–3. The dog is graded on the worse of the two elbows. |
| Eye testing (BVA/KC/ISDS) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC/ISDS | Result printed on the eye certificate. |
Breed hip median
Breed median 12 (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years, 55 dogs scored). Lower is better. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Finnish Lapphund stud dogs
No Finnish Lapphund studs are listed right now
When a Finnish Lapphund on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Finnish Lapphund litters
No Finnish Lapphund litters are listed right now
Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
