General description of the dog, use of the Danish-Swedish farm dog and its ancestors, decline in numbers and confusion with the name, popularization, clubbing, recognition and current purpose of the species. The content of the article:
- Application and ancestors
- Downsizing and name confusion
- Popularization
- Creation of clubs
- Confession
- Present destination
The Danish Swedish farm dog or Danish swedish farmdog is a compact and somewhat rectangular animal with a pronounced chest and smooth coat. Its head is small, triangular, with a slightly rounded wide skull and a tapering muzzle. The ears are raised or folded forward. The tail can be docked. The color is white with brown and black.
Application of the Danish-Swedish farm dog and its ancestors
This funny little dog is one of the fairly new national breeds in Denmark and Sweden, although it has been proven that the history of its ancestors goes back to ancient times. The origins of danish swedish farmdogs date back to the 1700s, when they could be found in the UK, Germany and France, as well as Denmark and Sweden. Although these dogs are often mistaken for terriers, they are most closely related to the pinscher family. But, since no written data on their early selection has survived, there is no exact data on their pedigree.
When small family farms were massively set up throughout Sweden and Denmark, widespread Danish-Swedish farm dogs served as watchdogs, shepherds, fox hunters, rat catchers, companions and even entertainers.
Despite their size, they were not afraid to graze large animals. The variety kept foxes from "chicken coups", cleared sheds and houses from parasites.
When these dogs finished their work, they enjoyed playing with the children and became part of the human "pack". Such colorful pets were also used in circus shows due to their ability to quickly learn all kinds of tricks. In the 1920s, they performed at the largest stationary and traveling circus in Denmark, known as the Circus Benneweis.
Dwindling numbers and confusion over the name of the Danish-Swedish farm dog
But as small family farms began to disappear as the agricultural industry merged into large industrial operations, many full-time workers moved to cities to work in factories. Due to this situation, the demand for Danish-Swedish farm dogs has greatly diminished. The loss of their traditional purpose led to the fact that the number of the species declined so dramatically that the breed almost completely disappeared.
Some fans of the species believe, if it were not for the Danish television series Matador, which aired in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the participation of Danish-Swedish farm dogs, these dogs would have been lost forever.
The popular TV show helped maintain love and sparked interest in the variety and may have contributed to the decision of the DKK and SKK breed clubs to join forces in 1985 to preserve the danish swedish farmdog.
These organizations advocated to find any remaining individuals with good characteristics. Imagine their surprise when hundreds of Danish-Swedish farm dog owners responded to this call. The two clubs developed the first standard for the species and introduced systematic breeding programs. Thanks to their efforts, this variety not only survived, but also acquired the opportunity to gain official recognition in 1987. At that time the breed was given the name "Danish Swedish farmdog".
They are sometimes confused with other canines due to errors in the Bruce Vogel Encyclopedia of Dogs, published in English, which mixes an old danish chicken dog, an old danish pointer and a danish swedish farmdog. Photos of a Danish-Swedish farm dog are mistakenly labeled as an old Danish chicken dog. Currently, the ancient Danish breed of chicken dogs is listed as an ancient Danish pointer. Many English-language websites perpetuate these inaccuracies.
Promotion of the Danish-Swedish Farmdog
In fact, two American women, strangers to each other, became interested in what they believed to be a Danish chicken dog after reading the information and seeing the photographs in Bruce Vogel's book. In 1996, Mrs. Melody Farquhar-Chang began searching for the variety she liked. She contacted a Danish breeder, who informed the fancier that the dogs of interest to her were actually called Danish-Swedish farm dogs.
In 1998, Brita Lemmon, a resident of Seal Beach, California, also fell in love with the breed after reading a book by Bruce Vogel. Her position and interest made it possible to search for a breeder on the Internet in order to correct the mistaken identity. This was not widely applied two years ago, when Ms. Farkhar-Chang began her search for Danish-Swedish farm dogs. Ms Lemmon has worked with one of Denmark's renowned breeders, Lilian Christensen. In 2000, the amateur brought for breeding the first breeding male "Gonzo's Folmer" named "Vago", imported from Denmark.
