Breed profile · Herding Group · the weatherproof reindeer herder from north of the Arctic Circle

Finnish Lapphund

The Finnish Lapphund is a medium-sized, strongly built, thickly coated northern herding dog — intelligent, alert, agile, friendly, and eager to learn, with a soft expression and a profuse double coat built for Arctic weather. Bred for centuries by the Sami people of Lapland to herd reindeer, the breed is calm and very submissive with people, and famously friendly once it is satisfied you are not a reindeer rustler. The AKC recognized the breed in the Herding Group on June 30, 2011. The Finnish Lapphund Club of America is the parent club.

Do you have a photo of a Finnish Lapphund in the American show ring? We’d love this page to lead with one. If you have a show photo you’d let us use, email it to [email protected] — tell us the dog’s name and the show, and it may be featured here. Please only send photos you took yourself or have the photographer’s permission to share, and tell us the photographer’s name. We couldn’t find a public photo of a Finnish Lapphund in the American show ring that we were free to share, so the photo leading this page was made with AI. We’d much rather lead with a real one — if you’re a club member with an approved photo, we’d love to feature it.

1. Breed at a glance

The Finnish Lapphund is a tough and substantial reindeer herder from north of the Arctic Circle — and, in the AKC’s words, among the friendliest of all dogs. It is a medium-sized spitz-type herding dog with a thick, profuse double coat, a soft expression, and a tail carried over its back, built to work in weather that stops most dogs. (AKC, Finnish Lapphund.)

AKC group

Herding; recognized June 30, 2011

Size

Ideal 19.5 in (males) / 17.5 in (females); range 18–21 in / 16–19 in; body slightly longer than tall, about 11:10; the standard sets no weight

Coat & color

Thick, profuse double coat; harsh, straight, water-repellant outer coat; all colors permitted, primary color must cover the body

Lifespan

12–15 years

Temperament

Intelligent, alert, agile, friendly, eager to learn; calm and very submissive with people

Parent club

Finnish Lapphund Club of America

2. History

The Finnish Lapphund’s ancestors were the helper dogs of the Sami people of Lapland — the far north of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and part of Russia. Archaeological remains of Lapponian dogs have been estimated as old as 7000 BC. The dogs began as hunters and protectors and, as the Sami way of life changed, became reindeer herders — a job that shaped the whole breed, because a reindeer is not as fearful of dogs as sheep are, and the herding dog had to be active, noisy, agile, alert, and courageous. (Sources: Finnish Lapphund Club of America; FLCA, Club History.)

The Finnish Kennel Club wrote the first standard in 1945, for the Lapponian Shepherd or Lapponian Herder, covering both long and short coats. The long-coated dogs got their own standard in 1967 and became the Finnish Lapphund; the FCI had recognized the breed definitively on August 22, 1955, in Group 5, Section 3, Nordic Watchdogs and Herders. The name was changed to Finnish Lapphund in 1993. The breed was introduced to the United Kingdom in 1989 and to Australia and Canada in 1995, and it is among the most popular breeds in Finland. Its Finnish name is Suomenlapinkoira, and the FCI name is the Finnish Lapponian Dog. (Sources: FLCA, Club History; Wikipedia, Finnish Lapphund.)

In the United States, breeding stock was imported in 1987, the first American litter arrived in 1988, and a breed registry was established. The UKC recognized the breed in 1994 in the Northern Group and adopted a UKC standard in 1995, revised July 1, 2008. The AKC put the breed in the Foundation Stock Service in 2001; the first “Lappy Summit” gathering was held in 2003 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania; and the Finnish Lapphund Club of America was established in 2004, with its Constitution and Bylaws first approved by the AKC. The first specialty matches and puppy sweepstakes followed in 2005 and 2006 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the club adopted a Code of Ethics in 2007, and the AKC accepted the breed standard in February 2008. The breed entered the Miscellaneous Class effective July 1, 2009, the AKC recognized the club as the official national parent club in 2008, the club incorporated in 2012 and received IRS 501(c)(7) status in 2014, and the AKC officially awarded parent club status on November 25, 2015, approving the club for licensed championship point events. Full AKC recognition in the Herding Group came on June 30, 2011. (Sources: FLCA, Club History; AKC, Finnish Lapphund.)

