Finnish Lapphund vs Icelandic Sheepdog
Side by side
Finnish Lapphund
Icelandic Sheepdog
Adult weight
Males 15–24 kg (33–53 lb); females 14–20 kg (31–44 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 12–15 kg (27–33 lb); females 10–13 kg (22–28 lb) (estimated: ±10% around the AKC breed page's single points of 30 lb for dogs and 25 lb for bitches)
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Daily brushing
No sourced figure
Exercise
A moderate amount
Class
Family
Family
Which suits you
Size
The Finnish Lapphund is larger on average: about 18 kg (40 lb) as an adult, against 12 kg (28 lb) for the Icelandic Sheepdog.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Finnish Lapphund: cooperative, with its own ideas; Icelandic Sheepdog: keen to work with you) and on handler demand (Finnish Lapphund: suits a first-time owner; Icelandic Sheepdog: needs steady training).
Alike
Both are rated the same on voice: very vocal.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Finnish Lapphund
Spitz & primitive · Medium
The Lapphund is friendly, calm and willing. It is alert enough to bark at anything new but is seldom sharp, generally gets on readily with people and other dogs, and keeps the stamina of a working breed.
Icelandic Sheepdog
Spitz & primitive · Medium
In temperament the breed is friendly, cheerful and inquisitive, and generally not aggressive. It is quick to bark, enjoys company and stays close to its people.
Breed traits
Day to day
Finnish Lapphund
Icelandic Sheepdog
Activity
A good daily walk and play
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Suits a first-time owner
Needs steady training
With people
Finnish Lapphund
Icelandic Sheepdog
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Keen to work with you
Around the home
Finnish Lapphund
Icelandic Sheepdog
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Very vocal
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Chases; needs managing
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Finnish Lapphund grows to the heavier adult, about 19 kg against the Icelandic Sheepdog's 13 kg. The Icelandic Sheepdog's weight is not a published figure.
Finnish Lapphund
Icelandic Sheepdog
More comparisons
Compare the Finnish Lapphund with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Finnish Lapphund breed page. ↑
- 2
- 3Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 4
- 5
- 6Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 7Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 8American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 9
Parts of this page were written by AI ·