Danish-Swedish Farmdog Information & Dog Breed Facts

Farmdogs are devoted to their owners and make wonderful companions. They require activity and can be tenacious in their chase of the elusive mouse, snake, bird, leaf, or grasshopper, but they also possess that all-important "off button" and will take a nap after their task is through! When they are introduced into the family as a puppy, they can be and do practically anything with the correct training and family life.

They are commonly mistaken for terriers, however, their shape is more rectangular and their structure is more angulated than most terrier breeds. And also as was discussed previously, they have an “off button” and tend to rest way more than most terriers.

The Danish-Swedish Farmdog was developed from Pinschers or terriers and dates back to the early 1700s, if not earlier. It's impossible to pinpoint their specific origins and ancestors due to a lack of knowledge.

The breed's name accurately describes its origins: these canines are from eastern Denmark and southern Sweden.

The little farmer's dog, formerly known as the Danish Pincher, was a natural part of Danish rural life until a few decades ago. The daily functions of the Danish-Swedish Farmdog were mouser/ratter, cattle herder, hunting dog, watchdog, and family companion. Smaller family farms, as well as the devoted working Farmdog, have become rarer as people's lifestyles have changed.

The Danish and Swedish Kennel Clubs' efforts to resurrect the breed culminated in the first breed standard for the Danish-Swedish Farmdog being established in 1987. A DSF was introduced to the United States in 1998 to start the country's first official breeding program. On March 26, 2009, the FCI Standard for the breed was officially released.

The breed was recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) also in 2009, and the American Kennel Club (AKC) began keeping records in 2011.

The Danish-Swedish Farmdog is officially recognized by the following groups:

ACR - American Canine Registry

AKC/FSS - American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service® Program

APRI - American Pet Registry, Inc.

ARBA - American Rare Breed Association

DRA - Dog Registry of America, Inc.

DSFCA - Danish/Swedish Farmdog Club of America

FCI - Fédération Cynologique Internationale

NAPR - North American Purebred Registry, Inc.

NKU - Nordic Kennel Union

Some interesting facts about the breed:

Danish-Swedish Farmdogs are very good flyball players. Flyball is a canine sport in which teams of dogs compete against each other from the start to the finish line, over a series of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball for the dog to catch when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, and then back to their handlers while carrying the tennis ball.

They are one of the most sought-after height dogs on Flyball teams due to their intense attention and drive. In both the NAFA and the U-FLI Leagues, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs have the most titles.

They are not just good at flyball, they are also a frequent participant in Lure Coursings. The activity of lure coursing involves a dog chasing a motorized bait. The game is played on a "course," which is a level expanse of ground with or without obstacles. Farmdogs started competing in Lure Coursing at the Wags for Wishes tournaments in Southern California in 2004 and proved themselves quite good at it.

There is another field they are prominent in, which is Scent Work. Dog detection is known as nose work. It's also known as scent work, Fun K9, and search work. It's when a dog uses its nose to track down a certain scent or odor. Dogs are trained in a similar manner for search and rescue (SAR) and security drug and explosive detection.