3. The standard and why it is written that way

The standard’s first line is the whole breed in one sentence: a medium-sized dog of northern type and herding temperament, strongly built and thickly coated, intelligent, alert, agile, friendly, and eager to learn, submissive toward people, with a soft expression. Males are recognizably masculine and females recognizably feminine. (AKC, Official Standard of the Finnish Lapphund, approved May 12, 2008, effective July 1, 2009.)

• Head: wedge-shaped, with a broad skull and a distinct stop. Ears small to medium, triangular, broad at the base with a rounded tip, heavily coated, and carried erect or semi-erect (tipped) — drop ears are a fault. Eyes oval and as dark as possible, with dark eye rims; yellow or blue eyes are a serious fault. Nose black, except brown is allowed in a brown dog. Bite scissors; an overshot or undershot bite is a serious fault.
• Size & body: ideal height 19.5 inches for males and 17.5 inches for females; acceptable range 18 to 21 inches for males and 16 to 19 inches for females. The body is slightly longer than tall, about 11 to 10, with a level topline and a deep, long chest. The standard says type and soundness are far more important than size.
• Tail: set rather high, with a profuse coat, carried over the back or to the side when the dog is moving and often dropped at rest, especially in females. A mobile tail is desirable, and a “J” hook is permitted; a kinked tail is a serious fault.
• Coat: thick and profuse. The outer coat is straight, long, and very harsh, with a water-repellant quality; the undercoat is soft, very dense, and plentiful, and it must be present. Males are especially profuse, with a mane around the neck and chest.
• Color: all colors are permitted, but the primary color — the one covering the largest portion of the dog — must cover the body. Sable, wolfsable, and domino each count as a single color; secondary colors are allowed on the head, neck, chest, underside, legs, and tail.
• Gait: effortless, with a trot that extends into a gallop.
• Temperament (in the standard): developed to herd reindeer, an animal not as fearful of dogs as sheep are, so the breed is active and noisy when herding, with a strong startle reflex but a quick recovery, and extremely agile, alert, and courageous. With people it is calm, friendly, and very submissive, sometimes distant or aloof — which the standard is careful to say is not shyness. Excited barking is typical. Excessive sharpness or snarling is unacceptable, even between males.

Why it is written that way. The standard is a working standard, and nearly every line traces back to the reindeer herd. The coat is the weatherproofing: a harsh, straight, water-repellant outer coat over a soft, very dense undercoat that must be present, because the dog works in Arctic weather. Type and soundness outrank size because a herding dog that cannot move all day is no use at any height. The temperament paragraph is unusually specific about the startle reflex and the quick recovery, and about aloofness not being shyness, because a herding dog that startles and does not recover, or a dog that is shy rather than reserved, cannot do the job. And the color rule — every color allowed, but the primary color must cover the body — is a working-dog rule: the herding dogs came in every color, and the standard refuses to make a fashion of any of them.

4. Temperament & living with one

Finnish Lapphunds are famously friendly — the AKC calls the breed among the friendliest of all dogs — and famously eager to please. They are intelligent, alert, and agile, and they were built to work alongside people all day in hard weather, which makes them attentive companions at home and restless ones if they have nothing to do.