In 1998, Ms Farkhar-Chang imported Flora Floede-Karamel (called “Flora”) from Denmark to her Kennel Flora in Cupertino kennel, California. This breed was the first Danish-Swedish farm dog to be bred to the United States. In March 2001, Flora gave birth to its first offspring in America. It consisted of the only female puppy "Flora's Han Solo" named "Solo". This dog was born through artificial insemination of its mother by a male from Denmark.
In 2002 and 2003 Flora had two more litters, each of which consisted of six puppies. These offspring were the result of natural mating that took place in Denmark. In 2003, Solo gave birth to her first offspring in the United States, three lovely Danish-Swedish farm dogs.
In 2001 Kennel Flora kennel imported Gonzo's Hannah, which had litters in 2003 and 2006 (three puppies each). The organization currently has two breeding and one young "Flora's MORNING Glory" female named "Milli" who is too young to participate in breeding. Flora's Ollaliberry, or Target, was bred to Pacific Rim's Bernalia Dot or Dotty, resulting in a litter of three puppies in 2007. Matilde's Ruby gave birth to its first five boys in 2011.
Many of the animals kept in the Kennel Flora nursery take part in sports competitions. Solo, Tilly, Anna, Mav, and fourteen-year-old Flora compete in flyball competitions. “Target” - was able to reach the highest USDAA Agility title. Also, these pets compete in the events of the North Atlantic Flyball Association (NAFA) and the United League (U-FLI). Flora is committed to maintaining breed performance and prefers to place their puppies in active families, especially those planning to participate in organized sporting events.
Establishment of Danish-Swedish Farm Dog Clubs and their activities
In 2000, Helen Riisgaard-Pedersen, a Danish woman living in Wyoming, was looking for the type of dog she remembered from her childhood in Denmark. Ms. Riisgaard-Pederson and her American husband, Butch, worked as truckers for a company that in 2000 decided to let their drivers carry dogs with them. They began researching the right breed to suit their lifestyle, which entailed long hours of travel and interaction with a variety of people, as well as their children and pets.
The workers almost gave up on the idea, but then Helen remembered Danish-Swedish farm dogs from her childhood. Having studied their characteristics a little, it became clear that this is a suitable breed. In December 2001, the couple chose a bitch "Javika's Princesse Madeline" named "Maddy" from a breeder in Denmark. In April 2003, they went to Sweden to pick up Kikku. Helen Riisgaard and her husband Pedersen established Little Denmark in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For several years, the couple drove their truck as part of a team, with the first three pets: "Maddy", "Kikku" and "Sussi". In the end, they decided to devote more time and energy to their dogs in the kennel.
Ms Farquhar-Chang, Ms Lemmon and Ms Riisgaard-Pedersen, all related by Danish breeders, communicated by e-mail their shared interest and passion for Danish-Swedish farm dogs. Their communication and friendship led to the formation of the Danish / Swedish Farmdog Club of America (DSFCA).
DSFCA was founded in 2003. Three women formed a founding board of directors and drafted a statement of purpose and a code of ethics for the organization. In 2004, Sally Frankel created the club's first website and remains its webmaster to this day, and also formed a forum group called Yahoo for the owners of these dogs in the United States. DSFCA stayed in close contact with Danish breeders (through whom they originally imported their main stock), keeping them informed about the club's activities. In 2004, the organization displayed several Danish-Swedish farm dogs in Hayward, California at the American Rare Breeds Association (ARBA) show.
Danish breeders at home have called on the Dansk / Svensk Gaarhund Klub (DSKGK) to recommend that DKK accept ARBA as a registration organization for US-born Danish-Swedish farm dogs. DKK agreed and the first American puppies with ARBA pedigrees were Kennel Flora. The DSFCA was incorporated into Delaware in 2006 and made the official breed club in the United States. In the same year, two more board members were added, Carol Lemmon and Bruce Feller. Melody Farquhar-Chang was president of the board of directors from 2006 to 2010.
On September 2, 2006, the club held its first specialty event in Longmont, Colorado. The council brought in a well-known judge from Sweden, Lars Adeheimer, for judging and criticism. After the initial membership, in the summer of 2007, the number of members was thirty-three. Many of those who joined paid higher fees.
