Our Swedish Vallhunds (Västgötaspets)

Wendy had admired this breed for several years but had no immediate thoughts of owning one. As her interest grew, she spent time at shows watching the dogs and talking to breeders and owners in order to gain more knowledge. The docking of tails which has been allowed in the UK until earlier this year, was a rather alien conception having owned a breed that is totally natural for over 30 years. However, the Breed Standard in the UK has been changed in order to allow for both the natural bob tail and full tails to be shown. Sweden has, of course, banned tail docking since 1989.

In 2003, I made contact with Anita Whitmarsh of the Svedala Kennels in Sweden to ask if she could help me find a puppy of good breeding. I contacted Lucia Wikmark of the Kopparås Kennels and Kopparås Freyia joined our team at the end of that year. I took Freyia to our house in Norway where she got to know me and the Norwegian Elkhounds before being ready to enter the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme.

Freyia is grey and has a full tail. It was amusing to see the puzzled look on peoples’ faces when I was walking her when she was a puppy with the Norwegian Elkhounds. Their first thought was that she’s a Norwegian Elkhound puppy and, upon second glance, decided that something didn’t appear quite right. She was, of course, longer in body and shorter on the leg and curiosity would get the better of them and they had to ask, “Is she a Norwegian Elkhound puppy?”

As time passed my affection for the breed grew and in 2005 Kopparås Krister av Naraena joined us. He is not mistaken for a Norwegian Elkhound due to his colour and natural stub tail. Thanks to meeting Lucia, who has become a very special friend, and getting to know many other Västgötaspets enthusiasts in Sweden, we decided to make our home in this beautiful Country.

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