• With its own people: calm, friendly, and very submissive, exactly as the standard describes. The breed bonds closely and wants to be where its people are.
• With strangers: sometimes distant or aloof — which the standard is careful to say is not shyness. A Lapphund that has not been introduced will keep its distance, and it warms up on its own schedule.
• Training: eager to learn and intelligent. The breed takes readily to training, and it does best with work to do — herding, agility, obedience, or any job that uses its alertness and agility.
• Exercise: active. This is a herding dog that was built to move all day; it needs real exercise and a job, not a short walk around the block. A bored Lapphund finds its own work, and its own work is usually barking.
• Barking: excited barking is typical, and the breed was developed to be active and noisy when herding. Anyone considering one should be honest about how much barking their household and their neighbors will tolerate.
• First-dog honesty: a Lapphund is a good first dog for an active, attentive household that will exercise it, train it, and brush it — and a poor fit for a quiet household that wants a low-energy, low-maintenance dog. The friendliness is real, and so are the coat, the energy, and the voice.

5. Grooming

The coat is thick and profuse, with a harsh, straight outer coat and a soft, very dense undercoat — and the undercoat must be present, which means there is a lot of coat to look after. The coat is easier to keep than it looks if it is brushed through regularly, and it mats fast if it is left alone.

• Brushing: brush the coat through regularly, paying attention to the mane around the neck and chest, the feathering behind the legs, and the profuse tail, where mats start. A pin brush or a comb, worked gently through the coat, is enough — the coat is harsh and straight, not woolly, and it does not need to be thinned or stripped.
• Bathing: bathe as needed, and dry the coat thoroughly; a damp double coat mats faster than a dry one, and the dense undercoat holds water.
• Ears: the ears are heavily coated, so check them regularly and keep them clean and dry.
• Eyes: the eyes are oval and dark, with dark rims. Check them daily, wipe away debris gently, and see a veterinarian promptly for any cloudiness, redness, or squinting.
• Teeth & nails: the bite is scissors, and dental care matters as much as in any breed — brush, and have the teeth checked regularly. Trim the nails regularly, and trim the feathering between the toes if it picks up debris.

6. Health testing

The parent club’s health statement, published through the AKC, is the starting point. Finnish Lapphunds are generally healthy dogs with a 12–15-year lifespan, but the breed has five tests the parent club recommends on every breeding dog, and a handful of inherited conditions worth knowing about before you commit.

• Hip Dysplasia (parent club health statement): evaluated at 24 months, with results registered through the OFA.
• Elbow Dysplasia (parent club health statement): evaluated at 24 months, with results registered through the OFA.
• Patellar Luxation (parent club health statement): evaluated at 24 months, with results registered through the OFA.
• PRA DNA testing (parent club health statement): progressive retinal atrophy, including prcd-PRA, a late-onset form that appears between 1 and 8 years of age. A DNA test identifies carriers; in Finland, 2.5% of dogs were affected in 2001.
• CERF/ACVO eye examination (parent club health statement): an examination by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, with results registered through the OFA. Cataracts have also been reported in the breed — 3.4% of dogs in Finland.
• Pompe disease (glycogen storage disease type II): an inherited condition reported in the breed, with a DNA test available.
• Other conditions reported in the breed: epilepsy, hypothyroidism, and degenerative myelopathy. None of these has a parent-club screening test; they are worth asking a breeder about directly.

Ask the breeder for the parents’ hip, elbow, patella, PRA DNA, and eye results, and look them up in the OFA database yourself before you commit. (Sources: Finnish Lapphund Club of America, General Health; AKC, Herding Group Health Testing Requirements; OFA, CHIC Program; Wikipedia, Finnish Lapphund.)

7. The annual Finnish Lapphund specialty dog show

A specialty is the breed’s All-Star show — its Super Bowl. Once a year, the best Finnish Lapphunds from across the country, and often from around the world, come together in one place.

The Finnish Lapphund Club of America’s national specialty: one national event each year, with conformation, sweepstakes, and junior showmanship. The 2026 national: March 13, at the Shasta District Fairgrounds in Anderson, California, with 38 competitors and 43 entries in conformation. The 2025 national: March 14, at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, with 41 competitors and 53 entries. The 2027 national: May 29, at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia.