This allowed the DSFCA to host its second annual special procedure on November 10, 2007 in Claremont, California, in conjunction with the ARBA Hollywood Classic. This time the club attracted the Danish judge - Wolf Braten. On November 11, 2007, DSFCA organized the first annual general meeting for members of the Villlage Grill in Claremont. These two special events allowed Danish-Swedish farm dog owners from all over the country to meet in person. The success of these events also strengthened the confidence of both the DSFCA and the position of the breed in Sweden and Denmark.
In 2010, Helen Riisgaard Pedersen and her husband Butch radically changed their lives. The couple and their dogs moved to Denmark and currently live in the countryside of Ringsted, about an hour's drive from Copenhagen. Their kennel was the second largest registered danish swedish farmdog in the US and is now in Danish territory. Today it consists of four bitches: "Maddy", "Kikka", "Susie" and "Nikki". All puppies bred by Little Denmark have Danish Kennel Club (DKK) pedigrees. They are members of the Danish breed club (DSGK) and the Swedish breed club (RDSG) and remain with the DSFCA.
Paul Jensen and his family live in Lincoln, Nebraska and own Danasa Nursery. In 1998, this man read about the breed. He decided that it is a great family outdoor activity companion that is calm and affectionate in the house. In 2004, Paul found Little Denmark's kennel (which was still in the US at the time) on the Internet and contacted Helen about purchasing a Danish Swedish farm dog. The breeder put him in line, warning him that he might have to wait two years. But, the woman surprised him a few months later, on April 11, 2005, announcing that a male puppy would be available in two weeks.
Paul acquired Javika’s Terkel, nicknamed “Tukko” on April 22, 2005. In February 2006, the man traveled to Halden, Norway, to the Amandas kennel owned by Inger and Oswald Asmundsen to collect a Danish-Swedish farm dog's bitch named Amanda’s Anna. The offspring from this pair of breed representatives turned out on October 15, 2009.
Recognition of the Danish Swedish Farmdog
Danish swedish farmdogs are recognized by the Federation of Cynologists International (FCI). The first official FCI standard was adopted on March 2, 2009. On January 13, 2011, the breed was accepted as a Foundation Stock Service breed by the AKC. Since there are very few Danish-Swedish farm dogs in the US, it is important that they have pedigrees that are accepted throughout the world.
The AKC is the only world-renowned American canine club that can confer such a position. The adoption of the AKC will allow American-born species to compete and show in any FCI participating country, as well as divorce their cousins from other FCI member states.
On 19 February 2011, the Danish Swedish Farmdog won the United Kennel Club (UKC) Championship for the first time, which recognized the breed even earlier, in 2008. The winner dog "Stolta Ebbas Einride", also known as "Jet" was from Sweden. He participated in the UKC conformation shows for a year until his victory. This pet was able to get a place in the "Terrier group" for three victories in the competition, as he was the only representative of the variety on the show.
The Present Destination of the Danish Swedish Farmdog
A Danish swedish farmdog named "Skraalan" who lives in Sweden and is owned by Pie Linnell has become a certified lifeguard. Such work involves passing an extremely difficult test. This pet was not afraid of shots, fire or noisy cars. He searched for missing persons and was injured in forests and deserts. This four-legged friend has also been used to rescue people in fires. Boots made of heat-repellent material were worn on the Skraalan so that the animal could move on hot surfaces. He followed almost any order. No wonder these little dogs are called big personalities.
Many Danish-Swedish farm dogs are now pets and companions. However, to what extent this breed attracts the attention of active people and demonstrates its affection for such. The danish swedish farmdog's need for physical energy and skill remains strong. They are fast, confident, able to jump high and still retain both hunting instinct and keen sense of smell. Therefore, these dogs love to participate and do well in various sports and competitions. Some of these events include: traction and ground testing, frisbee, swimming, tracking, rally, freestyle, camping, reindeer herding, hunting and hiking. They also serve as therapeutic animals, guide animals, and rescue missions, in addition to their role as four-legged human friends.
Watch a video about the Danish Swedish Farm Dog:
