Mary Allen
The Västgötaspets is a spirited dog, gets along very well with children, and loves to play with them. He is tough, persistent, fast, agile, and smart. The Swedish Shepherd Spitz is primarily a working dog, so it needs a lot of exercises.
His versatile abilities make him good herding, guard, and hunting dog. Beginners are quickly overwhelmed with the Nordic stubbornness of Västgötaspet. He needs clear leadership and challenges.
Swedish Shepherd – possesses a wolf-like appearance
History
The herding dog kept as a domestic dog originally came from the historic province of Västergötland in southern Sweden.
The Shepherd Spitz described as needless, weatherproof, and also willing to work, enjoys great popularity in Sweden. This was not always the case and by 1940 the breed was even threatened with extinction. It was Count Björn von Rosen who discovered the existence of these dogs in the early 1940s.
While analyzing the population of all dogs in the Västergötland region, preferably around the city of Vara, he found a small but fairly uniform dog population. This population served as a prerequisite for a serious breeding program led by the school director K.G. Zettersten.
He managed, without restricting the herd dog instinct, to breed out a uniform type, so that in 1943 the standard could be made and the Svensk Vallhund, as it was once called, could be recognized and registered as a Swedish breed. Only 19 years later he got the name Västgötaspets. Both are agile herding dogs, which despite their small size earn the respect of the herd by pinching the heels of unruly animals and deftly dodging the cattle’s hooves.
The resemblance of the Västgötaspets to the old type of British Pembroke Welsh Corgi is striking. Both dogs have the predisposition for a bobtail. In Sweden, 40-50% of Västgötspets are still born with a short tail.
Despite the fact that the Västgötaspet’s relationship to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi has not yet been established, there is a theory that the Vikings, when they appeared on the south-west coast of Wales in the 9th and 10th centuries, adopted their dogs brought with them who mated with the local dogs, with the Västgötaspets becoming the progenitor of the Pembroke Corgi.
Care
Regular brushing and combing will keep the coat in good condition; the ear canals should be kept free and the claws kept short.
Temperament
Alert, alert, active, willing to learn, intelligent, very loyal, and affectionate. The dogs show a special “sense of humor” and are gifted actors.
Upbringing
These dogs hardly need any training, they learn extremely quickly.
Compatibility
The Väsgötaspets get along very well with children and like to play with them. He will always protect her against strangers. He shares this trait with many other herding dogs. This breed generally gets along well with dogs or other pets but maybe a little more reserved with strangers.
Movement
The Väsgötaspets is primarily a working dog, so it needs a lot of exercises. Because of its smaller size, you can of course also keep this dog in an apartment, but then you must of course ensure that there are enough opportunities for the dog to release its energy. The robust dogs also cut a good figure in agility tests and show great enthusiasm.