The standard, in brief: a medium-sized, strongly built, thickly coated northern herding dog — intelligent, alert, agile, friendly, and eager to learn. Ideal height 19.5 inches for males and 17.5 inches for females, with the body slightly longer than tall. The coat is thick and profuse, with a harsh, straight outer coat and a soft, very dense undercoat. All colors are permitted, but the primary color — the one covering the largest portion of the dog — must cover the body.

The 2026 National Specialty — Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Shasta District Fairgrounds, 1890 Briggs St & Hwy 273, Anderson, California. Entry: 43 entries / 38 competitors in conformation. Entries closed Wednesday, February 25, 2026; entries limited to 100. Event Chair: Terra Farley, Redding, California. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. The national ran with the regional specialty the next day, Saturday, March 14, at the same site. The Finnish Lapphund Club of America Honors / Top Finnish Lapphund celebration was held Friday evening, March 13, 5:00–7:00 PM, in Anderson. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026680801; 2026 FLCA National Judging Program; Finnish Lapphund Club of America.)

National specialty judge: Mr. Laurent Heinesche (Finland) — conformation. Sweepstakes judge: Mrs. Shalisa D. Neely. Junior showmanship judge: Ms. Jennifer Weiner. Best Junior Handler: Sarah Benson; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026680801; 2026 FLCA National Judging Program.)

Results (2026 national). Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, Winners Bitch, and the select awards not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. Best Junior Handler: Sarah Benson; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett. (Source: AKC event search, event 2026680801.)

The 2027 National Specialty: Saturday, May 29, 2027, one day, at Meadow Event Park, 13191 Dawn Blvd, Doswell, Virginia. Entries limited to 100; entries close Wednesday, May 12, 2027. Event Chair: Kailin Tupitza, North East, Pennsylvania. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. The parent specialty runs the day before, Friday, May 28, 2027, at the same venue (AKC event 2027680801, entries limited to 100), with a 4–6 Month Beginner Puppy competition that day and one on the national day as well. The club lists the national week as Thursday, May 27, through Sunday, May 30, 2027. Judges for the 2027 national week not yet published as of November 2026. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2027680803; AKC Upcoming National Specialties; Finnish Lapphund Club of America.)

Past national specialties: 2025 · 2024 · 2023

Finnish Lapphund Club of America — finnishlapphund.org

8. Regional specialties through the year: smaller regional shows

The national is the anchor, but the breed’s year also runs through regional specialties — smaller regional shows, not the national — held around the country, including the regional specialties that run with the national. These are the 2026 regionals verified from club and AKC sources so far:

Four regional Finnish Lapphund specialties verified for 2026:

• Finnish Lapphund Club of America regional specialty — Saturday, March 14, 2026, Anderson, California: at the Shasta District Fairgrounds (AKC event 2026680802), the day after the national. Entry: 41 entries / 37 competitors. Judge: Ms. Rhonda Silveira — conformation and junior showmanship. Sweepstakes judge: Ms. Kristina Rickard. Event Chair: Terra Farley. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. Best Junior Handler: Sarah Benson; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett.
• 2026 Central Regional — Friday, October 9, 2026, Lebanon, Tennessee: at the Wilson County Fairgrounds, 945 E. Baddour Pkwy, with the Harvest Cluster (AKC event 2026680803; 4–6 Month Beginner Puppy event 2026680804). Entry: 25 entries / 25 competitors. Judge: Mrs. Beth Downey, Ocean Springs, Mississippi — regular classes and Beginner Puppy. Sweepstakes and veteran sweepstakes judge: Katherine Berns, Morristown, Tennessee. Event Chair: Jaclyn Wiltse, Round Lake, Illinois. Superintendent: Onofrio Dog Shows. Entries closed Friday, September 18, 2026; entries limited to 100.
• Finnish Lapphund Club of America designated specialty — Saturday, November 7, 2026, Kalamazoo, Michigan: at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds, 2900 Lake St, with the West Michigan Harvest Cluster and the Kalamazoo Kennel Club (AKC event 2026680807). Judges per the cluster premium table: Mr. Joe Lobb — conformation; Mr. Fred Hyer — sweepstakes and veteran sweepstakes. The club’s Junior Showcase ran Saturday, judge Mr. Fred Hyer. Note: the club’s site lists this show as the “2027 Eastern Regional” with a November 7, 2026 date, while the AKC records event 2026680807 as a Designated Specialty — the label and year do not line up, and the conflict is unresolved as of November 2026.
• New England Finnish Lapphund Club specialty — Saturday, November 7, 2026, Boxborough, Massachusetts: with the Framingham District Kennel Club. Per the cluster premium, Finnish Lapphunds were judged Saturday by Mrs. Silveira and Sunday by Ms. Hansen; the club’s sweepstakes Saturday was judged by Ms. Holmes. The club’s judges-education seminar ran the same day at the Boxboro Regency Hotel, presented by Linda Marden and Kim Englehardt, with ringside mentoring November 7–8.

