Let's talk Danish-Swedish Farmdogs
The breed’s name more than gives away this hardy, compact dog’s heritage. Yes, the Danish-Swedish Farmdog has Scandinavian roots supporting their see and say moniker. A working dog with a terrific temperament and smarts for days, once trained, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs are devoted family dogs that get along well with children. They need to move a fair bit. And by fair bit, we mean they have energy for days. But otherwise, your Danish-Swedish Farmdog will basically just want to be where you are.Official name: Danish-Swedish Farmdog
Other names: Danish Pinscher, Dansk/Svensk Gaardhund, Dansk/Svensk Gårdhund
Origins: Denmark
| Drooling tendencies |
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Warm weather? |  |
| Shedding level |  |
Suited to apartment living? | |
| Energy level (high, low, medium) *: | Moderate | Family pet? * |
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| Compatibility with other pets | |
Can stay alone?* | |
* We advise against leaving pets alone for long stretches. Companionship can prevent emotional distress and destructive behaviour. Speak to your veterinarian for recommendations.
Every pet is different, even within a breed; this snapshot of this breed’s specifics should be taken as an indication.
For a happy, healthy and well-behaved pet, we recommend educating and socialising your pet as well as covering their basic welfare, social and behavioural needs.
Pets should never be left unsupervised with a child.
All domestic pets are sociable and prefer company. However, they can be taught to cope with solitude from an early age. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or trainer to help you do this.
Male
34 - 37 cm
Height
6 - 9 kg
Weight
Female
32 - 35 cm
Height
6 - 9 kg
Weight
| Baby age: | Birth to 2 months |
| Puppy age: | 2-10 months |
| Adult age: | 10 months-8 years |
| Mature age: | 8-12 years |
| Senior age: | From 12 years |
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Get to know the Danish-Swedish Farmdog
All you need to know about the breed
Appearance-wise, the Danish-Swedish Farmdog resembles nothing so much as a slightly larger Jack Russell Terrier. But the resemblance ends there. While these larger, more angular Scandinavian canines have some of the JRT’s dogged prey drive, they don’t exhibit that barky skittishness. The Danish-Swedish Farmdog breed is part of the pinscher family hence the different temperament. When they do bark, it’s probably their protective nature letting you know someone is approaching.
What they are is a highly intelligent, hard-working, playful and devoted dog that relishes downtime with you as much as a day romping around in the great outdoors. A great family dog, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs get along well with other domestic animals – though perhaps not very small ones – and, once trained, children. In addition, still rather rare outside of their native lands, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs are known to be quite a healthy breed. All of this wrapped up in an attractive, easy to groom short-haired bundle of energy.
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2 facts about Danish-Swedish Farmdogs
1. Watchdog, yes. Guard dog, not so much
Bred to take care of business on working farms, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs know to protect their charges, human family included. They are also, however, a friendly and open-to-strangers breed. So yes, they’ll bark a warning. But they might just as well lick an intruder to the ground with their tails wagging as do anything more threatening.
2. What’s that smell?
Not your Danish-Swedish Farmdog, that’s for sure. While no dog is 100% odour-free, the Danish-Swedish Farmdog is one of the breeds known to emit virtually no smell. So they only need to be bathed about twice a year. The exception to this generality is if they roll in something unpleasant while out on a nature walk. Then, all bets are off.
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History of the breed
While the breed wasn’t formally recognised until 1987 in Denmark and Sweden, at which time the two countries got together and agreed on both the breed standard and a name – perhaps not the most original choice but definitely a clear one – the Danish-Swedish Farmdog’s ancestors have been around since at least the 1700s, maybe even longer, as the Old Danish Fox Terrier or Scanian Terrier, at least in English. To accompany the breed name confusion, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs are not actually terriers, but pinschers.
Either way, the breed has been well-known around Baltic Sea nations since the late 19th century. Historically found on farms in eastern Denmark and southern Sweden, areas on both sides of the Øresund strait, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs are popular all over Scandinavia today.
In 1998, a Danish-Swedish Farmdog was sent to the United States to kick off the first official American breeding program. The Fédération Cynologique International (FCI) standard was published in 2009 and they entered the American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service in 2011, the Danish-Swedish Farmdog’s first step towards official recognition.
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From head to tail
Physical characteristics of Danish-Swedish Farmdogs
1. Head
Small, triangular head.
2. Coat
Rough, short, smooth-textured coat, with white as a dominating colour.
3. Body
Compact, muscular and slightly rectangular body.
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Things to look out for
From specific breed traits to a general health overview, here are some interesting facts about your Danish-Swedish Farmdog
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Caring for your Danish-Swedish Farmdog
Grooming, training and exercise tips
With their near-odourless, short, smooth coats, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs are on the low maintenance end of the grooming scale. An occasional brush-through and bath are all that’s needed—unless they manage to roll around in any mud on their walk, of course. Nails can be trimmed periodically, ears checked regularly for any debris or build-up, and – suggested for smaller dogs – brush teeth daily where possible to head off periodontal disease.
Full of energy, the Danish-Swedish Farmdog was bred as a working dog, so they require a decent amount of exercise and playtime each day to stay in optimal shape and expend said energy.
Training your Danish-Swedish Farmdog should be a breeze—these smart dogs are eager to please and like having a job to do. Start obedience training early and make sure they are properly socialised from a young age to get them used to coexisting peacefully with others, both four-legged and human. Just keep sessions short as they might get distracted!
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All about Danish-Swedish Farmdogs
Full of energy, tenacity and pleased to be in pursuit of anything from small prey – keep them on a lead when outside to ensure their prey drive doesn’t lead them astray – to blowing autumn leaves, your Danish-Swedish Farmdog is also a homebody of a dog. Terrific companions, they are equally content being with their humans for downtime, once their exercise needs have been met.
The Danish-Swedish Farmdog breed is quite a sociable dog, especially when well trained, and doesn’t have an aggressive or overly alpha personality. What isn’t suggested is cohabitation with small animals like hamsters or rabbits, anything that might trigger this working dog’s prey drive.
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Sources
1 - Veterinary Centers of America https://vcahospitals.com/
2 - Royal Canin Dog Encyclopaedia. Ed 2010 and 2020
3 - Banfield Pet Hospital https://www.banfield.com/
4 - Royal Canin BHN Product Book
5 - American Kennel Club https://www.akc.org/