The 2027 regionals announced so far:

Two regional Finnish Lapphund specialties announced for 2027 so far, both in the national week in Doswell, Virginia, and at the October cluster in Lebanon, Tennessee:

• Finnish Lapphund Club of America parent specialty — Friday, May 28, 2027, Doswell, Virginia: at Meadow Event Park, 13191 Dawn Blvd (AKC event 2027680801), the day before the national, with a 4–6 Month Beginner Puppy competition (AKC event 2027680802). Entries limited to 100; entries close Wednesday, May 12, 2027. Event Chair: Kailin Tupitza. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. Judges not yet published as of November 2026.
• Finnish Lapphund specialty — Friday, October 15, 2027, Lebanon, Tennessee: at the Wilson County Fairgrounds, 945 E. Baddour Pkwy (AKC event 2027680805) — the same site, chair (Jaclyn Wiltse), and superintendent (Onofrio Dog Shows) as the 2026 Central Regional. Entries limited to 100; entries close Wednesday, September 29, 2027. The club has not published a 2027 regional name for this show as of November 2026, so it is listed here by date and venue only.

Past regional specialties: 2025 · 2024 · 2023

More regional specialties will be added here as their programs are verified — this section is built from show data, not guesswork. Browse upcoming show weekends →

9. Clubs

The Finnish Lapphund Club of America is the parent club — the breed’s national organization, recognized by the AKC as the official national parent club for the Finnish Lapphund, and the club that runs the national specialty. The club was established in 2004, incorporated in 2012, and officially awarded parent club status on November 25, 2015. It runs the annual Top Finnish Lapphund honors with the national specialty, keeps the breed’s official records, and publishes the club’s history, health guidance, and rescue information. (Sources: Finnish Lapphund Club of America; FLCA, Club History.)

• Finnish Lapphund Club of America (parent club) — finnishlapphund.org. National specialty, breeder referral, Top Finnish Lapphund honors, health and rescue information.
• New England Finnish Lapphund Club — the regional club in New England; holds a specialty with the Framingham District Kennel Club cluster and runs judges-education seminars and ringside mentoring.
• Carolina Finnish Lapphund Club — the regional club in the Carolinas, listed in the AKC club index.
• AKC Marketplace — marketplace.akc.org/puppies/finnish-lapphund — for puppies from AKC-registered breeders. The parent club’s breeder referral is the better first step.

10. Rescue

There is no single national breed-only Finnish Lapphund rescue verified as of November 2026, and the parent club is careful about how it talks about rescue: the club’s rescue mission is supporting the organizations and individuals that rescue Finnish Lapphunds with information, education, and support. It does not endorse or recommend any rescue organization, does not guarantee any organization’s services, and does not accept donations for rescue — the club is a 501(c)(7) social club. The organizations it lists are ones that meet its qualification of rescuing primarily Finnish Lapphunds.

• Finnish Lapphund Club of America, Rescue — the club’s rescue page, with information for people who have found or need to rehome a Finnish Lapphund, and the organizations that meet the club’s qualifications. finnishlapphund.org/rescue.
• AKC Rescue Network — the AKC’s rescue directory also lists Finnish Lapphund rescue contacts: akc.org/akc-rescue-network.
• Adopt-a-Pet — occasional Finnish Lapphunds appear in shelters and rescues across the country: adoptapet.com/dog-breeds/finnish-lapphund.

Rescue dogs are almost always adults, and their temperaments are already visible — which is an advantage in a breed this friendly and this active. A rescue will want to know your home, your schedule, and your other animals before it places a dog with you. That is the process working, not a delay.

11. Breeder vs. rescue: honest guidance

The honest version, before you decide:

• Color is not a rarity. All colors are permitted, and the only color rule is that the primary color must cover the body. A “rare” color is not a thing in this breed — do not pay a premium for one.
• Ask for the five health tests. Hips, elbows, and patellas at 24 months, the PRA DNA test, and the ACVO eye exam — and look the parents up in the OFA database yourself. A breeder who has done the tests will be glad to show them; a breeder who has not will change the subject.
• Be honest about the coat. The coat is thick and profuse, with a soft, very dense undercoat that must be present. That is a grooming load every week, not a wash-and-go dog, and the dense undercoat mats if it is left alone.
• Be honest about barking and energy. Excited barking is typical, and the breed was developed to be active and noisy when herding. This is an agile herding dog that needs work and exercise, not a quiet couch dog by default.
• Rescue adults are a real option. Finnish Lapphunds do come into rescue, and an adult’s temperament is already visible — which matters in a breed whose friendliness and energy level you want to see, not guess at.

12. Claim this page

Sources

• AKC, Official Standard of the Finnish Lapphund (PDF) — images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/FinnishLapphund.pdf
• AKC, Finnish Lapphund breed page — www.akc.org/dog-breeds/finnish-lapphund
• AKC, Herding Group Health Testing Requirements — www.akc.org/breeder-programs/akc-breed-health-testing-requirements/herding-group-health-testing-requirements
• AKC, Upcoming National Specialties — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/conformation/national_specialties.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2027680803 (2027 national) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2027680801 (2027 parent specialty) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2027680805 (October 2027 Lebanon specialty) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2026680801 (2026 national) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2026680802 (2026 regional specialty) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2026680803 (2026 Central Regional) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2026680807 (Kalamazoo designated specialty) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2025680801 (2025 national) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2024680801 (2024 national) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2024680802 (2024 regional specialty) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2023680801 (2023 national) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• AKC event search, event 2023680802 (2023 regional specialty) — www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm
• Finnish Lapphund Club of America — finnishlapphund.org
• Finnish Lapphund Club of America, Club History — finnishlapphund.org/club-history
• Finnish Lapphund Club of America, General Health — finnishlapphund.org/general-health
• Finnish Lapphund Club of America, Annual Top Finnish Lapphund — finnishlapphund.org/annual-top-fl
• Finnish Lapphund Club of America, Rescue — finnishlapphund.org/rescue
• 2026 FLCA National Judging Program — pdf.cxinfodog.com/jps/308/jpg308.pdf
• Harvest Cluster 2026 Friday Specialties premium (local copy) — thepetadvisor.com/assets/premiums/2026/harvest-cluster-2026-friday-specialties.pdf
• West Michigan Harvest Cluster 2026 premium (local copy) — thepetadvisor.com/assets/premiums/2026/west-michigan-harvest-cluster-2026.pdf
• Framingham District Kennel Club 2026 premium (local copy) — thepetadvisor.com/assets/premiums/2026/framingham-district-kc-2026-premium.pdf
• OFA, CHIC Program — ofa.org/chic-programs
• AKC Rescue Network — www.akc.org/akc-rescue-network
• Adopt-a-Pet, Finnish Lapphund — www.adoptapet.com/dog-breeds/finnish-lapphund
• Wikipedia, Finnish Lapphund — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_Lapphund